Time seemed to stand still as Valerie watched herself turn slowly back toward her apartment door. Peter pushed it shut as Eric came around from behind it. The click echoed in her ears. She raced over, dove for the knob, but it faded like a morning mist: there one moment, and nothing but sky and meadow the next. She tumbled onto the grassy slope beyond, taking Eric out at the knees. They tumbled and rolled together on the lawn which didn’t fill her with any of the joy such an activity might be expected to do in any decent place.
Again, her brain felt cudgeled. Hell, by definition, wasn’t a decent place. Was it?
Peter looked at where the door had been and turned to Michelle. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. Michelle, what’s going on?”
Valerie attempted to stand, but her legs failed her an
