Clearly she’d had an accident, fallen down the stairs to the cellar. Now, where was she? Her brain cried in agony, as if all her nerve endings were centered in her skull, but she struggled to focus. Her neck muscles were stiff but her spine was all right her fingers wiggled, and she could feel her toes even though she couldn’t see them. Take stock, she told herself, remembering the guidelines she’d learned in lifeguarding. Another crescendo of pain battered at her and she breathed through her nose, imagining that she was at the cool blue bottom of the pool. How had she hit her temple? She moved her head gingerly, half-afraid it might detach from her neck. She probed that area and felt a mushy spot. There was a lump at the back of her skull, but the worst injury originated just above her ear. She ached all over but nothing seemed broken, except for maybe her head. She was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt and running shoes. She could feel earth under her fingers, smell the dank rooty cool of it. Pushing herself onto her knees, she crawled forward a few inches. It was dead quiet except for the thrum of blood in her ears. Was she blind? She blinked rapidly but there was no difference.

Gradually the pain subsided to a throbbing ache and she peered around in shock. She forced herself to take deep breaths, counting between inhalations. She was breathing too rapidly and she felt as if she were about to pass out. Someone seemed to be shouting her name from far away-“Ari Sullivan!” She sat up and was instantly rocked bya wave of nausea and an excruciating pain that knifed through her head.

Ashes ashes by jo treggiari