Julij’s words echoed in my head, their meaning stripping me of all senses. For the second time in my life, I felt powerless. ⠀ I opened my mouth to speak, but words were stuck somewhere deep in my throat. My hand traveled up, and I squeezed the nape of my neck, digging my fingers hard into the skin. ⠀ Instead of forcing my vocal cords to work, I tried to deliver enough air into my lungs to remain focused. Layla in danger was the only thing that could get me from calm to all-out petrified in a matter of seconds. ⠀ The worst kind of fear swept over my entire system, weakening me, robbing my mind of the ability to think straight, pushing me to act without gathering all the information. ⠀ I could’ve easily crumbled under the weight of my own protectiveness. It was crushing, primal, uncontainable. The muscles on my shoulders turned to stone, and I felt physical pain, knowing she was out of my reach, and I couldn’t protect her.⠀
Confessions of a Bibliophile 