Melanie stilled when she saw the man standing at the door. There was something about him, that froze her in place. And for some reason, her chest tightened with an inexplicable wave of fear. She didn't know why. There was no memory to reach for, no name flashing in her mind, no past experience her brain could connect to this man walking toward her with such familiarity. But her body remembered.
Her body recoiled before her mind could catch up, and a cold, invisible hand began to press against her chest. Her breathing changed.
It came in shallow, quick bursts—just enough to keep her upright but not enough to calm her. Her heart started to thump harder, not fast exactly, but deep, like a drum echoing from somewhere far beneath the surface. She sat up straighter in the booth, willing herself to stay still, to seem normal, to remember the instructions Jung had whispered through the earpiece. But her limbs were getting heavy.
