“Move away from me.”
She reached for my arm.
I pulled away.
“Don’t touch me!”
“Helen, stop being dramatic.”
“Get away from me!”
She grabbed my wrist again.
I twisted free and pushed past her.
She stumbled backward.
For one terrible second, I thought she had regained her balance.
Then her heel caught the edge of the carpet.
She fell hard.
The back of her head struck the floor.
The sound echoed through the corridor.
I froze.
“Beatrice?”
She lay motionless.
All the anger drained out of me.
I rushed to her side and knelt beside her.
“Beatrice! Can you hear me?”
She didn’t respond.
I touched her shoulder, then pulled my hand away when I realized how badly it was shaking.
I looked toward the hotel room.
The python was still inside.
I looked back at Beatrice.
My friend, my mentor, the woman who had persuaded me to come to this place, lay unconscious on the floor.
