Excerpt Search for Samantha: "Lara!" The hoarse bass voice crumbled and fell apart on the second syllable of her name, and the room grew silent again. Lara could hear Chan calling to her, trying to pull her back. She yearned to return to the comforting protection of his familiar arms, but the surrounding darkness swirled around her, pulling her deeper into the bottomless cavern. How would she ever find her way out? Samantha was in the cavern too. Lara could not leave Samantha there alone. She gave up the struggle and sank deeper, deeper, down into the dark, warm depths of the cavern. Voices washed over her like an ocean tide that rolled out of nowhere and dissipated on a rocky shore. "Has there been any change?" "None. She's shown no response at all." "I'm going to stay right here until she wakes up. I won't be in your way." "Sorry, sir. You know we can't allow that on this floor. We'll call you if there's any change. Now, you go home and get a good night's sleep. Maybe things will look better in the morning." Gradually, the waves lost their fury and faded into cold darkness, until at last there was no sound in the cavern at all, and Lara slept.Return to Book List