Chapter 12

• (IRA)
• The minutes slowly ticked away like a heartbeat, rhythmically echoing through the dimly lit room, as I observed him restlessly pacing back and forth in an attempt to collect his thoughts. Every step he took seemed to reverberate with anticipation, matching the growing tension inside me.
• Curiosity gnawed at me. I wondered what could be so vital to him that it prompted him to spare my life, even if only temporarily.