The presence in front of her suddenly backed away, and she was able to draw a shaky breath. She hadn't thought there was room for him to do that, but she still couldn't speak, still could barely move. It wouldn't be long now until there was no space at all. The walls of the lift had vanished, replaced by the white walls of that room where she must have spent her entire life. Everything else that happened was a dream, a fantasy made up to pass the time. She was here. She had always been here. She would die here.

Get up. You're embarrassin' yourself. The words registered in her brain, and she didn't understand because it was not the voice of her demons. Her eyes searched out the voice's owner, but she couldn't remember who he was. Her legs pushed at the ground but she didn't rise. Her heart was racing too fast, her breath coming in short, almost painful bursts.