It took Mattie a geological lifetime to respond, but when she did, her voice sounded like it was being forcibly pushed out of her throat. Nicholas thought about trying to stand, or do anything really, but he couldn't. It felt like the skin around his wounds was literally [i]cracking.[/i] He knew that if he tried to move, it would almost legitimately kill him.

"I'm okay," he said. His voice was surprisingly smooth and calm despite the pain he was in. "Just gotta kinda...uh...lay here. I'm starting to, uh, feel things again."