Reflection

Panic Attack

Jesse's eyes were fixed on the gravel road before her, she thought keenly about what Lukas had said.

Jesse breathed heavily and her hands trembled violently.

Her head throbbed and she took slow pro-founding breaths. Jesse steadily rubbed her arm. What was she thinking?

Jesse's eyes were shining with tears. She just couldn't believe herself anymore.

She felt really pressured now and she began pondering heavily. Everything was slowly starting to get to her.

Lukas gazed at Jesse, his mind swirling. Did he tell her the right thing? What if she doesn't believe that he will?

Jesse thought about the past. She thought of Rueben, the last adventures with her friends, the wither storm.

Jesse felt completely overwhelmed and stressed by everything. She fiddled with her fingers, shifting from toe to toe uneasily.

Jesse slowly lost focus and her chest leisurely tightened.

Jesse's warm hands tingled and her walking pace slowed down slightly.

Her heartbeat was rapidly pounding against her chest and Jesse felt overly aware of her heartbeat.

The world zoomed in and out and Jesse's clear vision suddenly blurred.

"Jesse?"

Jesse started hearing loud whispers and even indistinct footsteps coming from behind her. Ear-deafening conversations blared and rung loudly in Jesse's poor ear. Her vision blurred even more and the tiny hairs on her arm sprung up.

"L....L....ukas...," She mumbled faintly, stumbling a bit, her knees weakening.

Her legs and hands trembled forcefully and Lukas rushed to her side, gently clutching her shaking arm and steadying her.

His soft fingers wrapped tightly around her small arm and Lukas breathed uneasily.

Jesse's chest tightened and her sharp breaths became shallow gasps.

Jesse felt a piercing affliction in her chest and she uncontrollably trembled from head to toe.

"Jesse...I need you to calm down," Lukas said, nonchalantly gazing at Jesse's wide and fearful chestnut eye's.

His words echoed in Jesse's foggy mind and intense terror struck Jesse's heart.

Jesse grasped Lukas' arm, and she felt reality slowly slipping away from her.

Lukas lifted up Jesse's lowered chin and Jesse blinked rapidly.

"Hey....you have to stay with me...," Lukas stated, his words bouncing around Jesse's mind.

This is your fault...

This is the end...

Your gonna die here...

Jesse felt like she was slowly going insane and she felt the world tip and sway forcefully.

Cold sweat rolled down the back of Jesse's neck and her stomach started hurting really bad and she sensed danger.

"....L...Lukas...," Jesse muttered quietly, her mind not even completely registering what she had just said.

Lukas exhaled slowly, "...Slow deep breaths Jesse," Lukas mumbled, his firm grip around Jesse's arm tightening.

Dazed chocolate colored eyes met Lukas' oceanic ones and he desperately wished he knew what was wrong with her.

Jesse's mind was elsewhere and in the corner of her eye Jesse could've swore that she saw something move.

Jesse's heart began pounding even faster and she was completely unable to think straight.

She felt extremely hot and sweaty and she felt unsteady on her feet.

Jesse tried taking a deep breath to calm herself, but it only came out sharp and shallow.

"Just keep breathing for me okay...," Lukas whispered softly, his voice wavering slightly.

Jesse's vision got darker and narrower and her loose grip around Lukas' arm detached entirely, the wrinkles in his leather jacket spreading farther apart.

Jesse's mind was racing, swirling with thoughts that she couldn't quite process.

Her body stiffened and Jesse couldn't move. The tightness in her chest made her feel like she was choking and the intense dizziness made her feel like she was hanging upside down.

Something's wrong. Something's wrong. Why won't this stop. What's going on? Why can't I breathe? Jesse thought frantically to herself.

Jesse started hyperventilating, her breathing quickening and her body swiftly overheating.

Lukas' cold hand wrapped around Jesse's. His cold fingers slowly entwining with her warm one's.

"Jesse...it's gonna pass....just keep breathing for me okay." Lukas said softly, biting his quivering bottom lip.

Jesse felt like she was being held underwater with no way of coming back up for air and her neck felt incredibly numb.

"Your gonna get through this Jesse. It's not the end of the world. Your alright Jesse. Your alright...," Lukas said warmly, squeezing Jesse's hand.

As everything steadily calmed down Jesse was silently left in a profound state of shock.

Jesse nictated rapidly, her body shaking uncontrollably. Without warning, Jesse suddenly collapsed into Lukas' cold arms.

She grasped unto him tightly, tears slowly rolling down her rosy cheeks. She took slow trembling deep breaths.

"It's okay Jesse....it's okay... It's over," Lukas whispered softly in her ear, his cold fingers slowly gliding down her long brunette hair.

Jesse clinged unto Lukas firmly, her quivering hands slowly wrapping around his back.

Jesse felt dizzy, the world around her spinning violently.

Her fingers felt numb and her body felt drained. Her eyelids were becoming heavy and Jesse hastily recollected her frantic thoughts.

Piece by piece, Jesse steadily pulled herself together. Intense silence had washed over Lukas and Jesse and none of them spoke a word to the other.

A cool breeze blew across their faces, ruffling their clothing a bit and Jesse closed her heavy eyelids.

Lukas sighed leisurely in relief and he swiftly bottled up his emotions and kept them locked in his heart.

Thick green leaves silently fluttered down and landed softly against the gravel.

Jesse's body tensed and her body was shaking like a fig leaf.

Reality slowly came back to her as she steadily took everything in.

She took a long deep breath and Lukas continued to gently stroke her hair in a soothing manner.

Jesse's grip tightened, a loose tear rolling down her cheek. Jesse's hands quivered and she bit her trembling bottom lip. She squeezed Lukas' hand and she couldn't be more grateful to have him by her side.

"It's okay Jesse....," Lukas whispered faintly, bringing Jesse closer to him.

"No....its not....," Jesse whispered, her voice faltering as she exhaled deeply. "Lukas.....I-I.... think had a p-panic attack."

----

Things just can't get any worse for Jesse....

Oh wait....they can. .-.

What do you think triggered Jesse's panic attack?

Do you think it had anything to do with what Lukas had said in the last chapter?

Or do you think it was completely unrelated to that?

Anyways! I'll see you in the next chapter!