The muscles of Eva’s pelvis twitched and clamped and I came before I saw that she’d lost consciousness, before I tore the bag away, before I even let go her neck. Only the dog stirred me into action. I didn’t even hear the poor creature come in but something had roused it from slumber down beside the stove for it was suddenly there on the bed, growling and butting and snapping at my arms. The bag came away with a hank of Eva’s hair. She was white-eyed and drenched. Her neck rippled with tiny tremors and I began to shout over the mad, scrabbling dog. Eva! Breathe!
