Chapter 150: Vitale, Part 10

Five minutes later, the light clicks off. For one mind-numbing moment, I think she's left me in the dark, but as my eyes adjust, the light is merely very dim: blinking green from the activation light of the camera.

I'd thought my stomach was empty but, as it turns out, I've not done yet. As Juliana's footsteps dwindle to silence, my gut heaves. I have just enough time to react by throwing myself to the edge of the water channel before my stomach relieves itself of the last of its burden. The piquancy and fragrance of Portuguese street food were good on the way down, but chilli and spices are less appealing on the way back up.

Retching and puking, I let my body do its worst. Part of me knows this is the monkey brain acting: fear and panic running their course. Another part, the human brain, sits in the passenger seat, waiting calmly to take the wheel again.