My body stiffened like a board and I fell over, though I was completely cognizant. The smack of concrete against my cheek felt far away next to the sharp agony rolling through me. I cried out as every muscle simultaneously seized up in a giant charley horse.

Black shiny shoes stepped into my blurred field of vision.

Pastor Nephus snapped a pair of magic nulling cuffs on me. Through my haze of pain came a terrifying flatness. I was powerless. I shook my wrists, my brows ...