The sessions helped somewhat. Evelina learned breathing exercises and ways to distract herself, strategies for keeping the worst of the panic at bay. But the core fear never went away. Every time the sky darkened, every time she felt the first drop of rain on her skin, that same overwhelming dread returned. It was as if the rain carried a promise with it—a threat only she could hear. No matter how much progress she made, the sense of helplessness always crept back in.
