someone touched him , and he flung out a hand , blind , grappling for help , god , help , he could n't breathe ... something smaller than the pain pushed him , hard , and he was suddenly on his side , doubled up , coughing , jerking in agony with each involuntary cough , but had to , could n't not , could n't stop , and spikes of air stabbed his chest coming in , as though he 'd breathed in a mass of drawing pins , went out in a blinding sheet of white-hot pain and black smoke .