In one awful instant he felt the rock under his elbow crumble, and then he fell.

To see it now is to relive its terror and the awful instant when everyone realized that these events could not be accidental.

For an awful instant Arnold thought Pashley was going to hug him.

For an awful instant Jim thought she was going to plunge out into the sky.

It hung for an awful instant, entire, filling the sky with its whitened glare, spanning from near the horizon to somewhere directly above him.

For an awful instant, Taniquel wanted to run, to hide.

In one awful instant, their minds met and she conveyed a look of utter torment.

For one awful instant she thought he meant to embrace her, then realized he merely wanted to take her coat.

In that awful instant, the worst part of it was the fear that I was not just dead, but also in hell.

The girl arched for an awful instant, then went limp in Kirk's arms.