Corpse Girl can’t talk if she runs out of air

He took a few steps back and shook Madelyn for emphasis. When her head stopped moving her eyes went from St. George up to Zzzap and back. “Kick his ***,” she wheezed. She didn’t need to breathe, but she still needed air to talk. “Don’t worry about…”
Her mouth twisted up in frustration as she ran out of words.

Excerpt From Ex-Isle, pg 333
Peter Clines
https://books.apple.com/us/book/ex-isle/id989619017