I take a deep breath, brace myself, and push with every ounce of strength I have.
The metal bites into the wood.
With a final grunt, I drive the crowbar downward.
There’s a splintering crack and the deadbolt shatters.
I swing the door open, and the darkness yawns before me.
I pull out my phone, flicking on the flashlight.
I shove the door open, breathless, praying I’m not too late.
“Please, please be here,” I murmur, stepping into the darkness beyond.
I fumble for my phone, turning on the flashlight.
The beam cuts through the shadows, but the first thing I see is a stairwell.
My heart races as I begin to descend the stairs.
Gunshots ring out, sharp and jarring.
I duck instinctively, adrenaline flooding my veins as I rush down.
“Song, can you hear me?”
Silence swallows my words.
I swallow hard, determination hardening in my chest.
Cold air rushes up to greet me as I reach the bottom, each step echoing in the stillness.
I sweep the light across the walls.
Old pipes drip somewhere in the shadows.
Dust hangs in the air, thick as fog.
My hands shake slightly, but I push it down.
“Please, please.”
I scan the corners, searching for any sign of life.
A rat scuttles by, and I jump, pulse racing.
“Don’t do that to me, little bastard,” I mutter under my breath.
My light dances over old crates, broken furniture, and shadows that seem to breathe. Where the hell could she be?
I strain to hear anything—a whisper, a cry. God, I can’t lose her.
Then, there. A flicker of movement in the corner.
My heart practically comes to a complete stop.
“Song?”
