sea'

the dimly lit hallway. With every step he took towards the room, an unsettling emptiness grew within me. It

n the Persian rug. They reached the door to the room, the one with the se

of this nonsense! Open this door right now!" His

silence of a house

in, harder this time. "Don't test my patience, young lady! You are pushing y

, not

nfident, but a sliver of unease flickered in his eyes. "Trying to

thinks we'll just forget about the data leak if she hides away. Thinks she can manipu

d suffocating. No defiant retor

d timidly a few feet away. "You said she was calling out, Mrs. Gable. That she

h fear. "No, sir! Never! She... she wa

o muttered, rubbing his chin. "That's

truly fit in with the family. Always the sensitive one, the artistic one, the one who couldn't handle the

silent, bitter laugh. I was more

insisted, "No, sirs. She' s been in t

hing unreadable in their depths. A nascent worry, perha

k. It held fast. He slammed his shoulder against the

d with frustration now. "This isn't funny! You thin

If only you knew what

ody, writhing, desperate for a gasp of fresh air. My fingers clawed at the solid wood, leaving f

en that I realized the cold, hard truth: they weren't coming. They believed

nt cough. My chest burned, then w

silent prayer to the men who could no l

he door, a solid, furious thud. The wood groan

t odor of decaying flowers. This was deeper, fouler. A sic

r mouth. "Oh my God! What is that smell?

sudden shift, rushed forward,

hough his nose crinkled in disgust. "Or she's spilled something

t project," Erland added, his voice lace

of disgust and irritation, simultaneously kicked the door.

d inward, rippe

at assaulted every sense. It was the smell of

suffocating room w