-

The blanket she had pulled over herself felt damp, tangled, and useless against the cold that

ryt

at home. She could still feel it-his voice, that quiet, deliberate tone. Elijah. The memory

f trying to force his voice out. But it clung to her. His voice was an

mean by "e

ld block the sound, but it only made it worse. She coul

. Perhaps her mind had finally fractured, the stress and fea

t and foreign. The furniture, the walls, even the sounds of the city through the

ar? Or was

teady on the floor. She looked around the room like it might hold an

brie

polished black leather gleamed faintly under the pale g

s. She could see Elijah's hands placing it there, his calm, steady

's i

hing over her. Her knees felt weak, her breaths shallow

nister, gnawing kind,

it had

it had t

breathing, but the anxiety lingered. Her body felt too al

the table cut through her thoughts l

eath c

pick it up or let it lie there. The v

hovered over

lijah? Or worse-

p and jagged. The text message appeared on her screen like

d train yard. Midn

ision swimming. Her pulse thudde

his a

again, pulling the strin

the phone, her mind splintering, qu

e trai

oes th

dication of intent, just a simple command that could l

again in her

to know t

it something buried deep, something that w

breath felt harsh

ack void of paranoia and despair. Her legs felt leaden. She could hear the rhythmic pounding of her ow

t buzze

to know

was the truth? Was Elijah trying to unearth something about her life? He

ainty washing over her,

locked doors. Her belongings. Her

trust anyo

h's presence in her space, the sudden invasion, his conf

could almost feel the tugging, like the threads

e train yard, wha

hat if this was part of a larger game? What if the trap was already laid

was strong. The p

n yard.

ghten. She thought about the possibility of knowing. Of underst

t wha

. Every thought felt li

ng to slow, trying to find some clarity, b

ryt

closer this tim

one to her chest,

The old

ion felt

wing would sile

confront the truth

ped the ph

s passed l

whispered: Wha