that time was playing tricks on her, stretching out endlessly, each minute heavier than the last. S

rs, the creak of her own floorboards-each felt as if they were

ere act of holding it was a lifeline. But even the act of gripping it felt like a mistak

h. The shadows in her apartment had grown longer, stretch

am I

ion gnawe

sage replaye

d train yard. Midn

eath h

It was dark, overgrown with weeds, shadowed by the looming presence of rusted trai

sat there on her s

on

could feel it pulling at her. Her mind was trying to fo

of mistake. Maybe this was a random message mea

t if it

d at the

the only way t

down on the table, trying to breathe,

st felt

n yard.

ke they were drowning her, like a thousand voic

be waiting for her? Would she step into a tr

d happen if s

her mind return to normal? Or

found herself scrolling back through t

th

kn

ra nearly dropped the phone. Her heart leapt

eath s

again, more ins

mind was racing, and she couldn't think. The sound felt real, like

ody f

her heart pound

t El

this time, accompanied

deliberate, close, close en

y without thinking. It was on th

if it wasn't Elijah? What if it was someone worse? Someone she couldn't predict, someone wh

ts came to

to calm her breathing. Her body was shaking so violently no

king gre

ma

ear now. Deep

e body felt locked in place,

ma

ave been someone connected to him. Someone who u

hallway, her breath comin

pen it? Sh

y could give out at any moment. Her min

wh

gers slippery. She pressed her face

hen-s

cking s

ed. Her entire body felt like it w

t gon

ows in her apartment felt a little less oppressive, the air

the feeling that some

felt col

her pho

te

make a

ath cam

nother wave of d

did this mean? Was she being watched? Was this

en a differe

thoughts swirling in a whir

The old

understanding? Or wou

er phone, she knew-she

ins, and the whispers

ryt