I stood still for a moment, letting my eyes adjust to the gloom.

A single bulb flickered at the far end of the corridor, near a flight of wooden stairs.

I began to walk toward the stairs, my hand sliding along the cold plaster wall.

Every step felt heavy, my body tired from the stress and the cold.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and looked up.

The light from the second floor cast long shadows down the wooden steps.

I began to climb, my heart hammering against my ribs.

With every step, I felt the reality of what I was doing.

I was no longer running.

I was walking directly into the center of the storm.

I reached the top landing and saw a door standing slightly ajar.

A warm light spilled out onto the floor, along with the sound of a keyboard clicking.

I pushed the door open slowly, the hinges silent.

Sophia was sitting behind a metal desk, her laptop open in front of her.

She did not look up immediately, her fingers moving quickly across the keys.