And then, the light in the room went out.

Everything went black.

In the darkness, the phone in my hand vibrated once.

The screen lit up, illuminating the face of the person who had just entered.

I gasped.

The screen stayed lit, casting its pale blue light over the room.

The stranger took a step forward.

The door clicked shut behind them.

We were trapped.

I looked at Ana, but her face was hidden in the shadows.

“Alana,” the stranger whispered.

“We don’t have much time.”

The phone screen flickered, then died completely.

Leaving us in the absolute dark.

The sound of breathing was the only thing I could hear.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

I reached out blindly, my hand searching for the desk.

My fingers brushed against something cold and metallic.

It was a key.

And a small note.

I didn’t need light to know what the note said.

I knew the shape of Abigail’s handwriting by heart.

The key felt heavy in my palm.

“Use it,” the voice whispered again.

“Before they realize I’m gone.”

I took a step back, my mind racing.