Jonathan closed the laptop screen halfway, dimming the light in the studio.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

A text message lit up the screen from an unknown number.

I looked over his shoulder and read the words.

*I know she is in there with you.*

The footsteps stopped just outside our door.

I held my breath, staring at the gap beneath the wooden frame of the door.

A shadow cut off the thin sliver of light from the hallway.

Jonathan reached out and quietly slid the deadbolt into place.

The metal click sounded incredibly loud in the silent room.

Outside, the doorknob rattled once, hard, and then stopped.

“Jonathan,” Rebecca whispered, her voice barely a breath. “We need to get out of here.”

“The fire escape,” I said, pointing toward the window at the back of the studio.

Jonathan nodded, grabbing his laptop and sliding it into his leather bag.

He opened the window, the cold night air rushing into the warm room.

The smell of rain and wet asphalt filled the air.