The room was tense with an eerie silence, only punctuated by my ragged breaths. Dust clung to my skin as I lay flat beneath the bed, the cold linoleum floor unforgiving against my back. My heart thundered loudly in my ears, each beat echoing the terror that Emily’s words had instilled in me.
Linda’s words resonated in my mind, each syllable sharp and threatening. “She should be ready now.” Ready for what? Fear twisted in my gut, a relentless coil of anxiety and apprehension. I strained to keep my breathing quiet, aware that any noise could betray my hiding place.
Emily stood by the bed, her small frame a fragile barrier between whatever was happening and my vulnerable position on the floor. I could see her feet shifting nervously, her toes curling on the cold tiles as she tried to mask her fear with bravery.
