Roran
Something is definitely weird with this family. No joke.
One moment, he’s pulling his sister into that locked room from earlier, and the next, a bright blue light flashes from under the door, spilling into the hallway like a warning. Kayla bolts out of it seconds later, panic all over her face. She grabs my arm just as the other man—Chris’s father—grabs her and drags her toward the entrance. Both of them vanish.
My heart hammers in my chest, and a familiar ring starts up in my ears—a sound I’ve begged not to hear again.
No.
It hasn’t been two weeks since my last dose. It can’t be starting again.
Not here.
Not now.
No. No.No.
“Water… hel—”
Another whisper, crying and guttural.
“Bloody...”
So many voices push their way inside my head at once that I tear Kayla’s hand off my arm and slap both hands over my ears.
“Go away! Leave me alone!” I scream, my voice ragged and feral. My eyes clamp shut against the blur, against the madness.
I’ve been taking my medicine like clockwork these past few years. I haven’t collapsed in so long.
So why is this happening?
Why now?
When I open my eyes again, the black marble corridor is spinning. Kayla’s in front of me, moving her mouth, but I can’t make out her words. The noise is too high-pitched, too loud—like static scraping against my brain. Mariano and Chris are gone.
What the hell is happening?
“Mom!”
The scream isn’t mine—it erupts inside my head, but the agony feels personal. A voice not mine, but too close, too deep, too raw. It rips through my skull like claws, echoing on every surface, and I bite down on my lower lip just to stay grounded. Tears spill from my eyes, uninvited and hot.
“Roran!”
I finally hear Kayla’s voice—only my name, the rest still swallowed by the roar.
“I can’t hear you,” I grit, trying to focus on my breath. “I can’t—”
“Help me!”
Another voice—another cry, raw and pleading.
My pulse spikes, my skin damp with sweat and the heat of my panic. I don’t even feel the tears now. They’re just… falling.
Hands touch my waist from behind, firm and grounding, nudging me toward the elevator at the end of the corridor. I can’t make sense of what’s happening until the elevator doors open and someone bursts out—
Bay.
She’s running, frantic, but slows when her eyes lock on me. Then her gaze darts to Kayla, sharp and searching. They exchange words, but I can’t hear them over the noise, and honestly, I don’t care.
