The cell pressed in around me, shadows clinging to the damp stone like living things. The air was thick, metallic, and sour—blood and iron woven into every breath. Mrs. Rae had us patrolling outside in groups, but Connor and Reyna were trying to forget about it, pretending the walls weren't whispering with what they'd seen. I couldn't. I'd been inside only once before, and the memory of that stench had followed me like a curse.
Now, as I made my way down into the cell again, the torchlight flickered against the rough walls, throwing jagged shapes across Amantha's sleeping form. Her head leaned against the stone, her hair tangled, her face pale in the dim glow. I crouched in front of her, the grit of the floor biting into my knees, and reached out a hand. My fingers brushed her shoulder, cold and fragile beneath the fabric.
She stirred, lashes fluttering, and I whispered into the silence, my voice low but steady:
"Wake up… we need to talk."
Her eyes opened slowly, confusion swimming in them before settling into recognition. The sound of dripping water echoed somewhere deep in the dark, each drop marking the moment between us.
Her voice was hoarse, cracked from thirst and silence. "Talk…?" she whispered, the word barely audible, as though it cost her more strength than she had to spare.
Behind you, the faint shuffle of boots reminded you that Connor and Reyna were stationed outside, pretending not to care but listening all the same. Mrs. Rae's orders had been clear—patrol, watch, report—but the weight of what you saw inside was heavier than any command.
The rough wall scraped against Amantha's back as she shifted, and the sound was sharp, grating. Her eyes searched yours, wide and uncertain, reflecting the flicker of torchlight. You could smell the stale sweat clinging to her clothes, the sourness of fear that lingered in the air.
"Wake up… we need to talk," I repeated, firmer this time, the words cutting through the silence like a blade.
She swallowed hard, her throat working against dryness, and nodded faintly. "Then talk," she rasped, her gaze steady now, though her body trembled.
The cell seemed to lean in closer, shadows pressing against the walls, waiting for what you would say next.
I took a deep breath before speaking.