Sam shouted my name.I remember his voice, urgent, panicked. He was running toward me. I could almost see his face, eyes wild with fear. But the scene kept shifting, morphing into something I couldn't fully grasp. Behind him, the rooftop of our old school loomed, shadowy and distant.Why? Why was it always there, haunting the edges of my memories?My heart started to race, and I felt a jolt of panic rising in my chest.Sam, Naomi, and the rooftop...It didn't make sense. I couldn't piece it together, but the flashes kept coming.I flinched, my body tensing, and suddenly I wasn't in that quiet room anymore. I was back there, on the edge of something I couldn't comprehend."Lana, you're safe. Breathe. I'm going to bring you back now." Jerry's voice snapped me out of it.I gasped, opening my eyes, my breath shaky as if I'd just run miles. The dimly lit room swam into focus, and I blinked, disoriented. My body was cold with sweat, my heart pounding. I felt embarrassed, almost ashamed, bu
Jerry watched as Lana's breathing grew slow and steady, her body finally surrendering to the deep sleep. The tension that had been carved into her face softened as she slipped away into rest, and he quietly draped a blanket over her, ensuring she was warm and comfortable.For a moment, he just stood there, his eyes lingering on her. It had been years since he'd seen Lana, and he never expected that the memories of what had happened would still haunt her so deeply.With a soft sigh, Jerry stepped away from her and motioned to Jason, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room, watching over Lana with an intensity that hadn't wavered since they'd arrived. Jason rose, and they both silently left the room, careful not to wake her.Once they were in the hallway, Jerry closed the door behind them and turned to Jason. His expression, usually calm and professional, was now tinged with something heavier. There was a question in his eyes, one that had been building ever since Lana ha
It was around 2 a.m. when I woke up, drenched in sweat, my heart pounding in my chest.Another nightmare.The same one, again and again.Samuel, the rooftop, his voice screaming my name, and then… darkness. I couldn't escape it, no matter how hard I tried. The nightmares had been getting worse since I came back.After the session with Jerry, I swore I wouldn't see him again. He meant well, but I couldn't stand how he looked at me, like I was some kind of patient to be treated. He kept trying to calm me down, offering hypnotherapy, medication.But that wasn't what I wanted.I wanted answers.I threw off the blanket and sat on the edge of my bed, my feet touching the cold floor. The room was quiet, but my mind was loud. Flashes of memories continued to swirl. Samuel, Naomi, the rooftop… but tonight, a memory I had nearly buried deep within the recesses of my mind emerged.I remembered the fear, the raw terror that had gripped me that rainy day. His rough hands, reaching for me, had sent
It was time to stop running from the past.I decided to track down the hospital where the body had been taken. Being in forensics myself, I knew this was my best chance to access the information I needed.Yes, I needed answers. Lying was unethical. It went against everything I stood for, but desperation has a way of blurring the lines. I had no choice.I stood outside the hospital, its imposing structure far more modern than I had imagined. This wasn’t some rundown facility on the outskirts of town. It made sense after all, the school I attended was prestigious, and they wouldn't have sent a body to just any hospital.This place handles serious cases.I headed for the forensic department. It wasn't bustling, which is luckily for me, it seemed like a slow afternoon. I spotted a woman, likely in her early forties, at the front desk. She was flipping through some paperwork, looking bored. This was my chance."Hi there," I said, smiling softly. "I'm Dr. Lana Kang. I work in forensic path
As we finished lunch, I could feel Jason's eyes lingering on me. He wasn't fooled by my actions, but thankfully, he didn't push the subject. We made small talk as he walked me back to the apartment I was staying in."Let me know if you need anything, alright?" Jason said as we reached the corner. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to his words, like he was holding something back, something unsaid."I will," I assured him, but we both knew that wasn't true. Whatever I was about to uncover, I needed to face it alone.We exchanged a brief goodbye, and I watched him walk away. The moment he was out of sight, the weight of the secrets I carried felt heavier. I glanced at my phone, still cradling the unanswered questions swirling in my mind. Jason's concern was genuine, but I couldn't let him know how deep I was getting into this.Not yet.I walked up to the apartment lobby. The sky was growing overcast, mirroring the storm brewing inside me. The missing pieces of the puzzle danced j
Jason arrived at Lana’s apartment, his pulse quickening as he found her curled up on the sofa, knees to her chest, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her eyes were wide with fear, and the sight of her so fragile made his heart tighten.Without a second thought, he rushed to her, pulling her trembling frame into his embrace.“Lana,” he whispered, his voice soft but filled with concern. “What happened?”Lana’s voice was barely audible, quivering with terror. “Someone’s been here... I heard the door beeping. I know someone has come in.” Her words broke between sobs, and Jason could feel her panic rising again.He glanced around the apartment, his eyes carefully scanning every corner. Everything seemed in order; nothing was out of place. The apartment was untouched, but her fear was real, palpable, overwhelming. Jason knew that Lana’s fragile mind was starting to play tricks on her. Her paranoia was growing stronger, more dangerous.“Shh,” he murmured, stroking her back gently. “It’s okay
Jerry visited again the next morning, as he promised. Jason opened the door with a quiet nod of greeting. Jerry's eyes swept over the apartment, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention to Lana."She seems stable," Jerry said, his voice low as he set his bag on the table. He approached Lana, carefully removing the IV from her arm. "Her vitals are fine, but she's still weak. Make sure she continues to rest."Jason watched closely as Jerry packed up the IV, then glanced at Lana's sleeping form. "I will. Thanks for coming over, Jerry."Jerry looked up, meeting Jason's eyes for a moment before he nodded. "Just keep an eye on her. If she starts to become too restless, let me know. We don't want her pushing herself too hard." He gathered his things and made his way to the door, pausing for a final word. "She'll wake up soon. Don't let her dive into anything stressful too quickly."After Jerry left, Jason returned to Lana's side. He studied her for a long moment, the soft rise
I woke up to the sound of soft footsteps and the feeling of sunlight creeping through the curtains. For a moment, I didn't move, trying to assess where I was. My body felt lighter, less drained than before, but my mind… something wasn't right.The fog that had weighed on me for days was lifting, but in its place were pieces—fragments of something I couldn't quite piece together.I sat up slowly, my head spinning just a little as I adjusted to the room. Jason was there, sitting in the chair next to my bed, his phone in his hand but his eyes already on me. He had this way of watching me, like I was something fragile, something that needed constant care."You're awake," he said, his voice warm and comforting. "How are you feeling?"Physically, I felt better. My muscles weren't aching anymore. But my mind… my mind was a mess. There were these flashes, images that didn't make sense. "I feel... okay," I muttered, rubbing my temples. The flashes were faint, but they felt real. Too real to ig
The room felt heavy with unspoken tension, the kind that seeped into the walls and lingered like a storm waiting to break. Jason stood near the window, his hands clasped tightly behind his back, gazing out at the city skyline. The glittering lights mocked him, a chaotic reflection of the battle raging inside. His jaw tightened as he exhaled slowly, the sound barely audible over the hum of the air conditioning.Behind him, Jerry sat at the table, methodically sorting through his medical bag. The precise clink of glass vials against one another was the only sound, a steady rhythm in the charged silence.“Jerry,” Jason began, his voice low, almost a growl. “I need your help.”He didn’t look up immediately, but Jason noticed the subtle stiffening of his shoulders. When Jerry finally met his gaze, his expression was guarded, his movements deliberate as he closed the bag.“I’m already helping you, Jason,” Jerry said coldly. “More than I should.”Jason turned, his expression dark. “We’re not
I lay motionless, every inch of my body weighed down by exhaustion. Outside the bedroom door, I could hear them.Jason and Jerry, discussing my condition in hushed tones.I strained to catch snippets of their conversation, words like "dosage" and "observing" drifting through the crack. They sounded calm and steady, but to me, it felt more like they were plotting my imprisonment.Then I noticed it.Jason's phone rested on the seat where he usually sat while keeping watch over me. The screen glowed, a recent message half-typed, abandoned in his haste to follow Jerry. My heart thundered in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins.This was my chance.Ignoring the throbbing pain in my stitched hand, I dragged myself to the edge of the bed, fingers outstretched toward the phone. I trembled, fighting to steady my breath.My mind raced as I navigated to the contacts list.Nelson.He was my only hope. After the heated argument with Jason days ago, I clung to the belief that Nelson would n
For the next two days, the walls seemed to close in, inch by inch, and despair began to creep into my bones. I had hoped that playing the part, feigning obedience, would give me some space—maybe a chance. But Jason didn't leave the apartment.Still, he stayed, his presence shadowing me with its quiet, unnerving calm.Most meals arrived at the door, delivered with barely a sound, a silent reminder that I was cut off from the outside world. Jason set up his laptop on the counter, working without a word. Though he gave me the freedom to roam the living room, even watch TV, it felt orchestrated. As if he wanted me to feel relaxed enough to drop my guard.I tried to distract myself with the television, flipping through channels for anything that could pull me from this claustrophobic existence, but nothing caught my interest. Every laugh track, every news anchor's voice felt hollow, echoing against the surrounding silence.There was no way out. Every door locked from the inside, every windo
Jason stepped out of the shower, his movements relaxed as he wrapped a towel around his waist, droplets of water clinging to his skin. He noticed immediately that Lana was not in her room, but it only deepened his calm. He knew that there was no possible way for her to get out.He had seen to it. She was safely contained, her every means of connection to the outside world secured or removed. He'd thought through each scenario, each potential escape, and he knew with certainty that the only way she was leaving was with him, to Granata.As he dried his hair in his room across from Lana's, Jason glanced at the clock on the living room wall. The time was nearly up. He needed to change her bandage. He draped the towel around his shoulders, with a steady breath, he padded toward the kitchen, a small smile curving as he found her there, sipping a glass of water. She turned at the sound of his approach, her expression calm but distant, masking the tension he knew was hiding underneath."I hope
My arm throbbed lightly, a raw, stinging reminder of the wound left from yesterday. I winced, testing the movement, but relief washed over me when I realized it wasn't deep enough to slow me down.I needed to move fast, to be quiet. The shower hissed from behind the closed bathroom door, the only sound in the apartment. I took a quick, steadying breath.If there was ever a time to get out, it was now.I padded across the living room, feeling every muscle tense with purpose. When I reached the front door, my fingers went to the lock.I froze.That unyielding panel of numbers stared back at me, unmovable and impassive. I punched in the only codes I thought might work. Birthdays, common combinations, even random sequences. But each attempt ended with a sharp, unforgiving beep. My heart hammered in my chest. He had activated the security locked down system, blinking red with each failed entry.With growing dread, I tore my eyes from the door and cast a frantic glance around the apartment.
I blinked awake, my eyes adjusting to the dim light as I took in the soft shadows of the room. My hand throbbed slightly, wrapped in a fresh bandage.The antiseptic smell lingered, a reminder of how closely Jason had hovered over me. It felt like a weight pressing on my chest, this feeling of being caged. I needed to get away, away from his grip that seemed to tighten with every passing day.I shifted on the bed, letting out a quiet sigh. A warm hand squeezed my shoulder, gentle yet firm. Jason's voice reached me through the haze, soft and careful. "Hey, you’re waking up. I’m here.”Blinking, I opened my eyes, struggling to bring the world around me into focus. My mind felt heavy, muddled, and it took a moment to recognize where I was. Jason’s face hovered over me, a faint, reassuring smile on his face.The sunlight seeped through the blinds, casting soft, crisscrossed shadows over the room, grounding me slightly in its warmth. As I looked around, my eyes caught on the IV bag, nearly d
Lana began to stir, Jason felt a flicker of hope. He gently squeezed her shoulder, his voice low and soothing. "Hey, you're waking up. I'm here." Her eyes fluttered open, revealing a mix of confusion and fatigue. He smiled reassuringly, hoping to ease the disorientation that seemed to cling to her.The sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting soft shadows throughout the room. He glanced at the IV line, noting that the bag was nearly empty. The remnants of the medication administered by Jerry would soon be out of her system, and he hoped that would bring Lana back to herself."Here, drink this," he said, pouring warm water into a glass. He carefully raised it to her lips, watching as she took small sips. "You need more restful sleep." He added, wanted to ensure she felt comfortable and cared for."Jerry came by to check on you earlier," Jason explained, keeping his tone gentle. "He set up the IV to help you recover. It's almost done now." He gestured toward the line on her arm. "He
Jason eased Lana onto the bed, taking care to settle her comfortably before pulling the blankets up snugly around her, cocooning her in warmth.He brushed his fingers gently through her hair, smoothing out any strands that had strayed, letting them slip like silk through his fingertips.A mix of tenderness and guilt deep within him stirred, he lingered a moment longer, his gaze tracing her face as she slept, realizing just how far he had gone to keep her close, even if it meant crossing lines he'd once vowed never to cross.Making sure she was settled comfortably, Jason moved to close the blinds, casting the room into darkness, softening the edges of reality.The dim light created a quiet cocoon around them, shielding her from the world beyond those walls. He lowered himself onto the mattress beside her, the mattress creaking slightly under his weight.He observed closely as the tension in her expression eased, her brow softening as the pain began to recede. Her bandaged hand lay limp
I sat on the edge of the bed, gathered my belongings with trembling hands, stuffing clothes and a few personal items into a suitcase. I promised myself I would return once things were stable. I can't stay here any longer. Not after everything that had happened, not after the mess we were in.Jason had been kind, too kind, but everything had spiraled out of control. I couldn't face him. Not after what he'd done, after the lines he crossed.The guilt gnawed at me, and I couldn't tell where my own sense of shame ended and his manipulation began. I needed to get out.I needed to breathe.As I zipped the suitcase shut, a wave of panic tightened around my chest. What would Jason say? What would he do? My mind flashed back to our last confrontation, the way his eyes had burned with hurt and anger.I took a deep breath and opened the bedroom door, cautiously stepping into the hallway. The living room was empty.No sign of Jason.Maybe he'd gone out. Keeping my steps light, I wheeled my suitca