The sound was unlike anything I’d ever heard—a deep, tectonic groan that vibrated through the soles of my feet as the Sterling Tower’s structural integrity screamed under the first stage of the demolition. Dust filtered down from the recessed lighting, turning the pristine white room into a hazy, dreamlike tomb.
"Julian!" my sister screamed, recoiling from the bed as the floor tilted. She reached for the silk tie of her robe, her eyes darting toward the door. "Julian, it’s me! She’s the imposter! She’s the one who tried to kill us!"
Julian stood in the doorway, the heavy fire axe trembling in his grip. His face was a mask of gore and confusion, the bandages over his brow unraveling like a funeral shroud. He looked at my sister, then at me—strapped to the bed, helpless, wearing the same f
