The truth he swore to bury
The maintenance area smelled like oil, rust, and wet concrete—the kind of place meant to be passed through, not lingered in. Water dripped steadily from a cracked pipe overhead, each drop echoing too loudly in the narrow space. The walls were stained with years of neglect, shadows clinging to every corner as though they had grown there. A single fluorescent light flickered above them, buzzing faintly, threatening to die at any moment.
Outside, the rain continued its relentless assault, hammering the city with furious insistence. Thunder rolled in the distance, deep and low, like a warning that refused to fade. Every sound felt magnified, sharpened by fear and exhaustion.
Adrian stood with his body angled toward the entrance, shoulders tense, head tilted sligh
