-ARIA-
One moment I was still fuming over Chloe’s visit, wishing I could smack her face with her own Birkin bag.
And the next, my whole body just… froze.
The instant the elevator jerked to a stop, everything dropped into slow motion. The car was stuck. The lights dimmed. The panel went dead.
The only thing louder than the ventilation system was the frantic pounding in my chest. My limbs went numb and cold.
And suddenly I was back in that moldy basement three years ago. I could almost smell the damp mix of moisture, dry ice, and old fabric.
I’d been in college then, far from home. My parents had been arrested and were waiting for trial. Every attempt at bail had been denied.
It was Halloween, and with everything going on, I’d already been low. I hadn’t wanted to leave my dorm, but a
