Alice’s POV
The dimly lit room felt even colder than before. My arms ached, my wrists raw from the restraints that had been keeping me tied up. Though my legs had been freed, my hands were still bound together in front of me.
Ziggy sat across from me, his bulky frame relaxed, feet kicked up on an old wooden crate. He had barely spoken since bringing me food earlier, but I had caught him watching me now and then—silent and calculating.
I took a slow breath, trying to push down my frustration. If I was going to survive this, I needed to be smart. I needed to find a way to make things easier for myself.
"Look," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "I'm not running. You can see that, can't you?"
Ziggy’s eyes flickered toward me, but he didn’t respond.
I shifted uncomfortably, lifting m
