Sophia awoke with a groan, her head throbbing painfully, each pulse sending sharp waves of discomfort through her skull. She tried to move, but her body felt heavy, sluggish, as though she had been drugged. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light filtering into the room. It was unfamiliar, a small, cold space with concrete walls and a single flickering light bulb hanging from the ceiling.
Her heart rate quickened as the events of the night started coming back to her-the escape, the walk, the sudden blow to her head. Panic welled up inside her as she realized she was no longer at Mr. Black's mansion. A cold dread began to settle in her chest.
Where am I?
Her thoughts raced, her mind struggling to make sense of her surroundings. The room was barren except for a
