RULE #51
--- *Chapter 23: RULE #51* Rule #51: No contact outside Ada’s care. Daniel wrote it at 4am. New frame. New glass. Hung it where Rule #50 used to be. Perfect. Clean. Safe. By 9am he’d already broken it. Chioma didn’t come down for breakfast. Rule #3 broken. 7:05am. No Chioma. 7:15am. Daniel told the chef to wait. Pretended he wasn’t checking his watch. 7:30am. He went upstairs. Knocked on her door. No answer. He pushed it open. Chioma was curled in bed, hoodie pulled over her knees. Face pale. Sweat on her forehead. Shivering. “Chioma,” Daniel said. Voice sharper than he meant. “Are you sick?” Chioma blinked up at him, dazed. “Just tired... Rule #51... no contact...” Daniel’s jaw clenched. He crossed the room in 3 steps. Back of his hand on her forehead. Burning hot. “38.9
- Writer
