AVEL
I watched Aalto as he directed the car to pull over to the side of the road, his movements remaining eerily calm. My hands clenched in my lap as he stepped out and shut the door without saying anything, and I leaned forward, looking around for Kai.
But it was not just dark, but pitch black. There were no lights along this stretch of the beach, and no signs of life either. The only thing I could see was the ocean ahead, a vast, ink-black sheet rolling beneath the moonlight, and the sound of it crashing and churning filled my ears, becoming louder with each passing second.
I stared out, my heart racing, as Aalto began walking down to the water, his steps unhurried. Pushing the door open, I stepped outside, my feet crunching into the sand as I took a step forward, but then I came to
