The first thing Holly noticed was the silence.
Not the peaceful kind—the kind that presses in, heavy and wrong, like the world itself was holding its breath.
Her head throbbed. Every movement sent dull pain blooming behind her eyes, as if her thoughts were wrapped in cotton and bruises. She tried to shift, only to realize her wrists were bound behind her back. Rope bit into her skin, tight enough to numb her fingers.
Panic flared.
Holly sucked in a sharp breath, chest tightening as memories rushed back in fractured pieces—
The walk.
The woods.
Shadows moving where they shouldn’t have.
Hands grabbing her coat.
The twins were screaming her name—
Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.
“Lila,” she whispered hoarsely. “Mira?”
Nothing answered her.
Holly forced her eyes open.
