The afternoon sun hung low, casting stretched shadows across the cracked pavement as Ethan approached the warehouse.
Each step felt heavier than the last. His heart thudded in his chest, not from exertion, but from dread.
He had never felt this kind of fear before.
Not during exams. Not during losses. Not even during the worst moments of his life.
This was different.
"Please… let them be okay," he whispered, barely able to hear his own voice over the pounding in his ears.
But deep down, he already knew. Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong.
A chill ran down his spine despite the heat of the afternoon sun. It wasn't instinct. It wasn't logic. It was something more primal. That sinking feeling you get when you're already too late.
"Damn it," Ethan muttered under his breath. "Why didn't I come here first?"
