Mother's True Love.

Green light.

Emily tried to remain calm with each step, but the tightening grip of anxiety around her throat made it feel impossible. Every breath felt like a struggle against the air itself, and all she could hear was the frantic rhythm of her own footsteps echoing in the corridor.

"Calm down, Emily. Just breathe," she whispered to herself.

As she approached the emergency exit, she felt a flicker of hesitation. With a deep breath, she gripped the heavy iron handle and pushed the door open. But as soon as she entered, the door slammed shut behind her with a deafening bang.

This was the first time in her life she had entered an emergency exit, and even though the building was new, it felt haunted. The staircase was lined with rusty railings, the walls bore mossy patches, and the ceiling looked aged and cracked. A chill crept down her spine.

Should I even be in here?
What if something's waiting behind that door?
Am I going to die right here?

Emily shook her head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts. Maybe she had been watching too much The Haunting of Hill House. Determined, she took a step forward, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

Suddenly, she noticed someone gripping the doorknob on the other side, twisting it. Emily gasped and instinctively took a step back.

Just my luck.

The door swung open, and a tall man stood before her, his disheveled hair falling into his eyes. "Oh God, I'm so sorry! Did I scare you?" he said, taking a step back, his expression apologetic.

Hell yes, you did.

"It's fine," Emily replied, forcing a shaky laugh. "I figured I'd have to take this way since the elevator's out."

"Yeah, I get it," he said, looking around the dimly lit stairwell. "Actually, this is my first time here too. I'm looking for someone. Could you help me?"

Emily steadied her breath, trying to shake off the lingering fear. The stranger seemed harmless enough, but uncertainty still loomed. "My sister is dead. Fuck. I need to go back home," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry but I just.. Couldn't get things right, right now."

Concern flickered across his face. "I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm Alex, by the way. Maybe I can help. What do you know about it?"

Emily felt the weight of memories tugging at her heart. Jules' laughter, her playful nudges, and then the suffocating silence that followed her absence came rushing back. "Not much," she admitted, her voice faltering. "Just that she was bullied. I think it became too much for her."

"Bullied?" Alex's brow furrowed, genuine concern etching his features. "That's horrible. Did anyone take it seriously?"

"No," Emily replied, frustration rising. "No one listened. I wasn't there to help her, and now... it feels too late."

Alex stepped closer, his voice softening. "Emily, it's not too late. We can figure out what happened. I work as a prosecutor, and I've seen cases like this. I have connections who can dig deeper."

Her heart raced at the thought. A prosecutor could access information she couldn't. "Really? You'd help me?"

"Of course," he nodded. "We need to start somewhere. Do you have any leads? Anything at all that could point us in the right direction?"

She took a deep breath, collecting her scattered thoughts. "There was a party she mentioned before she, you know. It was supposed to be fun, but I heard rumors that it turned dark."

"Tell me everything you know," Alex urged, leaning in closer.

As she shared the fragmented details, Emily felt a flicker of relief. For the first time, she wasn't alone in this desperate search. But beneath that relief lingered a gnawing fear—what if they uncovered something she wasn't ready to face?

The echo of footsteps interrupted her thoughts, and both turned instinctively toward the sound, but it was only shadows that greeted them.

"Maybe we should get out of here," she suggested, her nerves prickling.

"Good idea. Let's head to my office. We can talk more there and figure out our next steps," Alex agreed, gesturing for her to lead the way.

As they made their way back through the emergency exit, Emily couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, an unsettling presence lurking in the corners of her mind. She was stepping deeper into a world of uncertainty, but for Jules' sake, she had to keep moving forward.