The smoke thickened. Heat crawled up my spine like an animal with claws.

Why can’t I fucking move

My chest tightened as if invisible fingers were crushing my lungs. “Move!” I growled at myself, my hands shaking violently.

Vivian’s voice sliced through the haze. “You’re pathetic,” she said, pushing at the door that refused to budge. Her nails clawed at the handle. “If we die, I’m blaming you. Come here and help me.”

Her fake composure cracked for the first time. She was scared. And seeing her panic almost woke something feral in me.

I staggered forward, grabbing the walls for support “I’m not dying here. I don’t know about...