Emily’s POV

The stench in the air was unbearable.

It was a disgusting mix of sweat, rust, and something damp, like rotting wood and mold. The place was worse than the last. Smaller. Hotter. Dirtier. The air felt thick, suffocating, heavy with the weight of unwashed bodies and old cigarette smoke.

Rats scurried somewhere in the dark corners, their tiny claws scratching against the concrete floor. The only light came from a low, fluctuating bulb swinging overhead, showing strange, distorted shadows on the walls. It buzzed every few seconds, like it was on the verge of dying, struggling to stay alive in this miserable place.

And me?

I was still...