KEILAH

I hesitated, clutching the thread tightly. "This?" I asked, my voice wary. "What do you want with it?"

The woman's eyes softened, but urgency lingered in her gaze. "It's a key," she explained, her voice gentle yet insistent. "Without it, I can not help you fully. Trust me, Keilah."

The fact that she knew my name without an introduction should have alarmed me, but instead, it brought a strange sense of reassurance. Still, I couldn't ignore the nagging doubt that lingered. "How do I know I can trust you?"

She stepped closer, the mist of the shower parting around her like a curtain. "Because I am the only one...