Pandora's POV

I lay curled on the cold floor of the warehouse, my body aching from the long hours of punishment Ms. Edna had inflicted upon me. The echo of my misery settled into the shadows, weaving around me like a suffocating blanket.

But then, piercing the oppressive silence, the screams of men shattered the air, and the staccato of gunshots erupted like fireworks.

My heart raced. My body jolted into action, and instinctively, I ducked under a rickety table, hoping it could provide some measure of protection.

“Get out of there!” Ms. Edna’s shrill voice cut through the chaos. She yanked me from my hiding place, her grip iron-clad...