Lola’s POV

The first thing I noticed was the silence.

Not the kind that came from peace, but the kind that sat heavy in the air, thick with unspoken horrors.

The room they threw me in was small, barely big enough for the thin mattress on the floor. The walls were damp, stained with years of neglect. A single lightbulb buzzed overhead, flickering now and then, like even it wasn’t sure if it wanted to stay alive in this place.

I sat with my back against the cold wall, knees pulled to my chest, staring at the steel door across from me. It had a lock on the outside.

Of...