My body still ached when I woke to find the bedroom empty. Elijah was gone, and I had no idea where he could be. The morning sunlight was dimmer than usual, muted by the gray clouds looming in the sky.

I forced myself to sit up on the edge of the bed, wincing as the throbbing pain returned. It wasn’t as intense as last night, but it was still there. Slowly, I got to my feet and reached the door, opening it cautiously.

Empty.

The hallway was eerily quiet, every door shut tight. It was strange—had everyone left after what happened to me? Were they afraid of the shooting?

“Where...