The delivery van bounced roughly over the cracked, unpaved road leading to the edge of the city. Outside the windows, the tall skyscrapers and bright lights of downtown disappeared, replaced by rows of abandoned brick warehouses and overgrown weeds. The air smelled of damp earth, old iron, and rotting wood.
Clara gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned completely white. Her heart beat like a wild drum inside her chest. Every second ticked past like a heavy weight, pushing her closer to the trap where her little sister was being held.
She turned a sharp corner down a narrow alley and saw it. The old textile factory stood...