Skrbt — __link__

Leo pressed himself against the rear wall, his mouth dry as ash. He didn't want to see what made a noise like that. A noise that wasn't metal, wasn't bone, but something in between. A noise that had no business existing in a world of verbs and nouns.

Something was trying to get in .

He pried the doors open with his fingers. The car was there, thank God. He stepped in, punched "12," and held his breath. Leo pressed himself against the rear wall, his

The emergency hatch had a thin line of light around it. That light was now being broken by a shadow—something moving, blocking it piece by piece. A noise that had no business existing in

The ascent began with a whimper. A low, harmonic groan of stressed cables. Then, halfway between floors 6 and 7, it happened. The car was there, thank God

The hatch opened.