Elara woke up early in the morning, long before the sun was out. As her eyes got used to the dark, the first thing she noticed was that the spot next to her was empty. That was where Lyra had fallen asleep, exhausted, the night before.
Now, there was nothing but shadows.
The moment she realized Lyra was gone, Elara bolted out of bed. She ran to the bathroom first, but the door was locked tight. The only other way out was the door leading to the hallway.
Her eyes darted to the window. She quickly told herself Lyra wouldn't have jumped, but the thought still made her stomach turn. She rushed over to check it. The glass was still covered in a thin layer of dust, and everything looked untouched.
The window was sealed shut, but Elara couldn't calm down. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and her anxiety grew worse with every second she couldn't find her.
She whirled around to keep searching, but then her heart finally slowed down.
