Rose's Point Of View
My lungs felt like they were shrinking, each breath more labored than the last. The office air turned thick and oppressive, crackling against my throat like static. I looked at Vanessa, Mark, and Victor, their faces blurring into pale ovals as panic narrowed my vision.
My fingers gripped the edge of my desk so hard my knuckles hummed with pain. I had to say it. The words clawed at my throat, demanding release. If I didn't speak now, if I kept this horror locked inside, it would stay a secret, and secrets were where people went to disappear, just like Seraphina.
"She's gone," I whispered, the words sounding like breaking glass in the quiet office. "Seraphina... she was taken."
Vanessa's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening so fast I thought they'd pop from their sockets. The color drained from her face, leaving her looking ghostly under the fluorescent lights. "What?! Rose, what are you talking about?" Her voice climbed higher with each word.
