Daphne's POV
The scream ripped from my throat, leaving nothing but hollow echoes against sterile walls. The silence that followed felt absolute. Final. The kind that settles after a lock clicks and footsteps fade down a distant hallway.
I remained motionless in the center of the room, forcing air into my lungs. Each breath felt contaminated, as if the oxygen had been trapped here long before my arrival. Stale and depleted, offering less sustenance with every attempt. My chest tightened with each inhale, the meager supply dwindling further.
My legs buckled without permission, sending me crashing to the floor.
