Chapter 8

RAFAEL

The deafening crack of the first shot reverberates through the room, the force of it nearly toppling me. My eyes dart to the gun; confusion etched across my face as I realize my finger wasn't even on the trigger. Before I can process this, a second shot rings out as if in defense, but it's quickly drowned out by piercing screams that fill the air, echoing off the walls of the dark space.

Panic surges through me as I hastily toss the weapon to the floor, the cold metal clattering against the hardwood. My eyes frantically scan the pitch-black room, searching for the source of the heart-wrenching cries. The darkness seems to press in from all sides, suffocating in its intensity.

Suddenly, a face materializes before me, beautiful and youthful, but with an unsettling emptiness in the eyes - green eyes that mirror my own. The realization hits me like a physical blow, and I feel my heart constrict painfully in my chest.

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