OLMA’S POV

I slipped into my soft cotton robe, tying the belt loosely around my waist as i stared at the neatly folded clothes on the bed. Tomorrow morning, we’d he bleaving /bfor Mexico. My mom had told my dad everything about Adrian, about the pregnancy scare, about the lies and for the first time in a while, F actually felt a strange sense of peace. A new chapter was beginning.

But one thing still tugged at my mind. Julian.

When we first talked about this, he had insisted I go alone. Said it would be good for me to get away, to clear my head, and find myself without anyone’s influence. But now, out of nowhere, he had changed his mind and decided toe along. He hadn’t said much about it, and I hadn’t pressed. Still, the question lingered in my mind like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

I pulled the dovet back and was just about to slide in when a strange dryness crept into my throat. Not just dry–it felt parched. I wasn’t in the mood for water, I needed something sweeter, Juice, maybe.

Padding quietly down the stairs, I made my way to the kitchen. The house was quiet and still, save for the low hum of the fridge and the soft tapping of the wall clock. I opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of apple juice, and poured myself a ss. As the cold liquid slid down my throat, I sighed. It was refreshing and calming.

Then–thud!

A sudden loud noise came from outside. It sounded like someone had fallen. I froze mid–sip, lowering the ss slowly. It might have just been one of the guards–maybe someone tripped on the pavement. But then the dogs started barking, loud and aggressive, unlike anything I’d heard from them before. Julian told me that the dogs only barked like that when they sensed danger–when they saw a stranger.

I walked cautiously to the window and pulled the curtain aside slightly. Thepound lights were on, but the darkness still held its secrets. I couldn’t see anyone, but something felt off. The air felt heavier and tense.

Footsteps came down the stairs behind me.

“What’s going on with those dogs?” Julian asked, rubbing his eyes.

“They just started barking out of nowhere. I thought maybe one of the security guards would’ve handled it already,” I said, still peering out into the

shadows.

BANG!

A loud gunshot cracked through the night.

bI /bgasped, my fingers losing grip on the ss. It slipped and shattered against the tile floor, the pieces spreading across my bare feet.

“Let’s go…now!” Julian’s voice cut through the moment, sharp andmanding. He didn’t sound panicked. He sounded… prepared. Like this was just a

drill for him

I stood there, frozen. My entire body shook, fear locking me in ce as more gunshots followed. My legs wouldn’t move. My breath came out in sharp, shallow gasps. Julian noticed and didn’t waste time—he grabbed my wrist and pulled me along.

We ran through the house, the sound of chaos growing louder behind us. We reached the door that led to the basement when Julian suddenly bstopped/b.

“Wait here,” he said.

“What? Where are you going?” I asked in a panic.

“To get Mom,” he said, before darting back up the stairs like he had done this a hundred times before.

I leaned against the wall, my heart pounding in my chest. The shots outside weren’t stopping. I tried to calm my breathing

b1/3 /b

bMy /beyes darted across the broom/b. bThen /bI saw bit/b–bmy /bbmom’s /btablet bon /bbthe /bbdining /bbtable/b. bI /bbrushed /bbtoward /bit, my bbare /bfeet skimming the reld floor is had a bSIM /bcard, that it could bmake /ba call.

Tunlocked it and immediately pulled up the dial pad.

bWith /btrembling fingers, I dialed 911 and pressed the call button, all while keeping one eye bo /bbe /bbursting through the door

on the front door, praying that whoever was out there wouldn’t

It rang once. Then-

DISPATCHER: “911, what’s your emergency?”

“Hello, I think there are men outside mypound. They’re armed. And they’re shooting. Please, you have to send someone!” I whispered frantically, trying to stay calm but failing.

DISPATCHER: “Okay ma’am, stay calm. What is your address?”

“It’s 1840 Westridge Lane, just off Maple Drive. Please hurry,” I said, my voice trembling as I peeked toward the front door. My heart was thudding so loud I could barely hear the dispatcher.

DISPATCHER: “Thank you. Officers are on their way, but they might take a little time. Can you find somewhere to hide?”

“I’m about to go down to my basement,” I replied shakily, gripping the tablet tighter with trembling hands.

DISPATCHER: “Understood. I want you bto /bstay as quiet as possible and do not leave your basement. Were you able to see the people who were shooting?”

I was about to answer when ba /bloud noise from upstairs interrupted me. Julian came rushing down the stairs, his face pale but determined, dragging Mom by the wrist. He spotted me with the tablet and didn’t even hesitate–he grabbed my armb, /bcausing me to drop the device. The call disconnected, bthe /bscreen cracking on impact, but I’d given them the address. That had to be enough. Help woulde… eventually.

“We need to hide…now,” Julian said sharply.

We hurried toward the basement entrance. The moment we crossed the threshold, a thunderous bang echoed through the house. It had to be the front door. Someone just broke in.

“They’re in,b” /bJulian muttered under his breath as he led us down the narrow basement stairs. Each step creaked under our weight, and every noise felt deafening in the silence.

“What’s going on? Why were there loud gunshots outside?” my mom whispered, clutching Julian’s arm tightly.

“I don’t know, Mom. I think we’re being robbed or someone might have sent them,” Julian replied, his tone edged with stress. “And of all nights, it just had to be when security is low. Only two guards are on shift tonight.”

Once in the basement, Julian quickly guided us to a smaller, heavy metal door tucked behind a shelf of boxes. He opened it, and an icy draft swept over me. It was ba /bcold storage room, probably used for storing meat and perishables. Inside, the walls were lined with shelves stacked with packages of chickenb, /bturkey, beef–everything. It smelled like frozen air and raw meat.

“We’ll hide here for now,i” /ihe said, holding the door open for us.

I didn’t argue. None of us did. We stepped inside, and Julian shut the door behind usb, /bturning thetch until it locked with ba /bfirm click. The cold bit into my skin immediately. I rubbed my arms, trying to keep warm. Mom looked like she was shivering already.

Julian didn’t hesitate. He peeled off his pajama top and draped it around Mom’s shoulders. Leaving himpletely exposed to the cold, She tried bto /bprotest, but he waved her off. “You need it more than I do,” he said.

We could hear faint sounds echoing from above–the creak of floorboards, the soft shuffle of bfeet/b. They were searching. And they were bgetting /bbcloser/b.

Then we heard it.

b2/3 /b

12.28 Sun, 1 Jun

A loud crash

Came

bfrom /bbthe /btop

of the

basement

stairs.

The

basement door had been kicked open.

bThey /bwere down here.

Theld

thoroughly?

my breath, ? Why

behind crouching

hadn’t t

meat a stack of cratesb, /b

taken what ‘t they

they wanted and

gripping Mom’s bh /bleft already?

shand

tightly. If this

was just a robbery,

why

were

they searching so

No.

They weren’t! here for valuables.

They

for

were looking someone and I don’t think

we

had much

time.

Crap