SERAPHINA’S POV
It started with water.
Cold, black water lapping at my ankles—except I couldn’t feel the chill on my bare feet.
Then came the sound. A steady drip. Drip. Drip. Each drop echoed like it fell into a deep, hollow basin.
The air fogged before me, misty and uneven, yet I couldn’t feel myself breathing.
My feet were moving. But…I wasn't in control of them.
I didn’t fight it. I let them lead me forward until the fog parted, revealing a narrow stairwell lit by a flickering bulb.
The metal steps groaned as I descended, my pulse quickening, each breath heavier than the last.
Then I heard it—whispering. Or…muttering? Humming? The sound was strange, warbled, like it came from someone who had forgotten what a voice was supposed to sound like.
The basement came into view, dim and cold. Water puddled in some corners. Chains hung idly along one wall. And in the far darkest corner—
Celeste.
Or at least…a warped version of her.
