

Echoes of Silence
“Tahlia…”
My name, whispered behind me. I spun—empty hallway. The shadows moved. My own voice echoed back, brittle, twisted.
I ran, heart hammering. Sneakers squealed. If I don’t get out… I’ll never see my family again.
“You don’t own me,” I gasped.
For a heartbeat, the darkness froze.
