Act I The hallway went silent before anyone could decide whether to breathe. Dr. Helen Marlowe stood inches from Nurse Sarah Bennett’s face, her burgundy blazer sharp against the pale blue hospital walls,…

Act I The boat cut through the gray water like it was running from something. Behind it, a white wake stretched across the choppy surface, wide and foaming, the only bright thing under…

Act I The music was still playing when Justin Vale took Amelia Harper’s hands. That was the cruelest part. The beat kept moving through the high school gym like the night was still…

Act I The egg hit the floor first. It landed sunny-side up against the sterile white tile, yellow center trembling beneath the fluorescent lights. The two slices of bread followed, skidding apart like…

Act I The coffee cups hit the marble first. Two white paper cups rolled across the polished floor, leaving a brown trail between luxury storefronts and spotless glass walls. People nearby glanced over,…

Act I Jax was laughing before the first splash hit the tank. The bright pink liquid rolled over the black motorcycle in thick, ugly waves, swallowing the shine, crawling across the chrome, dripping…

Act I The first thing Beatrice did when she saw Arthur at the gates was laugh. Not a nervous laugh. Not a surprised one. It was sharp, polished, and cruel, the kind of…

Act I The laughter rolled across the restaurant before the waitress could even lower the tablet. It was not loud by accident. It was the kind of laugh meant to travel, to bounce…

Act I The barking shattered the quiet street before anyone understood why. It was the kind of late afternoon that made the neighborhood look almost too perfect. Golden sunlight stretched across trimmed lawns….