Olivia
The door burst open, bathing the dark basement in golden light, and both Jenifer and I were jolted from our tense standoff. We exchanged wide-eyed, fearful glances, our shared shock etched across our faces.
The abrupt intrusion had caught us both off guard, but I had hope.
“Help!” I began to call out, my voice strained and hardly more than a whisper after Jenifer’s intense grip had taken my breath away. “Help me, ple—”
But before I could finish, Jenifer lunged forward, clamping her hand over my lips. “Shut up,” she hissed, her voice so low only I could hear. I watched in horror as she slipped something small and silver out of her pocket, and then I felt the cold blade of a knife pressing firmly against my throat.
As the hinges creaked and the door swung wide, my heart raced wi
