HELEN
I woke up suddenly.
There was no sound in the room that should have caused it. I listened for a moment for any sound from outside, but I heard nothing. No knock at the door, no movement outside, and no obvious disturbance around me. One moment I had been asleep, and the next, I was staring into the darkness with my heart beating harder than it should have.
For several seconds, I remained completely still.
Something felt wrong.
I couldn't immediately explain what it was, but I could feel the difference in the air around me. It was subtle, almost too subtle to notice if I wasn't paying attention, but I had spent too many years around certain things to ignore a feeling like that.
I slowly pushed myself upright.
My breathing was steady, but there was an uncomfortable sensation mov
