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CHAPTER 3 — OLIVIA'S FIRST WORDS

Thirty-six hours passed before Olivia opened her eyes again.

The room was quiet except for the steady rhythm of the heart monitor.

Clara had refused to leave her side.

She hadn't slept.

Hadn't eaten.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the coffin lid splintering apart and Olivia's bruised hand reaching toward the light.

A faint movement caught her attention.

"Liv?"

Olivia blinked slowly.

For a moment, she looked confused, as though she couldn't remember where she was.

Then her gaze landed on Clara.

Tears immediately filled her eyes.

"You came," she whispered.

Clara laughed through her tears.

"I wasn't about to let you leave me again."

Olivia tried to smile, but pain crossed her face.

"How... long?"

"Two days since the funeral."

Olivia froze.

"They buried me?"

Clara nodded.

"They thought you were dead."

"No."

Olivia's voice suddenly became firm.

"They knew."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Clara leaned closer.

"Who knew?"

Olivia shut her eyes.

"They checked my pulse twice."

Her breathing became uneven.

"I heard every word."

"What word?"

"The man said..." Her lips trembled. "'She'll wake eventually, but not before we're finished.'"

Clara felt her blood run cold.

"You recognized his voice?"

Olivia opened her eyes again.

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

Before she could answer, the television mounted on the hospital wall suddenly switched on by itself.

Static.

Then a smiling news anchor appeared.

BREAKING NEWS

"Police are searching for Ethan Bennett, who disappeared shortly after yesterday's funeral incident..."

Olivia's face turned white.

"No..."

"What?"

"They'll never find him."

"Why?"

Olivia stared at the television with terror.

"Because he never runs."

"He hides."

"Where?"

"In the only place no one would ever search."

Clara leaned forward.

"Tell me."

Olivia's lips parted.

Then every monitor in the room suddenly went black.

The lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

The entire floor lost power.

Emergency alarms began echoing through the hospital.

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And somewhere in the darkness...

A door slowly opened.

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