Chapter 2 - Ryan Stares In Shock At The Hidden Kitchen Wall
Ryan froze in the center of the kitchen, his breath catching in his throat as the tiny hand retreated into the darkness.
The silence in the suburban home was deafening, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator and Clara’s panicked breathing.
“Clara, what is going on here?” Ryan demanded, his voice trembling as he stared at the rusted metal vent cover.
Clara backed away toward the counter, her face completely drained of any natural color, her fingers digging into the marble edge.
“You shouldn’t have listened to her, Ryan,” Clara whispered, her eyes wide with a terrifying mixture of guilt and desperation.
Little Lily hugged her father’s leg tightly, her small body shaking as she looked back up at the mysterious wall opening.
“Daddy, my friend is hungry,” Lily whispered softly, tugging urgently on the hem of Ryan’s flannel work shirt.
Ryan dropped to his knees, his hands hovering over the screwheads of the decorative vent panel bolted securely into the drywall.
“Clara, I am asking you one last time—what have you been hiding behind this kitchen wall?” Ryan shouted angrily.
Clara covered her mouth with both hands, tears finally spilling over her lashes as she shook her head back and forth.
“If you open that vent, our lives are completely over,” Clara sobbed, sliding down the kitchen cabinets until she sat on the floor.
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Ryan ignored her warning, his paternal instincts and mounting dread overriding every rational thought in his racing mind.
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