"Stay Down, Boy."
On the Rooftop
Joshua tensed as Alice fumbled with her phone, fingers shaking slightly.
"What are you doing?" he asked, watching her scroll through her contacts.
Alice shoved the phone into his hands. "Take it. The password is josice247. There's a contact named Grandpa. Call him. Tell him what's happening. He'll be here in minutes."
Joshua frowned. "Why can't you call him yourself? You know him better than I do."
Alice let out a dry chuckle and straightened her back. "Because I'm about to do something I never thought I would—risk my life for someone else." She smiled, stepping toward the edge. "And trust me, the second Grandpa hears his grandkids are in trouble, he's going to ride the storm here."
Then, in a flash of violet light—she was gone.
Down Below
Adam lay pinned to the cold concrete, dark tendrils coiling around his limbs, pressing him down with unrelenting force. He could break free—easily—but before he could, someone else decided to play hero.
