Breathless from running up the stairs, I burst into my apartment with the chainsaw.
We don’t have much time.
Crossing through the living room, I slide open a hidden door.


On my wedding night, Sarah heard Nico and Oria in his old apartment, which can only be accessed through mine. I’d walled it off from the hallway until he comes home. Matter of security. Didn’t stop them from walking through my residence to get to it.
I enter Nico’s bedroom like a hurricane and yank the bed away from the wall.
I put my ear against the cool plaster and hear a scratching sound from the other side, as if she’s clawing her way out, but gently.
Crouching, I open the chainsaw’s motor door and snap in a new spark plug. As I do this, I realize the gentle scritch-scritch is her drawing on the opposite side of the wall.


“Sarah.”


“Dario.” Her voice sounds far away.


“We’re leaving.” I close the motor cover.


“I’ll leave when I’m ready,” she says.


“Step away.” 


“Why?”

I yank the chainsaw cord and it roars like a bear poked with a stick.