I go to the spot where I saw Katherine standing and where Caitlyn was kneeling. I drop the sledgehammer and shovel, but hold onto the crowbar. I take a deep breath, raise the crowbar, and ram the thin end into the space between the floorboards. I pull against the crowbar with all my weight and I’m rewarded with a sharp crack as one of the floorboards comes free. I pry it up, rip it away, and throw it into the corner of the room. I repeat the process. The next board springs free. I continue until there’s a hole large enough to stand in. I inspect the concrete underneath.

There’s a patch in the old concrete that’s noticeably different than the rest. It’s uneven, and fine cracks stretch across the surface. I’m no contractor, but this was poured at a different time than the rest. I grab the sledgehammer and brace my legs against the sides of the hole. I raise it over my head, and swing. The impact sends shockwaves through my body. Bits of concrete fly in all directions. A few of the cracks become sharper and new cracks snake out in all directions. I raise the hammer again and bring it down with a grunt. Larger bits of concrete come loose, and more cracks appear. I swing again and again. To my relief, the concrete is only about half an inch thick, but it’s still tiring work. Finally, I bring the hammer down with all the strength I can muster and the concrete shatters into large chunks. I can see the dirt underneath. I crouch down and clear out the heavy pieces of concrete, sweat pouring down my face and neck.

A few more swings and I have a big enough opening to the dirt below to start digging.

Suddenly, the air around me changes. It grows cold and more dense.

It’s starting.

The skin on my arm ripples with goosebumps. There’s a sound. Breathing. It’s quiet but intense. I look around but it’s only me down here. I clear more debris from the hole. The breathing continues to grow. I grab the shovel and drive the spade into the ground.

“… I can’t sleep …”

The whisper comes from every corner of the room. I’m not going to look around. I don’t want to. Whatever is going to happen, let’s get it over with. All I care about is saving Caitlyn. I ram the shovel into the hard earth, lift it out, and throw it onto the floorboards.