“It’s really important you stay calm.”

Another.

Amy fled across the room, going as far back as she could go. Her legs buckled as she hit the wall. She fell to the floor.

Another.

Her heart was thumping so hard she thought it was about to explode out of her chest. Chloe, in the meantime, was busy racing around the room, shifting furniture and stacking it against the wall. Displaying unnatural levels of strength, she made light work of the couch, the chairs, the dining table, the small fridge, even the portable safe—anything that could be moved, she used to fortify the door.

“There, that’s the best I can do, but it’s not going to hold them for long.” She ran back across the room and clapped her hands at Amy, who was still cowering in the corner. “Stand up. We have to leave. We can go out the window. There’s a fire escape. We can climb down that.”

Amy was almost hyperventilating. “Chloe, I beg you—please, will you just tell me what’s happening? You know something. Can you please tell me what’s going on?”

“There’s no time. They’re already on to you. They know you don’t belong here. This is only making it worse.” The next knock was so strong that the stacked furniture rattled and shook and nearly tipped over. Chloe grabbed Amy by the arms, lifted her to her feet, and dragged her to the window. “Come on, you go first. I’ll follow.”

Steeling her nerves as best as she could, Amy climbed out the window and put all her weight on the narrow gangway, which was caked in rust and wobbling in the strong wind. She gripped the railing with both hands. She was only one floor up, but the street looked a long way down. The storm had cut the power to the streetlights. She could barely see a thing. Chloe stepped out behind her. Suddenly there was a crash from inside the room. One of the chairs had fallen to the floor. The knocking was getting worse.

“Go, Amy! Hurry!”

Amy hustled along the gangway and down the plunging steps as fast as her shaking limbs would allow. There was a gap between the staircase and the sidewalk. She held her breath and jumped. Chloe did the same and didn’t waste another second before grabbing Amy’s hand.

“Come on!” she yelled. “This way!”

They fled the hotel and made a breathless dash down a dead-end street, away from the town square, straight for the beach. Amy couldn’t breathe for all the wind and sand blowing in the air. She couldn’t understand why they were going this way. There was nothing down here, nothing but the ocean. Soon there would be nowhere left for them to run.