"Hey," she said, breaking the silence between them.

Chris turned to her, a furrow in his brow. "Hey. What did you think about today's discussion?"

Maxine hesitated, unsure of how to voice the unease that gripped her. "It was... intense. I never really thought about storytelling in that way before."

Chris nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Yeah, it really makes you question everything you thought you knew about stories, doesn't it? I mean, I always saw them as a form of escapism, a way to forget about the real world for a little while. But now... Now I'm not so sure."

Maxine nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of connection with Chris in that moment. "Exactly. It's like we've been looking at stories through a narrow lens, only seeing the surface and not what lies beneath."

Chris stopped walking, turning to face her fully. "Do you think there's more to storytelling than we've been taught?"

"I think so," Maxine replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think there's a darkness to stories that we often ignore, a depth that can reveal truths we're not ready to face."

Chris studied her for a moment, his eyes searching hers for something she couldn't quite identify. "Do you want to explore those dark truths together? Dive into the depths of storytelling and see where it takes us?"

Maxine couldn't help but laugh at Chris's suggestion, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. "Are you suggesting we become like modern-day detectives, uncovering the hidden secrets of storytelling? I didn't realize we were signing up for a mystery novel instead of a literature class," she teased, nudging him playfully.

Chris chuckled, his expression turning mischievous. "Who knows what we might uncover? Maybe we'll stumble upon ancient manuscripts hidden in the library archives or decode cryptic messages in old novels."

Maxine shook her head, still grinning. "You watch too many movies, Chris. But I have to admit, the idea of unraveling the enigmatic depths of storytelling does sound intriguing. Count me in for this literary adventure."

And with that shared excitement, Maxine and Chris went to their homes.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the city, Maxine found herself unable to shake off the feeling of foreboding that had settled in her chest. She tossed and turned in bed, restless and haunted by the echoes of Henry's words from class.