After catching her breath, Lila decided it was time to search outside. Her heart was still pounding, her mind racing with waves of thoughts crashing against each other. But she knew she had to move. Stepping out into the street, she faced the consuming darkness, trying to make sense of the inexplicable. Something had changed, irrevocably and inexplicably. Something unearthly.  

The street was shrouded in silence, a heavy stillness as though life itself had paused. The only sound was the echo of her footsteps hitting the pavement, disturbingly loud in the absence of the usual city noises. The vibrant hum of people, cars, and chatter was replaced by an eerie void. The city lay drowned in a suffocating quiet, and Lila couldn’t ignore the feeling that everyone was still here—but trapped, suspended in some unnatural slumber.  

Each step forward made her feel as though time itself was dragging. The air was cold, biting her skin like an unseen punishment, clinging to her with a strange hostility. Lila moved cautiously, her eyes scanning for any sign, any clue that someone else might have escaped this strange, dreamlike sleep.  

The first place that came to mind was the police station. Maybe there, she thought, she could find some answers—or at least the semblance of hope. When she arrived, the building loomed eerily in the dim light. At first glance, it seemed perfectly normal. But the oppressive darkness surrounding it hinted at something far more sinister within.  

She approached cautiously, walking through the main entrance. Inside, an even deeper silence greeted her. No officers, no guards, no staff. The desks and chairs sat abandoned, frozen mid-use as though their occupants had been whisked away. It was a chilling sight.  

“Why is there no one here?” Lila whispered to herself, her voice trembling as she searched the deserted offices. She sank onto one of the benches, exhaustion and dread settling over her like a heavy cloak. The walls felt as though they were closing in, trapping her with her endless questions.  

After a few moments, Lila stood and resumed her search. She needed answers. Her thoughts raced to places Emma might go. Perhaps somewhere familiar, or even a location where others might have gathered if they, too, were awake.  

She decided to head to the university where Emma had spent countless hours. It was a logical choice—Emma had always been drawn to the campus, spending late nights studying and exploring its corners. Upon arrival, Lila began her search methodically. She climbed staircases, entered lecture halls, and even checked the restrooms, calling Emma’s name softly, hoping for an answer. But there was none.  

The hallways were deserted, the classrooms silent, the entire building void of life.  

“Why haven’t I found her?” Lila muttered, her fear intensifying as her footsteps echoed in the emptiness. “Could she be somewhere else? Somewhere I haven’t thought of?”  

Then another thought struck her: Emma’s grandmother’s house. If Emma had sought safety, comfort, or familiarity, she might have gone there. It was a place steeped in memories, a refuge from the chaos of the world.  

Lila raced to the house, her heart clinging to the hope that Emma might be there. But when she arrived, it was as lifeless as everywhere else. The door was tightly shut, the windows covered, and no movement could be seen within.  

She knocked repeatedly, her fists pounding against the wooden door, but the silence was unrelenting. The cold air bit at her cheeks, and the suffocating stillness grew heavier.  

“Where could Emma be?” she wondered aloud, pressing a hand to her chest as her breaths came in sharp, uneven gasps. The question clawed at her mind, each step away from the house adding to her mounting despair.  

Her thoughts spiraled—was there anywhere else someone awake might go? Somewhere where others like her might be gathered?  

Then she remembered. The old school at the edge of the city. It was located near the forest, isolated and ancient. But it wasn’t just a school—it had once served as a shelter during emergencies, a place people fled to during floods or earthquakes. Perhaps it was now a refuge for those like her, the few who had somehow remained awake.  

The idea filled her with a fragile sense of purpose. Lila didn’t waste a second. She turned and started running, her feet pounding the pavement as she crossed the eerily empty streets.  

As she drew closer to the school, its looming silhouette came into view, shrouded by dense trees that seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkened sky. Something about the place felt off—a foreboding sense of secrecy.  

“Will I find Emma there?” she thought, her mind battling against the fear that threatened to consume her. The shadows around her seemed to grow, creeping closer with every step she took, swallowing her in their cold embrace.  

And yet, she pressed on, determined to uncover the truth in a world that had become unrecognizable.