Jake groaned, his head pounding as he slowly regained consciousness. Darkness engulfed him, the scratchy blindfold tightly tied over his eyes heightening his disorientation. His arms and legs felt numb, restrained by something cold and unyielding.
"Where... am I?" he muttered under his breath, straining against the bindings. His mind raced, trying to piece together the events that led him here. He recalled walking with Lily and Everlyn, their laughter filling the air—then nothing but a blur of shadows, rough hands, and muffled screams.
"Who were those bastards?" he hissed to himself, frustration mounting. "How did they snatch us so fast?"
Before he could dwell further, the blindfold was yanked off with a sharp tug, light flooding his vision. Jake blinked rapidly, his eyes adjusting to the dim, flickering fluorescent bulb overhead. The room around him was decrepit—cracked walls, water stains, and a faint stench of mildew filling the air.
