"I've been trying to reach you, Axel. What happened to you?" I questioned desperately as Axel's number finally connected. His gruff voice echoed through the phone, but the tension in the air felt heavy, and I could only sense the weight of something troubling him.
"Look, Carol, I'm good. What's up?" He inquired, but his flat tone did little to reassure me.
"What's up?" I replied, my voice fraught with anxiety, gripping the handles of my suitcases. I had managed to pack all my belongings from the dorm, but now, standing alone in the encroaching darkness of the night, a shiver ran down my spine. The world around me was bathed in the harsh glow of the nearby light pole, while the shadows loomed threateningly. With the female guards ensuring I didn't loiter around as a former resident, I felt increasingly isolated and vulnerable.
