Ginny had no idea what to expect as she stepped out into the chaos.
The cold hit her first, biting at her skin even through the coat she had hastily thrown on. She wrapped it tighter around herself, her heart pounding against her ribs as the noise of the alarms mixed with the cacophony of panicked voices outside.
The hallway was filled with students, some sprinting past her, their faces pale with fear, while others lingered near the walls, clutching their phones as though they were lifelines. She caught glimpses of tear-streaked cheeks and wide, glassy eyes. Some were crying openly, their sobs cutting through the noise like jagged shards of glass.
Ginny descended the stairs, the fog of sleep still clinging to her mind, making it hard to process what was happening. The fragments of conversations she overheard were disjointed, chaotic, like puzzle pieces that didn't quite fit together.
"Mom, please, you have to come pick me up!"
