She had just lifted her foot to continue climbing when the step beneath her suddenly wobbled.
She froze for a second, thinking she had just lost her footing.
But then, a much stronger tremor hit. It wasn't a wobble; it was a violent shake, as if something was slamming up from underground, trying to overturn everything.
She snapped her head toward Chloe Fairchild and Sean Conrad, who were further up the steps. They looked just as bewildered, holding onto each other for support, their eyes filled with panic.
Buildings began to collapse, and people scrambled in all directions. The next second, her vision went black, and she knew nothing more.
...
She didn't know how much time had passed.
When Annelise Valentine regained consciousness, the first thing she felt was a headache.
It wasn't an ordinary ache, but a splitting pain that felt like it was exploding from the back of her head.
