“Good morning!” she greeted, flashing a friendly smile at the middle-aged woman, who looked up and returned the greeting. Stacey offered to carry the woman’s bag, and together they began the descent down the dimly lit stairwell, Stacey’s heart pounding with excitement.
As they descended, Stacey took a deep breath, feigning hesitation. “Have you heard any strange sounds in the stairwell lately?” she asked lightly, glancing sideways. The woman’s expression changed, her eyes widening slightly as she nodded.