chapter 1

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A few days before Christmas, the massive residential community building looked more like a small holiday town than an apartment complex. Strings of colorful lights stretched from balcony to balcony, wreaths hung from nearly every apartment door, and giant red bows decorated the stair railings. Holiday music drifted through the open courtyard from large speakers while neighbors hurried from booth to booth carrying shopping bags, cups of hot chocolate, and plates stacked high with homemade food. Children laughed as they chased one another around a towering Christmas tree placed in the center of the courtyard, its ornaments sparkling beneath the crisp winter morning sky. Vendors continued setting up handmade crafts, baked goods, knitted scarves, candles, and artwork, hoping to earn a little extra money before Christmas Day. The entire building buzzed with excitement, and for a brief moment, it felt as though nothing bad could ever happen within these walls.

On the first floor, tucked neatly between a family-owned bakery and a tiny flower shop, sat Ryquez's wooden art toy store.

Even before sunrise, warm amber lights glowed through its front windows.

The scent of freshly carved cedar, oak, and pine filled the cozy shop.

Rows upon rows of handcrafted peg dolls, wooden animals, rocking horses, miniature houses, puzzles, ornaments, toy trains, and tiny villages lined the shelves with remarkable precision. Every single piece had been carved by Ryquez himself, each one sanded until perfectly smooth and painted by hand. The little store had become one of the most beloved places in the entire residential community.

Ryquez stood behind the counter, his broad shoulders nearly filling the narrow aisle. Towering over almost everything in the room, the bulky man quietly inspected a newly carved wooden snowman before placing it carefully onto a display shelf. His long dreadlocks rested against the back of his dark hoodie as he adjusted a tiny Christmas village display in the front window.

Without saying much, he naturally moved with calm confidence.

He straightened the price tags.

Swept away a few stray wood shavings.

Adjusted a small wooden reindeer that had tipped sideways.

Finally, he stepped back to admire everything.

"...Almost ready," he quietly murmured to himself.

His eyes drifted toward the clock hanging above the register.

The time made him smile slightly.

"She should still be asleep."

The front lights remained dim while the "Closed" sign still faced outward. Ryquez quietly walked away from the storefront and disappeared through a hallway leading to the private home attached behind and beneath the shop.

Unlike the cheerful storefront, the living quarters were peaceful.

Soft morning light slipped through the curtains.

Everything remained still.

The faint hum of the heater filled the room.

Down the hallway, Kaleyana slept peacefully beneath a thick blanket. Curled slightly onto her side, one arm rested protectively around her enormous full-term belly. Even while sleeping, the size of her pregnancy made it difficult for her to find a comfortable position. A pillow rested beneath her back while another supported her legs.

Ryquez slowed his footsteps until they were nearly silent.

He approached the bedside.

For a few moments...

He simply watched to make sure she was sleeping comfortably.

A small smile crossed his face.

Very gently, he sat beside the bed.

His enormous hand carefully brushed several loose strands of hair away from her face before softly rubbing the top of her head.

"Kaleyana..." he said quietly.

She didn't answer.

Still half asleep, she let out a tiny sleepy hum.

"Mmm..."

Ryquez chuckled under his breath.

He continued gently rubbing her head.

"Morning."

Several long seconds passed before one eye slowly cracked open.

Kaleyana blinked lazily.

"...Morning already?"

"It is."

She sighed dramatically.

"I was having such a good dream..."

Ryquez smiled.

"I know."

She slowly stretched as much as her pregnant body would allow before placing both hands beneath her belly to help herself roll upright. Even sitting up had become a careful process now.

Ryquez instinctively placed a steady hand behind her back.

"There you go."

She nodded sleepily.

"Thank you..."

Another yawn escaped her as she rested both hands across her stomach.

The baby shifted noticeably beneath her hoodie.

Kaleyana smiled down at her belly.

"Looks like somebody's awake too."

Ryquez gently placed his large hand against her stomach.

A firm little kick answered him.

"...Already causing trouble."

Kaleyana laughed softly.

"Just like their daddy."

Ryquez raised an eyebrow.

"I don't remember causing trouble."

"You carved an entire dragon because a six-year-old asked if dragons celebrated Christmas."

"...He seemed serious."

She laughed harder.

"Exactly."

The peaceful laughter lingered throughout the room before Kaleyana slowly nodded, mentally preparing herself for another busy day.

"I should get dressed before the booths start getting crowded."

Ryquez stood first before offering both hands to her.

She accepted them without hesitation.

Using his strength for support, Kaleyana carefully rose to her feet.

Once she found her balance, she smiled appreciatively.

"I'm okay."

"I know," Ryquez replied. "But I'd rather help."

Nearly forty minutes later, the little wooden toy shop was alive with activity.

The lights glowed warmly.

Holiday music played softly through an old speaker.

Fresh wooden ornaments hung from decorative garland wrapped around the shelves.

Kaleyana carefully arranged handcrafted peg dolls near the entrance while greeting early customers with a cheerful smile. Ryquez unlocked the front door, flipped the sign from Closed to Open, and held the door as the first wave of holiday shoppers wandered inside, completely unaware that this joyful Christmas celebration would soon become the beginning of the most terrifying day the residential community had ever experienced.

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The moment the front door had been unlocked, the peaceful little toy shop transformed into one of the busiest stores in the entire residential community.

The cheerful jingle of the bell above the entrance barely had time to stop ringing before another customer walked inside.

And another.

Then another.

Soon there was hardly any room left to stand.

Parents admired the handcrafted peg dolls displayed across the shelves while grandparents slowly wandered through the aisles, pointing out toys that reminded them of their own childhoods. Children gasped at the miniature wooden villages, carefully painted trains, rocking horses, dinosaurs, and tiny animal figurines.

Warm laughter bounced off the wooden walls.

Outside, Christmas music drifted through the open doorway from the courtyard festival.

Inside, the smell of freshly carved cedar mixed with cinnamon from the bakery next door.

The atmosphere felt alive.

Kaleyana stood behind one of the display tables, greeting nearly everyone by name.

"Good morning, Mrs. Alvarez!"

"Oh, sweetheart!" the elderly woman smiled. "You're getting closer and closer!"

Kaleyana instinctively rested both hands beneath her full belly.

"I definitely feel like it."

"You still working?"

"I'd go crazy sitting at home."

Mrs. Alvarez laughed.

"I remember saying that before my youngest."

A little girl tugged on her grandmother's sleeve.

"Can I get the bunny?"

"The white one?"

"Nooo... the sleepy bunny!"

Kaleyana reached over and gently picked up the tiny handcrafted rabbit.

"This little one?"

The girl's face lit up.

"Yes!"

"Well... I think he was waiting for you."

The child hugged the little wooden rabbit to her chest as though it were priceless.

Nearby, another customer approached.

"Kaleyana?"

She turned.

"Yes?"

"I've always wanted to ask..."

"Go ahead."

"How does Ryquez carve things so tiny with hands that big?"

Kaleyana laughed.

"I ask myself that every day."

Another customer leaned into the conversation.

"Does he make everything himself?"

"He does."

"Every single piece?"

She proudly nodded.

"Every cut, every carving, every layer of paint."

A younger man looked around in amazement.

"How long does one doll take?"

"It depends on the design."

"What kind of wood is this?"

"Can they be customized?"

"Do you teach classes?"

"Do you ship?"

"Can these survive toddlers?"

"How long have you two lived here?"

Question after question continued flying toward her.

Kaleyana answered every single one patiently despite rubbing her aching lower back every few minutes.

Meanwhile...

Ryquez had become the unofficial entertainment center.

"Mr. Ryquez!"

A tiny voice echoed through the shop.

He turned just in time to see three neighborhood children charging toward him.

"Oh..."

Before he could react—

One little boy wrapped himself around Ryquez's leg.

A second climbed onto his side.

A third somehow managed to latch onto his back.

"Dreadlocks!" one laughed.

"You're like a tree!"

"No..."

"A mountain!"

Ryquez simply stood there.

"...Morning."

The children's parents looked absolutely horrified.

"Oh my goodness!"

"Get down!"

"I'm so sorry!"

Instead of appearing annoyed, Ryquez simply steadied the little ones so none of them slipped.

"They're alright."

The smallest child giggled.

"Can you pick us all up?"

Ryquez looked at the three tiny climbers.

"...Already are."

The parents burst into embarrassed laughter.

"I swear they think you're a playground."

Kaleyana peeked around a shelf, immediately laughing.

"I told you."

Ryquez sighed dramatically.

"They've evolved."

"They're treating you like a jungle gym."

"I noticed."

Soon even more children wandered over.

One wanted to touch his dreadlocks.

Another wanted to see him carve.

Another climbed onto one of his enormous boots just to compare shoe sizes.

Ryquez patiently answered every question.

"No... my hands aren't magic."

"No... I don't eat wood."

"Yes... splinters hurt."

Kaleyana couldn't stop smiling every time she looked over.

For all his intimidating size...

Children trusted him immediately.

Hours passed in what felt like minutes.

The register rarely stopped ringing.

Shelves slowly emptied.

Boxes stacked behind the counter became smaller and smaller.

Outside, the courtyard only grew busier as more holiday visitors arrived.

Then...

Buzz.

Kaleyana paused.

Her phone vibrated inside her apron pocket.

She frowned.

"That's strange..."

She pulled it out.

Across the screen flashed an emergency notification.

EMERGENCY ALERT

Residents and businesses inside the community complex should remain alert. Security personnel are responding to an active incident near the property. Await further instructions.

Her smile disappeared.

"...Ryquez."

Almost at the exact same moment—

Buzz.

Ryquez's phone vibrated.

He glanced at it.

His expression changed immediately.

Without saying a word, he walked over beside Kaleyana.

The two silently exchanged phones.

Neither liked what they were reading.

A second notification appeared almost instantly.

Community Security Notice: Please prepare for temporary access restrictions. Avoid gathering near exits until further notice.

Kaleyana instinctively rested a protective hand over her belly.

"...That doesn't sound good."

Ryquez slowly looked toward the shop windows.

Outside...

Something had changed.

Security officers who had been casually walking around earlier were now moving much faster.

Several were speaking urgently into radios.

People had begun looking around in confusion.

Some shoppers were pointing toward one of the building entrances.

The joyful atmosphere was beginning to crack.

Ryquez's voice remained calm.

"We're closing."

"So soon?"

"Now."

Kaleyana didn't argue.

Something in his expression told her this wasn't an overreaction.

She quietly walked toward the entrance.

"I'm so sorry, everyone," she announced politely. "We're going to have to close a little earlier than planned today."

Several customers blinked in surprise.

"So early?"

"Is everything alright?"

"I don't know yet," Kaleyana admitted honestly. "But we'd rather be cautious."

Ryquez gently began locking the display cases while helping customers finish their purchases. The last few neighbors thanked them and slowly filtered out of the shop, though many glanced nervously toward the increasingly uneasy courtyard.

When the final customer stepped outside, Ryquez turned the sign from OPEN to CLOSED.

The lock clicked into place.

For the first time that day...

The little wooden toy shop fell completely silent.

Neither of them realized that within minutes, those unsettling emergency alerts would become something far worse than either of them could have imagined.

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The uneasy silence inside the toy shop lasted only a few minutes.

Then—

A loud alarm blared throughout the entire residential community.

It wasn't the cheerful music from the holiday festival.

It wasn't a fire alarm.

It was a deep, mechanical emergency siren that echoed through every hallway, every stairwell, and every floor of the enormous building.

For a heartbeat, nobody understood what was happening.

Then came the shouting.

Outside the front windows, people who had been casually walking through the courtyard suddenly broke into a run.

Shopping bags fell onto the pavement.

A booth owner abandoned a table full of handmade candles.

Children cried as parents scooped them into their arms.

"What happened?"

"Run!"

"Get inside!"

"Lock the doors!"

The joyful sounds of Christmas disappeared beneath a wave of frightened voices.

Kaleyana instinctively stepped closer to the front window.

"...Ryquez..."

He was already watching.

Several security officers sprinted across the courtyard, urgently waving people away from one of the main entrances.

More emergency notifications buzzed across their phones.

EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN

Shelter immediately. Remain inside. Lock all doors. Do not leave your location until instructed by authorities.

Almost immediately after the alert—

A deafening metallic crash echoed somewhere outside.

Another scream followed.

Then several more.

The entire building seemed to erupt into chaos.

Without wasting another second, Ryquez grabbed Kaleyana's hand.

"Come."

His voice remained calm, but it carried an urgency she had never heard before.

Kaleyana didn't hesitate.

She hurried after him as quickly as her full-term pregnancy allowed.

Together they rushed through the narrow hallway leading toward the back of the shop.

Ryquez locked the rear entrance.

Then the side entrance.

Then the workshop door.

Each deadbolt clicked into place.

He lowered the metal security shutter over the storefront windows.

The heavy steel rattled as it descended.

The shop became noticeably darker.

Ryquez reached for the switches.

One by one...

Every light went out.

The warm, welcoming toy store disappeared into shadows.

Only thin strips of daylight slipped beneath the shutter.

Kaleyana's breathing grew quicker.

"I... I can't see..."

"I'm here."

His voice came from only a few inches away.

He guided her farther back through the workshop and into the attached living quarters hidden behind the storage room.

The space was small.

Quiet.

Hidden.

Ryquez gently eased her down onto the floor beside the solid basement door.

Then he sat beside her, placing himself between her and the entrance.

His broad back rested firmly against the heavy wooden door.

One arm wrapped securely around Kaleyana's shoulders.

The other rested protectively across her belly.

She could feel his heartbeat.

Steady.

Strong.

Grounding.

Outside...

The building no longer sounded like home.

Footsteps thundered through the hallways overhead.

Someone pounded on a nearby door.

Another person shouted for help.

Voices overlapped until they became impossible to understand.

Kaleyana instinctively gasped.

Ryquez immediately turned toward her.

Very gently...

He placed his hand over her mouth.

Not roughly.

Not to frighten her.

Simply to remind her—

They had to stay absolutely quiet.

His eyes met hers.

She understood immediately.

She gave the smallest nod she could manage.

He slowly loosened his hand just enough for her to breathe comfortably while still muffling any sound she might make if panic overtook her.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Ryquez quietly wiped it away with his thumb.

"It's okay," he whispered so softly she almost couldn't hear him.

His words weren't a promise that everything would be fine.

They were simply an assurance that he wasn't leaving her.

Another wave of shouting echoed somewhere above them.

Heavy footsteps raced past the shop.

Something large crashed against metal.

Glass shattered in the distance.

The sounds bounced through the walls of the building, making it impossible to tell where anything was happening.

Kaleyana instinctively pressed closer against Ryquez.

Her hands trembled as she held onto the front of his hoodie.

She tried to keep her breathing slow.

She tried not to cry.

She tried not to think about the baby.

A small movement beneath her belly made her freeze.

The baby shifted.

She lowered one shaking hand to her stomach.

Ryquez noticed.

Without saying a word, he placed his large hand over hers.

The silent gesture steadied her.

For several long moments...

Neither of them spoke.

The only sounds filling the darkness were frightened screams echoing through the residential building, hurried footsteps racing somewhere outside the hidden room, distant voices yelling over one another, and the relentless emergency alarm that continued to pulse through the walls.

Time seemed to lose all meaning.

Minutes felt like hours.

Every creak of the building made Kaleyana flinch.

Every muffled thud caused Ryquez to tighten his grip around her just a little more.

Hidden beneath their little toy shop, surrounded by handcrafted wooden dolls that had once brought smiles to children, the two of them remained perfectly still, hoping with everything they had that the darkness would keep them unseen as the nightmare unfolded just beyond the door.

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