Hours passed. Nate watched tutorial clips on his phone, pausing and replaying each step. Someone online mentioned a trick with a magnet to “wake up” a stubborn lock. He slid one along the side, heard a faint sigh from inside, then a delicate click that sent a chill up his arms. He pulled on the handle once, twice, and finally the seal released with a soft gasp, like the room itself exhaled.

A dry scent escaped, faintly sweet, like old paper mixed with lavender. Nate didn’t look inside yet. Instead, he set his phone to record, just in case. He took a deep breath, counted to three, and opened the door. What he saw made his stomach twist.