Parking Lot Panic

"Dylan," Ember muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper as she stood there, feeling the vastness of the parking lot around her. "You stand here; don't move. This place is too big," his last words echoed in her mind, but unease crept in. It had been too long. 

"Why hasn't Dylan come back yet?" she wondered aloud, her heart thudding against her chest. The darkness pressed in, and the distant hum of cars only added to the eerie quiet. 

"I'll go find him," she decided, her voice trembling as she ventured into the shadowy maze of cars. "Dylan… Dylan?" she called softly. No response. 

Her steps quickened. "Dylan!" she yelled, desperation clawing at her. The parking lot felt endless, the lights dim, and everything loomed larger than before. "Where are you?" she whispered, fear gnawing at her. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. The cold air bit at her skin, but it wasn't just the temperature; it was the fear. 

Everything was in Chinese—she couldn't understand the signs. She looked around, lost and helpless, her breaths coming in short gasps. "What do I do? What do I do?" she murmured, her voice barely audible.

She stumbled, her legs giving way as she slumped onto the cold floor, trembling, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's too dark... Dylan, where are you?" she sobbed, her voice trembling as she hugged her knees to her chest. "Hello? Anyone?" she cried, her voice breaking the silence. But the parking lot answered only with its hollow emptiness.

---

Meanwhile, Dylan rushed back to the parking lot's entrance, panic gripping him. "Ember! Ember!" he shouted, his mind racing. "Where did she go?" His hands fumbled with his phone, but there was no signal. "Dammit!" he cursed. She hadn't listened to him. Why hadn't she stayed? 

"Why did she wander off?" he muttered, pacing. His heart raced as he spotted the security office. "The CCTV cameras!" he realized, running inside. 

"Let me see the footage of the parking lot!" he demanded, breathless. The security head looked at him, confused. "Sir, who are you?"

Dylan, nearly shaking with urgency, spat back, "I'm Dylan. I'm a famous actor. My girlfriend is missing! Show me the footage now!"

The security guard, recognizing him, hesitated only for a moment. "Sir, you'll need permission."

Dylan's patience snapped. "What the hell are you talking about? My girl is missing! If anything's happened to her…" He leaned in, eyes dark with fury. "I won't leave here without seeing that footage."

The guard exchanged a glance with his superior before finally gesturing to the screen. "Check camera P4," he ordered.

Dylan's heart pounded as the screen lit up. "Ember," he breathed in relief, seeing her huddled near one of the cars, but she looked pale, weak. "She's in parking lot P4," the guard confirmed. "Come, I'll drive you there."

---

The car screeched to a halt, and Dylan leaped out. "Ember!" he called as he ran toward her. She looked up, weakly, tears streaking her face. "Dylan…" she whispered before collapsing into his arms.

"Why didn't you listen?" he asked, his voice thick with concern as he embraced her tightly. "I told you not to go anywhere." His fingers gently traced her face as he lifted her limp body into his arms. "Stay with me," he pleaded.

Her eyelids fluttered, and she muttered something incoherent in her sleep. "No... no... don't come," she whispered, thrashing slightly in his arms.

"Ember!" Dylan shouted, shaking her gently. "Ember, wake up!" She jerked awake, her breath ragged and uneven. "You had a nightmare," he said softly, stroking her hair, his heart still pounding from the fear of losing her.

She blinked up at him, still dazed. "I thought I got lost," she admitted, voice small.

"You did. But if you ever feel lost again, just call me," he whispered, his arms tightening around her protectively. 

"There was no signal," Ember replied, eyes heavy with exhaustion.

Dylan exhaled, his voice a little softer now, "Okay, I understand." His gaze was full of worry, but also relief. "Call Butler Feng to check in next time, okay? Don't wander off alone."

She nodded, burying her face in his chest as exhaustion overcame her. "Can we go home now?"

"Yes, let's go home," Dylan whispered, kissing the top of her head as he carried her to the car. "Let's go home."

---

The air felt lighter now, but the tension from moments ago still clung to Dylan. He cradled Ember protectively in his arms, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing as she slowly calmed down. The nightmare was over, for now, but the fear of losing her still lingered at the edges of his mind.