Emily bounded up the front steps and rang the bell over and over. “Come on, open up!”, she impatiently mumbled. After what felt like an eternity, footsteps approached and the door slowly creaked open. Emily cried out, “Sophia, I’ve been looking everywh-“
She stopped abruptly. It wasn’t Sophia standing there, but her friend’s mom, whom Emily vaguely recognized. The woman wore a dazed, confused expression, but there was something else—perhaps disgust? As Emily examined her more closely, she noticed the woman’s unease. She even took a step back and wrinkled her nose, as if she had seen something very unpleasant.