**The Vial’s Dark Choice**

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Dreadhorse Chapter 15
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As Lor and Kel reached the third floor and proceeded down the corridor to their room, an uneasy silence settled between them. Lor’s mind was racing; the vial’s presence was unnerving. It felt like the sort of thing one might see in a spy film, but this was far from fiction. His military instincts, dormant and unwanting, now stirred within him with urgency and awareness.

He had never shared the full story of his past with Kel. She was too young to understand, too innocent to burden with the horrors he’d faced. When he was a young officer, a violent attack had left his unit shattered, and him haunted by survivor’s guilt. It was a chapter he preferred to keep closed, but now, as they entered their room, that chapter seemed to open once more, the ghosts of his past whispering warnings in his ears.

“Daddy, are we gonna find that lady again?” Kel asked, breaking the silence as she seated herself on the bed, swinging her legs back and forth.

“Maybe,” Lor replied, setting the vial down on the table. “But it’s not our job to find them. Let’s focus on having a good time here, alright?”

Kel nodded but remained curious. Her father was acting different, more thoughtful, and she had always been able to pick up on subtle changes in people. She had an intuitiveness beyond her years, a budding aptitude for understanding complexities that others might overlook.

As the day wore on, Lor found it increasingly difficult to ignore the feeling that they had been drawn into something dangerous. The liquid’s origin and purpose gnawed at him. He knew he should alert the authorities, hand the vial over and explain—but something held him back. Perhaps it was the look of desperation on the woman’s face or the intent focus of the military man at her side. Something was amiss, and his intuition told him it was bigger than it seemed.

Evening fell, and a gentle breeze rattled the windows of their room. Just as Lor was preparing to set aside his concerns and settle in for the night, a soft knock echoed through the room.

Kel looked toward the door, eyes wide with anticipation. Lor, however, felt a wash of trepidation. Instinctively, he motioned for her to stay put and approached the door cautiously.

He opened it a crack to see the man from the elevator standing in the dim hallway, his stance alert and purposeful. Behind him, the woman waited, shadows playing across her anxious face.

“We need to talk,” the man said, his tone authoritative yet edged with urgency.

“What’s this about?” Lor responded, keeping his voice even, protecting Kel from fear.

“You have something of ours,” the woman interjected, her voice soft but resolute. “It’s important. Lives could depend on it.”

Lor hesitated, considering their sincerity. Yet, something felt off. He glanced back at Kel, who watched him curiously from the bed. His internal debate was cut short by the man’s next words—a cryptic statement that twisted reality further.

“It’s not just a vial. It’s a choice.”

As Kel peeked over Lor’s shoulder, the room seemed to ripple with an unspoken tension. The walls felt closer, the air heavier. In that moment, Lor realized they were being pulled into an adventure—a dangerous, unfolding mystery that demanded decisions now.

He stood there, determination mingling with a lifetime of apprehension, as the woman and man’s eyes bore into him—a silent plea hanging in the balance.

As he prepared to take a step forward, the sound of shattering glass caused all eyes to turn towards the window. The cool breeze seemed to wail with a ghostly resonance, and through the fragmented pane crept shadows that whispered of paths yet untraveled.

The confrontation with the unknown loomed, a cliffhanger taunting the silent confines of the room, leaving Lor and Kel in its shadow.