In this standalone short story from New York Times bestselling author Heather Brewer, a boy wakes up in a cell with no recollection of how he got there—and no idea how he is going to escape.

Ben Hargrove has been trapped for so long, he's lost count of the days. In a cell with no windows and only a small slot in the door, he doesn't even know when it's day and when it's night. All Ben knows is the hand that brings him food and medicine. All Ben knows is the cycle from one sleep to the next.

But this cycle, something is different. Someone has left Ben a note:

There is no freedom.
There are no walls.
The boy is real.

Ben will have to figure out what the cryptic note means, and fast—or he may not make it out of this cell alive.

Featuring a first look at Heather Brewer's upcoming novel, The Cemetery Boys, this mysterious and frightening short story will keep you guessing until the very last page—and it will keep you awake long after.

Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.