Anna reached for the ring again, her fingers trembling, determined to prove to herself that she was imagining things. But as soon as her skin touched the metal, the strange warmth returned, and this time, she felt a slight contraction of the man’s fingers around hers. The grip was weak but unmistakable. She stifled a scream, her instincts screaming at her to flee, but her legs felt like lead.

Suddenly, the door to the morgue creaked open, and the orderly returned to retrieve another gurney. The sound jolted Anna back to reality. She quickly withdrew her hand and stepped back, her heart pounding like a drum. She turned her back on the cadaver, trying to mask her fear under a guise of professionalism as the orderly gave her a quizzical look.

“Everything alright, Anna?” he asked, noticing her pale complexion.

“Y-yes, everything’s fine,” she stammered, avoiding eye contact. “Just… just tired.”