The fire had swallowed the mountain, but the silence that followed was worse. Ash fell like snow around them, coating their skin, their clothes, their memories. Natalie could barely breathe, each inhale tasting of smoke and iron. Ethan clung to her neck, his tiny heartbeat fluttering against her chest.
Adrian stood motionless at the ridge, eyes fixed on the burning remains of the facility. His shoulders were stiff, his fists clenched, his entire body trembling — not from exhaustion, but from the realization that what burned behind them wasn’t the end. It was proof that the nightmare was far bigger than they ever imagined.
“He’s dead,” Natalie whispered, more like a plea than a statement. “It’s over, Adrian. It has to be.”
Adrian turned slowly, his face half-lit by the flames. “I thought
