It was a haze in the aftermath. In the distance, sirens cried out, becoming closer by the minute. Rescue crews descended upon the mine entrance, their lights piercing the night sky to create luminous trails.
Huddled in a corner, Carl and Emily stared numbly as paramedics checked them, worry written all over their features. The experience had left its imprint; Emily's body shook with a combination of relief and dread, and tiredness clung to them like a second skin.
A few feet away, silhouetted by the intense lights, Damon was a lone figure. His eyes had a haunting appearance, and his face was drawn and pallid. His eyes would dart every few seconds to Richard's corpse, now wrapped in a white sheet.
When the cops showed there, they asked pointed and in-depth inquiries. With a raspy voice
