Chapter 26: The Chapel Beneath the Pines
The tunnel was cold and silent.
Only the glow of Ethan Ashcroft's flashlight cut through the darkness as he led the group deeper beneath the mountain.
Behind him, Lily Carter glanced over her shoulder every few seconds.
The muffled sounds of footsteps echoed from somewhere behind them.
"They're still following us," she whispered.
Ethan nodded.
"They've found the hidden room."
Mrs. Ellis tightened her grip on the lantern she carried.
"This passage was built almost sixty years ago. It doesn't appear on any map."
"Then how did they find us?" Lily asked.
No one answered.
The question lingered in the darkness.
---
The Old Chapel
After nearly twenty minutes, the tunnel ended beneath a weathered stone chapel surrounded by towering pine trees
