Narrator

Only silence and the suffocating closeness of the tunnel. Minutes passed like hours, my lungs beginning to burn. Finally, just as my chest spasmed for air, the warmth slowly receded. I exhaled silently, shuddering in relief, trying to convince myself it had only been a trick of my nerves or imagination. But I knew better.

The air shifted again, the faint breeze returning to brush gently across my face. A minute later, a faint light again appeared, this time moving off toward the right, disappearing into another tunnel passage. Then darkness reclaimed the space once more. I was still trying to calm myself when I heard familiar heavy boots coming from the left passage, finally signaling the first of our explorers.

The air shifted again, the faint breeze returning to brush gently across my face. A minute later, a faint light again appeared, this time moving off toward the right, disappearing into another tunnel passage. Then darkness reclaimed the space once more. I was still trying to calm myself when I heard familiar heavy boots coming from the left passage, finally signaling the first of our explorers.

He walked briskly, confident in the dark. As he approached, I stepped forward slightly, whispering instructions, guiding him toward the proper corridor. Before he left, though, curiosity compelled me to quietly ask a single question. Who was first inside tonight? I murmured, already half knowing the answer. He paused briefly, his voice hushed but certain. No one. I was the first one in.

He walked briskly, confident in the dark. As he approached, I stepped forward slightly, whispering instructions, guiding him toward the proper corridor. Before he left, though, curiosity compelled me to quietly ask a single question. Who was first inside tonight? I murmured, already half knowing the answer. He paused briefly, his voice hushed but certain. No one. I was the first one in.

My blood went cold, the certainty of his words chilling me deeper than the constant, oppressive cold of Fort de la Chartreuse. He moved on quietly into the dark, leaving me alone again, waiting for the others, with the unbearable sensation of eyes on me, unseen yet present somewhere deep within the tunnels. After that encounter in the narrow passage, I tried to dismiss it.

My blood went cold, the certainty of his words chilling me deeper than the constant, oppressive cold of Fort de la Chartreuse. He moved on quietly into the dark, leaving me alone again, waiting for the others, with the unbearable sensation of eyes on me, unseen yet present somewhere deep within the tunnels. After that encounter in the narrow passage, I tried to dismiss it.

My heart was still beating too fast. and each careful step echoed louder in my ears than before maybe it was just paranoia or perhaps sensory confusion from the dark regardless i didn't have the luxury to dwell on it not here deep beneath fort de la chartreuse guiding the rest of the group forward we regrouped in what we called the chapel

My heart was still beating too fast. and each careful step echoed louder in my ears than before maybe it was just paranoia or perhaps sensory confusion from the dark regardless i didn't have the luxury to dwell on it not here deep beneath fort de la chartreuse guiding the rest of the group forward we regrouped in what we called the chapel

It wasn't a real chapel, just a vaulted chamber with a collapsed ceiling, exposing patches of the night sky and scattering faint moonlight on moss-covered rubble. The others were arriving in small clusters, whispering nervously, some laughing off the adrenaline, others tense and silent.

It wasn't a real chapel, just a vaulted chamber with a collapsed ceiling, exposing patches of the night sky and scattering faint moonlight on moss-covered rubble. The others were arriving in small clusters, whispering nervously, some laughing off the adrenaline, others tense and silent.

i decided to briefly mention what happened just in case someone else had seen or heard something similar when i did a few laughed quietly assuming it was some trick of the senses but a few faces tightened eyes flicking nervously around the shadowed chamber i didn't push further The dark played games after all, and even seasoned explorers could become unnerved down here.

i decided to briefly mention what happened just in case someone else had seen or heard something similar when i did a few laughed quietly assuming it was some trick of the senses but a few faces tightened eyes flicking nervously around the shadowed chamber i didn't push further The dark played games after all, and even seasoned explorers could become unnerved down here.

Then Selene, one of the newer explorers, stepped forward. Her voice was low, cautious. "'There's something I found,' she whispered. "'A tunnel, just off the west corridor. It looked old, but I don't think we've ever seen it before.' I frowned. "'I knew every passage in this fort, or thought I did.' Yet I couldn't place the tunnel she described.

Then Selene, one of the newer explorers, stepped forward. Her voice was low, cautious. "'There's something I found,' she whispered. "'A tunnel, just off the west corridor. It looked old, but I don't think we've ever seen it before.' I frowned. "'I knew every passage in this fort, or thought I did.' Yet I couldn't place the tunnel she described.

The group murmured quietly, curiosity tinged with caution. We agreed, hesitantly, to check it out. She led us down a familiar path until we reached a collapsed brick wall. Rubble partly cleared away, exposing a cramped opening into darkness. One by one, we squeezed through. Inside, the air was colder, staler, pressing down heavily on my shoulders.

The group murmured quietly, curiosity tinged with caution. We agreed, hesitantly, to check it out. She led us down a familiar path until we reached a collapsed brick wall. Rubble partly cleared away, exposing a cramped opening into darkness. One by one, we squeezed through. Inside, the air was colder, staler, pressing down heavily on my shoulders.

The tunnel was low and narrow, lined with bricks now slick with condensation. I ran my fingertips along them, catching something rough and jagged. We stopped to examine the walls, names. Dozens of names etched crudely into the brickwork, alongside numbers, prisoner IDs perhaps. German names, dated from 1943 and 1944.

The tunnel was low and narrow, lined with bricks now slick with condensation. I ran my fingertips along them, catching something rough and jagged. We stopped to examine the walls, names. Dozens of names etched crudely into the brickwork, alongside numbers, prisoner IDs perhaps. German names, dated from 1943 and 1944.

The fort had always carried rumors of prisoners held during the occupation, but this was the first tangible proof I'd ever seen. Theo stepped up beside me, tracing a finger along the wall. His voice shook slightly. "'My family name's here,' he said quietly, pointing to a faded carving. "'My grandfather was in the resistance. He was captured, held somewhere in Liège before escaping.'