Narrator

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.'

A chill crawled over my skin. I tried not to think too deeply about what that meant. But as I looked further along, something caught my eye. Fresh marks, clearly recent, not softened by dust or age. Leaning close, I deciphered them easily, heart tightening painfully in my chest. What is the light? The scratches were frantic, uneven, almost desperate.

A chill crawled over my skin. I tried not to think too deeply about what that meant. But as I looked further along, something caught my eye. Fresh marks, clearly recent, not softened by dust or age. Leaning close, I deciphered them easily, heart tightening painfully in my chest. What is the light? The scratches were frantic, uneven, almost desperate.

Before I could speak, a noise echoed down the passage, a steady, rhythmic thud of heavy boots. The group froze instantly. I shone my flashlight beam down the tunnel instinctively, revealing only empty darkness. The footsteps continued, growing louder. But there was nobody visible, no shape emerging from the blackness. Then the beam flickered and went out.

Before I could speak, a noise echoed down the passage, a steady, rhythmic thud of heavy boots. The group froze instantly. I shone my flashlight beam down the tunnel instinctively, revealing only empty darkness. The footsteps continued, growing louder. But there was nobody visible, no shape emerging from the blackness. Then the beam flickered and went out.

In sudden darkness again, panic began rippling quietly through the group. Selene was breathing fast, whispering something fearful to the others. Theo gripped my arm tightly, holding his breath. Then we heard something else, a faint, steady breathing. It sounded as if someone stood directly behind us, a breath damp and audible. Yet when I turned, I felt only empty space and cold air.

In sudden darkness again, panic began rippling quietly through the group. Selene was breathing fast, whispering something fearful to the others. Theo gripped my arm tightly, holding his breath. Then we heard something else, a faint, steady breathing. It sounded as if someone stood directly behind us, a breath damp and audible. Yet when I turned, I felt only empty space and cold air.

Theo pulled urgently at my sleeve, guiding me back toward the chapel. We stumbled through the narrow opening, trying not to run outright. Behind us the breathing faded, but not entirely. It lingered, quietly present, following just at the edge of hearing. When we finally emerged back into the chapel, I bent over trying to regain composure.

Theo pulled urgently at my sleeve, guiding me back toward the chapel. We stumbled through the narrow opening, trying not to run outright. Behind us the breathing faded, but not entirely. It lingered, quietly present, following just at the edge of hearing. When we finally emerged back into the chapel, I bent over trying to regain composure.

that was when i noticed something new a weathered leather notebook lying on the rubble clearly old but somehow untouched by the moisture or mold covering everything else theo hesitated before picking it up turning carefully through brittle pages until he reached the last written entry dated april nineteen forty four he shined a small penlight on the faded handwriting and began quietly reading

that was when i noticed something new a weathered leather notebook lying on the rubble clearly old but somehow untouched by the moisture or mold covering everything else theo hesitated before picking it up turning carefully through brittle pages until he reached the last written entry dated april nineteen forty four he shined a small penlight on the faded handwriting and began quietly reading

It no longer needs light to see. It moves with memory. It follows breath. Theo looked up at me slowly, eyes wide in horror. The sound of footsteps returned, slow, steady, purposeful, moving through the darkness towards us. My pulse thundered in my ears as the footsteps drew closer. They echoed through the chapel, deliberate and steady.

It no longer needs light to see. It moves with memory. It follows breath. Theo looked up at me slowly, eyes wide in horror. The sound of footsteps returned, slow, steady, purposeful, moving through the darkness towards us. My pulse thundered in my ears as the footsteps drew closer. They echoed through the chapel, deliberate and steady.

The others began whispering frantically, but I raised my hand sharply, signaling absolute silence. Every sound mattered now, every breath counted.

The others began whispering frantically, but I raised my hand sharply, signaling absolute silence. Every sound mattered now, every breath counted.

i motioned quickly toward the exit passage and we moved as one stumbling carefully through the darkness the tunnel leading to our rope and climbing gear seemed endless this time the walls closing in tighter than before brushing harshly against my shoulders

i motioned quickly toward the exit passage and we moved as one stumbling carefully through the darkness the tunnel leading to our rope and climbing gear seemed endless this time the walls closing in tighter than before brushing harshly against my shoulders

When we finally reached the base of the wall where we'd left our equipment, I felt blindly for the rope, my stomach turning cold when my fingers grasped only empty air. I checked again, then again, heart hammering. Nothing. The rope was gone.

When we finally reached the base of the wall where we'd left our equipment, I felt blindly for the rope, my stomach turning cold when my fingers grasped only empty air. I checked again, then again, heart hammering. Nothing. The rope was gone.

i whispered to theo and celine urgently asking if either had seen or taken the rope down earlier both shook their heads breathing heavily in panic we were trapped a faint metallic scraping sound echoed from somewhere deep in the tunnels behind us it was moving closer I recalled an old rumor about a collapsed artillery passage at the back of the fort that led toward the rail line.