Page 9 of Monster's Maiden

"We need to find another way out!" I shout over the din.

Aiden points toward a narrow passageway barely visible through the dust. "There! It might lead outside!"

We scramble over fallen rocks, each step a gamble as the ground shifts beneath us. My fingers scrape against rough stone, blood smearing across ancient carvings as I push forward. The passage looms ahead, a sliver of hope amidst the chaos.

"Stay close!" I call back to Aiden and Maya, who follow in desperate silence. The air grows colder as we enter the passageway, the walls pressing in on either side.

A distant rumble echoes through the corridor, a suggestion that we're not safe yet. "Keep moving," I urge them, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

The passage twists and turns, disorienting in its complexity. The floor continues to tremble beneath us, and I pray it holds long enough for us to escape.

A flash of light ahead draws my attention—a break in the wall where sunlight filters through. "There!" I shout, renewed hope surging through me.

We press on, driven by sheer willpower and the promise of freedom. The exit grows closer with each step, tantalizingly within reach.

Suddenly, another tremor rocks the ground beneath us, sending us sprawling against the walls. The ceiling above groans ominously.

"We're almost there!" I grit my teeth and push myself up, determination fueling my every move. "Don't stop now!"

The exit is mere feet away when another deafening crack reverberates through the passageway. Time seems to slow as chunks of stone rain down around us.

We have no choice but to keep moving forward, toward that sliver of light and salvation beyond it.

Please, please let us reach it.

The ground beneath me gives way before I can react. My scream echoes through the collapsing ruins. My arms flail wildly, as I plummet into the gaping void below.

I wave my arms, desperate for something—anything—to grasp onto. The cold air rushes past me, stealing my breath and filling my ears with a roaring wind.

“Lara!” Aiden’s voice echoes above me, filled with desperation.

"Aiden! Maya!" My voice is a frantic cry, swallowed by the darkness.

I try to stretch out my arms further. My fingers claw at empty space, scraping against nothing but the icy chill of the void. Panic surges through me like a flood, drowning out any coherent thought.

“Lara, grab my hand!” Maya’s voice cuts through the din, closer than Aiden’s.

I twist in mid-air, reaching up towards the faint light above. My fingers brush against Maya’s outstretched hand briefly, but I cannot grab it tight enough.

“Grab Maya’s hand and hold on!” Aiden yells. His silhouette hovers at the edge of the chasm, barely visible through the dust and debris.

“I can’t!” My voice trembles with fear and frustration.

“Don’t you dare give up!” Maya’s determination slices through the chaos. She leans dangerously over the edge, her eyes wide with panic yet filled with fierce resolve.

I kick out, trying to slow my descent. My fingers scrape against rough stone, nails breaking as I claw for a hold.

Aiden stretches further, his arm trembling with effort trying to reach me. “Lara, please! Reach up!” The ground beneath them shifts again. Aiden stumbles, almost losing his balance.

“No!” I yell, stumbling farther down.

Aiden’s face contorts with anguish. “We can’t lose you!”

The shouts of Aiden and Maya grow fainter as the distance between us widens, their desperate attempts to save me in vain.

Time stretches out as I fall, every second becoming an eon. The world above recedes, replaced by the oppressive blackness that engulfs me, a suffocating tightness that leaves me gasping for breath. My mind races, a torrent of fear and confusion. How could this happen? How did we go from hunting in the serene forest to this abyss of terror?

My thoughts flicker to Aiden and Maya. Are they safe? Will they find a way out without me? The questions gnaw at my sanity, but there's no time for answers.

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