*Shelby*
The path up to the highest point of the island was a relentless incline, each step a battle against the pull of gravity and underbrush. I could feel my muscles burning with the effort as Lin, Aubrey, and I pushed toward what we hoped was the salvation of higher ground. The island's heart seemed to beat within the wild foliage, secrets that whispered from every shattered column and crumbled archway we passed.
"Check this out," Lin called, her voice laced with awe as she traced the vines entwined around a stone face half-buried in the earth.
I paused, my breath coming in heavy drafts, and marveled at how nature had reclaimed the ruins, turning them into a testament to what the Earth could do if people left it alone to do it. It was remarkable to see the living history laying before us.
"Imagine the stories these stones would tell if they could," Aubrey mused, her eyes bright with the thrill of discovery despite our dire situation.
