Emily carefully moved the slab above her head a little, and a gleam of light filtered in through a crack in the slab.
She put her ear close to the crack, and listened in silence for movement outside. The surroundings were silent, save for the slight sound of her own breathing, which rang in her ears.
After confirming that there was no sound outside, she then forced the heavy stone slab. The stone slab rubbed against the ground with a dull sound that seemed peculiarly abrupt in the stillness, and caused her heart to rise again in her throat.
Emily poked her head out, and the strong smell of cannon fumes mingled with the dust hit her nose. The pungent odor made her nose curl and her eyes sting a little. She fought off the discomfort and scrambled quickly out of the bomb shelter.
