We stayed in that basement just long enough to catch our breath. Alex paced around, checking his bag, muttering under his breath, and casting glances up the stairs every few seconds. I just sat there, knees pulled to my chest, clutching my own bag like it might be the last thing I would ever hold. The silence hung heavy, broken only by the faint sounds of shuffling feet above.
Finally, Alex looked at me and nodded, his gaze as cold as ice. "We can't stay here. Let's go find somewhere more secure."
I nodded, not trusting my voice to stay steady if I spoke. It didn't matter that my legs still felt like jelly or that my heart hadn't stopped racing since we climbed down that rope. I just knew that staying here was about as good as giving up.
