Chapter 25: Noises in the Dark

The fire died down to embers. Leah lay near the fire in her sleeping mat. Like the night before, Zechariah opted to sleep sitting, facing the tunnel exit as if looking out into the night. Before settling down himself, Justin ventured outside the tunnel to use the bathroom. Harrowing circumstances notwithstanding, the body's processes didn't stop. Another thing the movies tended to get wrong.

The rain had become a sprinkle. The surrounding countryside was dark, and the air was thick and heavy with moisture from the bygone storm. Stumbling over uneven terrain, Justin went only far enough from the tunnel to ensure his privacy. Somewhere in the distance, rainwater rushed down the slopes.

The deed was done, and he was turning back toward the tunnel when he heard a noise behind him.