Chapter 17

As Charlene and John meticulously combed through the building, hope of finding an unlocked door waned with each futile attempt. Charlene's anxiety surged with each failed exit. "What if we're stuck here forever?" she lamented, her voice quivering with apprehension. John, though outwardly composed, shared her concern but attempted to maintain a sense of calm. "We'll find a solution, Charlene," he asserted, his voice steady despite the rising tension.

Yet, Charlene's mind raced with a myriad of terrifying possibilities. "We have no food, no water... How long do you think we'll be trapped here?" she pondered aloud, her pacing growing more frenzied with each passing minute. John, leaning against the wall, pulled out his phone, a glimmer of hope that it might hold a lifeline to the outside world.