Chapter 39

They looked at each other, faces streaked with grime and tears, weeping in joy. It had been weeks- no, months- since their capture, and now, finally, they were free.

Standing on shaky legs, they helped those too weak to walk, and moved toward the door, passing through the hallway littered with dead bodies of their captors. The sight confirmed the reality of their escape.

Some of them kicked the corpses, releasing their pent-up grievance and sadness.

They glanced at the other hallway, silently praying that their savior would kill the remaining captors- people worse than beasts.

Shivering at the memory of their tortures, they quickened their pace, desperate to leave as soon as possible.

Graves moved cautiously down the other hallway, her senses on high alert. The air was sterile here and reeked of chemicals and antiseptics. Her brows furrowed as confusion flickered in her eyes. She flashed to that location ahead, only to freeze at what she saw.