Upset

The air reeked of smoke and ash as Shania emerged from the ruined chamber, her eyes scanning the ravaged space. The walls were cracked and splintered, the stone scorched and blackened by the intense heat. But as Shania's gaze swept past the destruction, her attention was drawn to the corridor beyond.

Her heart constricted as her gaze met something really sadenning, a cold dread creeping up her spine.

The children lay unconscious, their bodies limp and unmoving.

Some had minor bruises but lay unconscious, others—Shania's breath caught in her throat as she rushed toward them, her footsteps echoing through the silence like a death knell—some had broken bones, their limbs bent at unnatural angles.