By the time Madison and Bella returned to the cave, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the entrance. They moved quickly, their minds still racing from what they had discovered in the wilderness, eager to show Ryder what they had found. But as they stepped deeper into the cave, a strange heaviness settled over them.
The air was thick, suffocating, like the remnants of a storm that had passed but left destruction in its wake. It wasn't just the dim lighting or the usual tension of survival—they could feel something wrong. The people around them moved sluggishly, their faces etched with unease. Some were sitting in small groups, whispering amongst themselves, while others simply stood, staring at the ground, lost in thought.
Madison's brows furrowed as she scanned the faces of those they passed. "Hey," she called out to one of the men leaning against the cave wall. "What the hell happened here?"