Cold air bit at our faces as Eli and I stumbled across the shadowed lawn, urgency in every step. My mind raced with fragmented thoughts, the surreal nightmare unfurling around us. As we reached Mrs. Leverne’s porch, I tapped on the door, a frantic Morse code of desperation.
She opened it, surprise flitting over her features, quickly replaced by concern as she took in our disheveled appearances. Without hesitation, she ushered us inside, the warmth of her home a stark contrast to the chilling betrayal we had just fled.
“What’s happened?” she asked, her voice a mix of shock and empathy.
