The cold wind bit at their faces as the group trudged along the dirt path. Jas, still recovering, struggled to keep up with Roman and Ivy Mae. "Just a little farther," Roman said, pointing to the shadowy outline of a house in the distance.
When they reached it, the house seemed eerily intact compared to the wreckage around them. Ivy Mae cautiously pushed open the creaky door. Inside, it was clear someone had lived here recently—blankets were piled on the couch, and the kitchen still smelled faintly of soup.
In the corner, Miracle sniffed at a hatch in the floor. "What’s this?" Jas asked, tugging at the handle. A ladder descended into darkness.