Friday:
Just as they thought they couldn’t go any further, they spotted a faint shadow in the distance—a cave. It wasn’t much, but it offered some hope. The heat was unbearable, and they couldn’t afford to keep moving out in the open, where the ash and lava rained down like the wrath of the gods.
They made their way toward the cave, stumbling over uneven ground, the path growing steeper as they approached the entrance. The air was thick with smoke and ash, and the ground beneath them cracked and shifted, but they pressed on.
Just as they reached the entrance, a massive explosion echoed in the distance, sending a shockwave of heat and ash sweeping over them. Roman collapsed in their arms, his face pale and covered in sweat. But they had made it. They crawled into the cave, gasping for breath.
For a moment, there was silence—broken only by the distant rumble of the volcano. The world outside was chaos, but for now, they were safe. They huddled together in the dark, taking a moment to catch their breath.
They had survived, but they knew the worst was far from over.