Their steps were no longer steady.
Not because of tiredness.
But because of unseen pressure.
The corridor kept sloping downward.
The air grew colder.
Every breath felt heavier, as if their lungs were forced to work harder to draw in something that wasn't fully there.
The child stayed ahead.
But this time
their movements weren't just guided by the cables.
There was something else.
Instinct.
Or perhaps… memory.
Daniel watched from behind.
"Do you know where we're going?"
The child answered without turning around,
"I've been here before."
Leonard Graves raised an eyebrow.
"That's not reassuring news."
Richard Blackwood remained silent.
But his steps quickened slightly.
The corridor ahead began to widen.
The ceiling rose.
The walls changed.
No longer covered in pipes.
But smooth metal.
Neater.
More modern.
But also
more alien.
Daniel looked at his device.
The signal was stable again.
But the readings… were different.
