章 61: Heartbeats in the Dark

"Alex!" Sarah's voice was barely a whisper, but her heart screamed with fear. She stumbled through the narrow tunnel, her breath shaky and uneven as her mind echoed with images of him fighting that creature alone. "Please… come back to me."

Beside her, Max's eyes darted around, his face tight with tension. "Sarah, we can't stop here. We have to keep moving. Alex will catch up. He promised."

Sarah paused, clutching her chest, her heart racing faster than her footsteps. "How can you be so calm, Max? How can we leave him behind like that?"

He took her by the shoulders, his grip firm but gentle. "Look at me, Sarah. Alex is strong. He knew what he was doing. We have to trust him. We have to believe he'll find his way back to us."