We stumbled through the shadowed garden, Eli clutching my hand with a grip that belied his nine years. Mrs. Leverne’s porch light was a beacon in the consuming darkness, and I pushed him toward it, urging him to run. I stayed back, hidden among the hedges, my heart pounding with fear and betrayal.
Mrs. Leverne was startled by Eli’s frantic knocks, but the moment she opened the door, her instincts kicked in. She pulled him inside, her eyes scanning the yard for danger. I watched from the shadows, ensuring Eli was safe before making my way back to the house, each step heavy with dread.Inside, the kitchen was an eerie tableau of normalcy. Dishes from dinner still lay on the table, a cruel mockery of our near-death. My mind raced, searching for answers, trying to piece together the fractured shards of a life that had seemed so normal just hours ago.
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