He moved first. He pushed past Susan and grabbed the loose edge of a broken support beam. With a hard swing, he slammed the beam into the creature's hand. The fingers snapped. Not broken—dislocated, bending too easily—as it yanked them back through the wall.
Steve exhaled a shaky, relieved breath.
The creature screamed.
Not a cry. A signal.
The beacon flared white.
"Run!" Cain snapped.
They sprinted. Cain shoved rubble aside, carved a path fast enough for Susan to limp through. Steve crawled under a split arch and almost tripped on his own feet, but adrenaline kept him moving.
Behind them, the creature slammed the wall again. The crack widened. Stone dust misted the air.
Cain shoved his shoulder into the final slab blocking the exit. It tilted, toppled outward, crashed down the stairs beyond. Sunlight hit his eyes—weak dusk light, but enough to show they had reached the outside ring of the ruin.
"Move!" Cain pushed them forward.
