Elaine POV
The cave grew colder as night settled in, wrapping the space in thick, suffocating darkness. The torches that had provided a small measure of light were now barely flickering, their flames weak and struggling against the encroaching blackness.
The air felt heavy with unspoken fear, and the silence was only broken by the occasional sob from one of the girls.
I sat huddled next to Lila, the small first aid kit between us, as we tended to the wounds of the other captives. Each bandage we applied, each whispered word of comfort, felt like a fragile thread holding us all together.
The fear was palpable, but so was the determination that simmered just beneath the surface.
Occasionally, my eyes would drift toward the cave's entrance, where the guards stood like silent sentinels
