Dark clouds loomed over a settlement hidden beneath the earth.
The people had lived quietly inside tunnels and carved chambers for years. Stone walls had kept them safe.
Until now.
The same walls that once protected them became their tomb after the earthquake.
CRACK!
"Another aftershock! Get down and find cover!" shouted one of the settlers.
Part of the ceiling gave way. Boulders fell fast, crushing walkways and trapping more families.
Panic hit before words could.
Screams filled the dark as people realized they were running out of oxygen.
Dust thickened the air, and every breath scraped their throats.
A mother clutched her child, pressing her shawl over the girl's face to filter the dust.
Her own lungs burned, but she stayed still, shielding her child from falling debris.
Even though she knew it was probably a wasted effort, she kept going until the end.
Not because she believed someone would hear. Not because she thought it would work.
