Dila's trembling fingers clutched the candle tightly, the faint flame swaying with each unsteady breath she took. Its soft orange glow painted her pale face in trembling light, casting long, eerie shadows across the cold, concrete floor.
The basement around her was silent... too silent. The only sound was the quiet flicker... flicker... flicker of the candle's flame and the distant hum of a computer screen, faintly glowing in the corner. Dust floated through the air, visible in the weak light, swirling like faint ghosts caught in still air.
She slowly pushed herself upright, her knees wobbling. Her bare feet met the chill of the ground again, and she winced... it felt almost alive... cold enough to bite through her skin.
Her breath came out shaky, white mist rising from her lips in the damp air. She looked around cautiously, her heart hammering as the corners of the room seemed to stretch deeper into shadow.
