But I had to put a little more weight into it, pushing harder than I initially intended, and finally, the heavy doors creaked open under the pressure. The sound echoed slightly in the stillness around us, but it wasn’t loud enough to raise any alarms.

I stepped inside cautiously, keeping my senses alert and my pace slow. Every muscle in my body was tense. I was making sure that nothing was lurking in the shadows, nothing hidden or waiting to pounce. I didn’t want to get caught off ...