The peace they had discovered was fragile, akin to a thin layer of ice shielding a dark, unfathomable lake. For days, they navigated their new surroundings, each step measured, each sound muted, careful not to shatter the tranquil facade they had come to rely on.

Elias was beginning to regain his strength. In the confines of his small room, he started doing push-ups, his movements initially clumsy and uncoordinated, but gradually evolving into a smoother rhythm as his muscles remembered their ...