My eyes closed. The heavy walls seemed to shrink closer. Space was completely vanishing, so everyone stood shoulder to shoulder. Because we were packed so tightly together, I could hear everyone’s racing heartbeats. The suffocating heat of a hundred bodies rose through the darkness while the faint sound of collective whispering echoed softly against the cold concrete walls. No escape. “We stay together, no matter what,” Shumel promised. Would there even be enough air for us to keep that promise? He ignored the darkness, took his shumel’s hand, and refused to let go. Then, the heavy iron bolt slid into place outside and then complete silence.
