THE 30 DAYS Remastered

I'm Watching You

Day 3

Phone vibrates*

"27 left"

Ryan, Jake, Officer Lucy, and her two crewmen lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious and battered. The air was thick with smoke and dust, rendering visibility almost nonexistent. The acrid smell of burnt debris filled Ryan's nostrils as he slowly regained consciousness. There was no response from the other two teams, adding to the ominous silence that enveloped the scene.

With a groan, Ryan coughed violently, each breath a painful effort. His muscles protested as he tried to push himself up, his head pounding with a relentless ache. Stumbling to his feet, he squinted through the haze, desperately trying to make out any familiar shapes or sounds.

"Jake? Officer Lucy?" he called out hoarsely, his voice barely carrying over the crackling remnants of the explosion. There was no answer, only the oppressive quiet and the distant creaking of the damaged structure.

Ryan held his head, feeling a warm trickle of blood from a cut on his forehead. He needed to find the others, to get them all to safety. He took a few unsteady steps forward, the ground shifting beneath his feet. The smoke stung his eyes, making them water as he tried to peer through the murk.

Just then, he noticed a faint glow ahead, a beacon of hope in the suffocating darkness. A light was emanating from a door slightly ajar, casting a narrow beam into the smoky corridor. Ryan's heart leapt with a mixture of relief and desperation. He had to reach that door, to find out if it was indeed the way out.

Staggering towards the light, Ryan's legs felt like lead, each step a monumental effort. The debris underfoot made his progress slow and treacherous. As he neared the door, he glanced back, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jake, Officer Lucy, or the crewmen. There was nothing but shadows and the eerie dance of the smoke.

Finally, he reached the door and pushed it open wider, the light flooding his senses with a momentary reprieve from the darkness. He looked back one last time, his heart heavy with worry for his teammates, before stepping through the door, hoping to find an escape and a way to summon help. As he entered the room he saw something that made his skin crawl.

Meanwhile, Jake tried to stand up, but his leg was trapped under a heavy rock, pinning him down and making him wince in pain. His attempts to move were futile, and a wave of fear washed over him as he realized he couldn't feel his leg.

Nearby, one of the crewmen, Henry, noticed Jake's struggle and quickly rushed over. Henry was a burly man with a strong build, and he immediately began trying to lift the rock. His muscles strained, veins popping out on his neck as he put all his effort into moving the heavy debris. "Hang in there, Jake," Henry grunted, his voice filled with determination. "I'll get you out."

With a final, powerful heave, Henry managed to lift the rock just enough for Jake to pull his leg free. Jake let out a cry of pain, the relief of being untrapped mingling with the excruciating reality of his injury. He fumbled for his phone, his hands trembling as he dialed Ryan's number.

Meanwhile, Officer Lucy lay nearby, her head injury causing her vision to blur. She struggled to stay conscious, her thoughts a jumbled mess. The room spun around her, and she could barely make out the figures moving in the haze. Every attempt to move sent waves of pain through her skull, making her feel weak and disoriented.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the fog, chilling her to the bone. "You look pretty bashed up, Officer."

Lucy's heart skipped a beat, her blood running cold. She tried to focus on the source of the voice, her eyes narrowing. A shadowy figure emerged from the smoke, moving towards her with a deliberate, almost predatory grace.