Is That Mom

Part 7 of Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

The Final Countdown

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Part 7:

The Collapse

The alarm blared through the facility the moment Ethan stepped out of the leader’s chamber, its shrill, piercing sound reverberating through the sterile halls. Red emergency lights flashed, casting everything in an eerie, blood-like glow. He could feel it, deep in his gut—the weight of what he’d set in motion. The truth had been unleashed, and the organization was scrambling to contain the inevitable fallout.

But something else was happening too. The walls seemed to groan, the floor shuddered beneath his feet, and from somewhere deep within the facility, a distant rumble echoed—like the belly of a beast stirring awake. The facility was dying, and it was taking everyone inside with it.

Ethan’s breath hitched as the magnitude of the situation hit him. He had known there would be consequences for his decision, but he hadn’t anticipated this. The organization was determined to wipe everything clean—evidence, records, and every last soul that had crossed their path. And that included him.

A tremor ran through the floor, and Ethan instinctively pressed himself against the wall as the ceiling above cracked, sending chunks of concrete crashing down just feet away. His heart pounded in his chest, but his mind sharpened, adrenaline kicking in. He couldn’t afford to freeze—not now. Not after everything he’d been through.

The air was thick with the scent of burning wires and dust as the facility’s systems overloaded. Sparks flew from broken light fixtures, and the overhead pipes began to hiss as steam leaked from ruptured vents. Ethan wiped the sweat from his brow and forced himself to focus. The collapse wasn’t just physical; it was the destruction of everything the organization had built. The lies, the manipulation, the control—they were crumbling around him, and he was caught in the heart of it.

His mind raced as he plotted his escape. He couldn’t go back the way he came—the halls were already starting to cave in, and the alarms made it clear that security forces would be closing in from all sides. He’d have to find another way out, but every direction seemed like a death trap.

Another violent tremor shook the floor, and this time Ethan lost his balance, falling hard against the wall. His ribs ached from the impact, but he gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet. His body screamed in protest, but he couldn’t stop now. He couldn’t let it end here.

He stumbled down the corridor, his footsteps echoing in the chaos around him. His mind felt hazy, clouded by the enormity of his decision. The truth was out. He had done it—exposed the organization, shattered their control. But at what cost? Everything was falling apart. The weight of it all threatened to crush him, but somewhere deep inside, he found the strength to keep moving.

The facility was a maze of endless, twisting corridors, and with every step, it felt like the walls were closing in. Ethan’s breath came in ragged gasps as he turned a corner, only to be met with a dead end. His pulse quickened as panic gripped him. There had to be a way out—he couldn’t die here. Not now.

A loud explosion rocked the building, and the floor beneath Ethan gave way. He felt the ground slip out from under him, and for a terrifying moment, he was falling, surrounded by dust and debris. He hit the ground hard, his body slamming into the concrete below. Pain shot through him, and for a few seconds, all he could do was lie there, dazed and gasping for air.

But he didn’t have time to linger. The building was still coming down around him, and the sound of collapsing beams and crashing metal filled the air. Ethan groaned as he forced himself onto his hands and knees, his body shaking with the effort. He coughed, spitting out the dust that had filled his lungs, and tried to get his bearings.

Through the haze, he could make out a flicker of light—a distant exit sign, barely visible through the rubble. Hope flared in his chest, but it was quickly tempered by the realization that the path to it was blocked by fallen debris. He had no choice but to climb.

Every movement sent jolts of pain through his limbs, but Ethan gritted his teeth and began to pull himself up the pile of rubble. His hands scraped against sharp edges, drawing blood, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. His vision blurred, but the thought of escape—the thought of surviving—kept him going.

As he neared the top of the debris, another tremor shook the building, and a section of the wall above him began to crumble. Ethan’s eyes widened, and instinct took over. He threw himself forward just as the wall collapsed behind him, sending a shower of dust and stone raining down where he had been moments before.

His chest heaved as he lay there, covered in dust and blood, but alive. He had made it over the debris, but his body felt like it was on the verge of collapse. The facility was going down, and he was running out of time.

With a groan of effort, Ethan pushed himself up once more, staggering toward the distant glow of the exit sign. The air was thick with smoke now, and the heat from the burning wreckage made it hard to breathe. Every step felt like a monumental effort, but he pressed on, driven by sheer will.

He had done what he came here to do. He had exposed the truth, shattered the organization’s grip on power. But now, he had to survive. He had to live with the consequences of his actions, and that meant making it out of this collapsing tomb alive.

The final hallway stretched before him like a tunnel leading to salvation, but Ethan knew better than to let his guard down. Even now, with the facility on the brink of destruction, there were dangers lurking. Hidden traps, remnants of the organization’s cruel ingenuity, waiting to claim the last few souls who dared to escape.

But Ethan was no longer the boy who had come here searching for answers. He was a man who had faced the truth—and he was ready to face whatever came next.

With one last surge of strength, Ethan pushed through the doors, just as the facility behind him gave one final, deafening roar and collapsed in on itself.