The legacy of shadows

2,

The doors to the old rooms were rusted and heavy, groaning loudly as Brody and Max forced them open. Inside, the walls were dark and decaying, a stark reminder of the years of neglect. Water dripped from the ceiling in random places, pooling in puddles on the cracked floor. But they had no choice—it was the only place they could hide, the only place where they had a chance to save Callum.

"Hurry! Get them in here!" Liam barked, leading the charge as they rushed through the dim corridor, their footsteps echoing eerily.

Ben and Max carried Callum, who was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling with shallow, labored breaths. Ethan, barely able to stand, was draped over Brody's shoulder, his legs dragging on the floor. The scene was desperate—each boy fighting back the panic threatening to overwhelm them.

"This place..." Max muttered under his breath, his eyes darting around the dilapidated hall. "It's falling apart. How are we supposed to protect them here?"

"We have no other option," Liam replied through gritted teeth as he led them into a small, barely intact room. He gestured to the far wall, where they hastily set up Callum on an old, dusty cot. "Ben, get the stretcher out of the van for Ethan."

While Ben rushed back out, Liam quickly went to work, hooking Callum up to a portable monitor, its rhythmic beeping the only sign of life in the decaying building.

"We'll stabilize them here, then figure out our next move," Liam muttered, wiping rain and sweat from his brow. "But right now, Callum's our priority."

Max was on edge, pacing around the room, his eyes darting between Callum's pale face and the flickering lights above them. "How much time do we have until they find us?"

"No idea," Brody replied, his voice rough with tension as he glanced out the cracked window. "But we have to be ready when they do."

Ben returned with the stretcher, and together with Brody, they carefully lowered Ethan onto a second cot. His body trembled slightly, his breathing shallow as Liam quickly checked his pulse. The rain outside beat against the crumbling building, a haunting reminder of how fragile their situation was.

Suddenly, Callum's body convulsed on the cot, and the monitor's rhythmic beeping turned into a sharp, shrill alarm.

"No, no, no!" Max shouted, rushing to Callum's side. His eyes widened in panic. "Liam, he's crashing again!"

Liam's heart skipped a beat as he grabbed the defibrillator. "Everyone, stand back!" His voice was urgent, sharp with fear. He placed the paddles on Callum's chest and shouted, "Clear!"

The electric shock surged through Callum's limp body, his back arching in a grotesque spasm before slamming back onto the cot. Nothing. The alarm continued to shriek.

"Damn it!" Ben swore, pacing frantically. "Do something!"

"Clear!" Liam shouted again, the second shock making Callum's body convulse. Still no response. The tension in the room was palpable, every second feeling like an eternity.

"Come on, Callum," Max whispered, his voice strained with desperation. "Fight this."

"Clear!" The third shock. Everyone held their breath, watching in agony.

Then—miraculously—Callum's chest rose with a faint breath. The monitor beeped again, weak but steady.

"He's back..." Liam exhaled in relief, but his face was pale. "But barely. He's not out of the woods yet."

Brody wiped his forehead, still tense. "How long do you think we've got before they catch up?"

"Not long," Liam replied grimly. "We need to fortify this place, make it as secure as possible. If they find us here—"