Chapter 4

Edgar wasn't allowed near the ruins until the firefighters had brought the blaze under control with their high-pressure hoses.

The ground was nothing but scorched earth now. The air reeked of sulfur, burnt stench, and that nauseating, unmistakable smell of charred flesh.

"Someone's here!" a firefighter shouted from the southeast corner of the rubble.

Edgar's heart skipped a beat. He stumbled forward, nearly tripping over the debris.

Under a collapsed precast slab, several firefighters joined forces to lift the slab and the surrounding stones. As they shifted the heavy pieces aside, dust poured down, and a figure curled up beneath…