I felt his arms tighten around me, his body tensing as something heavy struck his back. His grunt of pain was muffled against my hair as dust and chunks of debris rained down on us.
“Leo!” I gasped, trying to look up at him. His face was twisted in a grimace, sweat beading on his forehead. Blood trickled from a gash near his temple where a piece of concrete had struck him.
“I’m fine,” he growled, though his breathing was ragged. “Just stay down.”
The building continued to shake violently around us. Cracks spread across the walls like lightning bolts, and the floor beneath us tilted at an alarming angle. The automated voice continued its countdown.
Leo lifted his head slightly, quickly assessing our situation. “We need to move. Now.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, his grip surprisingly gentle despite the urgency. We stumbled into the hallway, which was barely recognizable now. It was filled with debris, exposed wiring, and thick dust that made it hard to breathe.
