The crowd murmured uneasily, whispers rippling like static. The officer beside Daniel exhaled sharply. “That’s not supposed to be there,” he muttered. Daniel’s jaw clenched. He knew he was right—this was no natural sinkhole. This was something carved, something hidden. And now, it was open for everyone to see.
For a long moment after the collapse, only the hiss of settling soil and the boys’ cries filled the air. Claire clutched them tightly on the porch, whispering that everything would be okay. Daniel stood at the edge of the crater, heart hammering. All he could see was chaos—jagged earth, broken fencing, and piles of debris choking the hole.