Claire’s scream pierced the air, the boys shouting in terror. Daniel bolted down the stairs, his body moving faster than thought. By the time he burst outside, half their yard had vanished into a chasm. The sinkhole gaped impossibly wide, soil still crumbling in waves, as though the land itself was swallowing.
Neighbors began spilling onto porches, voices rising in confusion. Somewhere down the street, a dog barked frantically. Claire clutched the boys to her, her eyes wide with fear. Daniel stepped closer to the rim despite the danger, his geologist’s instinct overriding panic. What he saw there made his stomach twist.