Rose stared at the hatch, her brain refusing to categorize what her eyes were seeing. It didn’t make sense. She felt suspended in place—too stunned to speak, let alone act. It was the neighbor who finally broke the silence, glancing at her and asking, “Is that… some kind of bunker?”
That question snapped her focus into gear. Her breath steadied. Her hand reached for her phone. Enough was enough. She wasn’t going to guess or speculate or walk down into that space herself. She called the police, her voice clear and controlled. She wanted this handled properly.