They found it—an old wooden ladder, weathered but intact, resting against the wall. Alex grabbed it, tested its stability, then brought it over. He leaned it carefully against the shed. Everything was so still that even the trees around them seemed to have held their breath. Once he was confident, Alex started climbing the ladder.
The ladder groaned beneath Alex’s weight, each step echoing with tension. Samantha held her breath, fingers clenched tight. Slowly, he reached the top and leaned over the edge of the roof, disappearing from view. Samantha stood there with bated breath, her heart hammering inside her chest.