The barn, situated at the foot of the hill, was knee-deep in mud. The problem was that the entrance was blocked by a boulder the size of a grown man's torso.
"Andrew! Andrew, are you in there?" Eloise ran forward and pounded on the barn door as hard as she could.
At first, she couldn't hear anything over the roar of the rain. But a moment later, knocking and a child's voice came from inside.
"Help! I'm here!"
The voice was completely hoarse from prolonged crying. It was definitely Andrew. And along with his voice, the bleating of a lamb could be heard.
"I'm here! I'm here!"
The wooden barn door rattled as if someone were beating on it with fists. But it wasn't enough to dislodge the stone blocking the entrance.
"Stay still! I'll get you out!"
Perhaps her voice calmed him slightly, because the desperate pounding ceased. Instead, sobs echoed from within.
Eloise tried to move the stone. It was half the size of her body.
It was unclear from where it had tumbled—but it bore a sharp chip that could easily cut skin.
Moreover, due to the incessant rain, her hands kept slipping.
But the main problem was that the stone was too heavy. No matter how hard Eloise shoved, it moved only a finger's breadth—no more.
Realizing this approach was futile, Eloise studied the barn.
*Perhaps it would be faster to break down the wall?*
Though it was built solidly, it was still wood. Perhaps that would be quicker than trying to shift the stone.
But looking around, she found nothing with which to break through the wall.
*There must be something in the Ogilvy house or nearby.*
She turned her head and saw houses at the top of the hill.
At that moment, a distant rumble sounded. A heavy roar echoing through the earth evoked instinctive dread.
"What is that sound...?"
It wasn't thunder. Something much closer and heavier.
Eloise looked toward the distant dyke.
Even through the veil of rain, the intensifying flow of earth in its central section was visible. Complete collapse was imminent.
*No! If it collapses now!*
The area where the barn stood would certainly be swept away. Moreover, she recalled that the eastern bridge she'd used to enter was already in a perilous state.
If the dyke collapsed, the landslide would spread along both sides of the hill—and the already precarious bridge would be destroyed entirely.
*There's no time.*
There was no time to run to another house for tools to break down the wall. Realizing this, Eloise felt her vision swim.
She knew she should run uphill immediately—but she couldn't leave Andrew here alone.
"W-what's that sound?" Andrew asked in a frightened voice, also sensing the sound boded ill.
The rumble grew louder. But Eloise could do nothing.
*What should I do? How can I save Andrew and reach the top?*
Eloise shoved the stone again with all her might—but it still wouldn't budge.
She was overcome with despair and helplessness. She couldn't bring herself to weep, but hot tears streamed down her rain-soaked cheeks.
*How... how...*
Just when Eloise was about to surrender—
"Eloise!"
She heard the voice that had once saved her in the night forest.
Eloise turned in astonishment. Someone was running headlong toward her from the top of the hill.
Only a vague silhouette was visible through the rain—but Eloise recognized it instantly.
"Ryan?"
Just like that night, Ryan ran toward her.
Again, as if by magic, at a moment of complete helplessness and despair.
She thought he was a hallucination. But Eloise immediately realized he was real.
"Are you insane? Why did you come here alone in this situation?" he shouted, running up and stopping directly before her.
His voice was so deafening that even over the roar of rain it rang in her ears. Eloise immediately snapped to her senses.
"Are you insane? I only came for Andrew!"
"The child is trapped inside! I came to save him!"
"Then you should have gone with other people!"
"How could I drag others into such a dangerous place?"
"You could have called me!"
She was about to ask, *"What does this have to do with you?"*—but Andrew's shout came from the barn:
"Sergeant Thornton! Help!"
The child clearly remembered the voice of the adult who had played with him in the mansion.
Hearing Andrew's voice, they looked at each other and immediately reached a unanimous decision.
"First, let's save Andrew—then we'll argue!"
"Agreed!"
Eloise immediately seized the boulder. It was still slippery and dangerous. Seeing this, Ryan quickly removed his outer coat.
The rain revealed his incredibly developed, powerful muscles.
He displayed his physique without shame—just as he had when working with the laborers in the garden before the celebration.
He tore his shirt and handed half to Eloise.
"Wrap your hands!"
Having done as he ordered, Eloise gripped the stone again.
"Push on the count of three! One, two, three!"
"Nngh!"
As soon as he finished counting, Eloise shoved the stone with all her might.
Ryan did the same. When they both pushed—straining until the veins bulged in their necks—it shifted an entire palm's width. Something Eloise had scarcely managed alone.
"Again! One, two, three!"
Hearing his cry, Eloise tensed once more. When they pushed again, putting all their strength into it, the stone shifted even farther.
After several attempts, a gap finally formed in the opening—large enough for a child to crawl through.
"Andrew! Are you there?"
"Yes! I, I'm here!"
"Step back! I'm going to kick the door down!"
From inside came hurried footsteps and the bleating of a lamb. It seemed they had retreated to the farthest corner of the barn.
Hearing Andrew move away, Ryan shouted again for him to stay back—and without hesitation kicked the door.
*Bam!*
With a deafening crash, the wooden door shattered into pieces.
"Sergeant! Eloise!"
Andrew, huddled in a corner clutching a lamb, saw them and immediately ran forward and grabbed hold of them.
*"Sob, sob!"*
Ryan looked at Andrew's tear-streaked face and scooped him up. Then he said to Eloise:
"Let's run! There's no time!"
There was no need to ask why. The rumble of the shifting dyke grew louder and louder.
They seized Andrew and the lamb and ran up the hill. The wet grass was slippery—they nearly fell several times—but now was not the moment to slow.
Eloise, having expended all her strength trying to move the stone, felt her legs weaken. They trembled as she ran after Ryan.
Because of this, she began falling behind.
Ryan, noticing Eloise was no longer beside him, turned around.
"Eloise!"
"Go... forward!"
Ryan's face twisted at these words.
Eloise assumed he would take Andrew and run on alone.
But—
"Don't talk nonsense. Do you think I'd leave you behind?"
He returned, tucked Andrew under one arm, and grabbed Eloise's hand with the other. He pulled her along with him.
Her breath caught in her throat—but with his strong grip steadying her, Eloise was able to run again.
However, now he ran slower than before.
"What are you, an idiot? I told you to go ahead!"
"Weren't you the one who said that?"
"Don't shout! I'm running out of strength!"
"Then don't answer back!"
After that, they ran in silence toward the bridge.
They were both thinking the same thing.
*If only we can cross the bridge.*
*And then I'll say everything I need to say.*
When they—desperately fighting for their lives—reached the bridge...
"Oh God..."
Eloise stopped and covered her mouth with her hand.
**The bridge was collapsing.**