The House of Hope
The group trudged towards the hut, their steps dragging and heavy, leaving a trail of shallow footprints on the scorching sand that were quickly obscured by the wind. Each step felt like treading on cotton, weak and feeble, their physical exhaustion nearly crushing their resolve.
When they finally approached the hut, they found it dilapidated and tumbling. The adobe walls had peeled away, revealing a rotting wooden frame that looked as if it could be blown down by a single gust of wind. The thatch on the roof was sparse and trembling in the strong wind, threatening to be swept away at any moment.
Lin Yu cautiously reached out and pushed open the rotten door. The hinges creaked, a tooth-grinding sound, and a stale smell filled his face. It was a mixture of rotting wood, damp earth, and the odor of something rotting, making him feel sick.
"Everyone, be careful," Lin Yu warned. His voice echoed in the empty room, trembling slightly. His heartbeat quickened rapidly, wondering what unknowns were hidden in this seemingly dilapidated house.
Everyone followed him into the house. It was dark and damp, with little light. Only a few rays of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the shattered windows, creating hazy beams of light. Within these beams, countless motes of dust danced, like spirits trapped in this dead world.
Spider webs were densely packed in every corner, like strange webs waiting for prey to fall into them. Suna couldn't help but shudder. She carefully avoided the spider webs and looked around.
"Is there really what we need here?" Suna's voice was tinged with doubt and fear. Her eyes searched the dark corners, her heart filled with unease. "This feels more like a terrifying trap." Her heartbeat was particularly clear in the silence.
Old Chen was rummaging through a pile of junk, which was piled high and gave off a pungent smell. His hands were groping among the junk, and from time to time he came across something strange.
"Let's look around, maybe we'll find something useful." Old Chen's voice held a hint of hope, even though he wasn't sure what he might find. "Even a little water, a little food, can give us a little more hope of survival." Beads of sweat covered his forehead, trickling down his cheeks and dripping into the dust on the ground.
Just then, a team member suddenly cried out in surprise.
"What's down there?" a member of the team's voice was filled with fear, and he pointed to a corner of the house where there was a cellar entrance covered by wooden boards. The entrance was filled with a mysterious and unsettling atmosphere, as if it led to an unknown and terrifying world.
Lin Yu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. His eyes were fixed on the cellar entrance, his heart filled with hesitation and fear.
"Let's go down and take a look first." Lin Yu finally said. Although his voice was firm, the slightly trembling tone still revealed his inner nervousness.
Everyone looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear and hesitation. But in the end, the desire to survive overcame their fear, and they decided to go down and explore together.
They found a dilapidated ladder, the wood of which had rotted and looked shaky. Lin Yu was the first to step onto it. With each step, the ladder creaked, as if protesting against their weight.
"Be careful, Lin Yu." Suna said nervously from above, her hands tightly gripping the edge of the ladder, her palms full of sweat.
Lin Yu slowly moved downwards, the darkness gradually swallowing him up. When his feet finally touched the floor of the cellar, a pungent smell hit him in the face.
"This smell..." Lin Yu couldn't help but cover his mouth and nose, his eyes trying to adapt to the darkness.
Others also came down one after another. The cellar was filled with a stuffy atmosphere, making it difficult to breathe.
"What on earth is this place?" someone asked tremblingly.
Lin Yu turned on the flashlight, and the weak light flickered in the darkness. They saw that the cellar was filled with all kinds of strange objects, including broken jars, rotten wooden boxes, and some things with unclear shapes.
Suddenly, a mouse ran past their feet, causing a cry of surprise.
"ah!"
"Calm down, it's just a mouse." Lin Yu said loudly, but his own heartbeat was also accelerating rapidly.
They continued to explore forward, being cautious with every step.
"Look, what is that?" a team member said, pointing to a dark shadow in the corner.
Lin Yu shone the flashlight over there and saw a huge black shadow standing there, its shape unclear.
Everyone's breathing became rapid, and fear continued to spread in their hearts...
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