The girl leaned in close to Isaac, her voice a mere breath against his ear. "We can't let them find us," she whispered, desperation leaking into her tone. "We need to find a way out of here."
The hunter buiten outside the cupboard seemed closer now, his footsteps drawing nearer. Isaac could feel the girl's body shaking beside him, her fear palpable in the cramped space. He wracked his brains, trying to think of a way out of the deadly situation. The hunter's voice boomed outside the cupboard. "Last chance," he bellowed. "We're coming in." The girl's hand clutched tighter onto Isaac's arm, her nails digging painfully into his flesh.
Isaac felt a sense of urgency rising in his chest. They were running out of time. The hunter outside was starting to count down. "Three... two..." the hunter shouted.
Isaac's mind worked in overdrive. He was desperate to get them out of the cupboard before the hunters broke in, but he couldn't think of a way out. Beside him, the girl was frozen with fear. Her eyes were closed tight, as if willing herself invisible.
As the hunter outside continued his countdown, the seconds felt like an eternity. Isaac glanced around, his mind rapidly searching for any kind of solution, but the space was so cramped they barely had room to move. The girl seemed to be silently praying, her lips moving in a silent plea.
The hunter's countdown ended. "Time's up," he shouted, an undertone of satisfaction in his voice. Isaac could hear the sound of movement outside the cupboard, the hunters preparing to force their way in.
With a loud crash, something slammed into the door of the cupboard. The girl let out a stifled cry, her body jolting against Isaac's as the door trembled against the impact. Outside, the hunters were trying to force their way in. The door wouldn't hold much longer.
A barrage of thuds and crashes echoed from outside. The hunters were throwing their entire weight against the door, trying to break it open by brute force. Isaac and the girl were pressed tightly against the back of the cupboard, their bodies squeezed together in the small space.
The door rattled more violently with each blow, the wood creaking in protest. The hunters were relentless, the impact of their bodies against the door becoming more and more powerful. Isaac feared the door would give in any second.