The two little boys, Xie Junjie and Zhang Mingrui, sprinted hand-in-hand, a desperate tug-of-war between them as each tried to pull the other ahead. Sweat slicked their palms, making their grip slip precariously. Panic hammered against their ribs, echoing the chilling cry that chased them:
"Get them!!!"
Ignoring the direction, they stumbled blindly forward, the booming voice propelling them deeper into the unknown.
With a jarring crash, they slammed into something solid. An "oof!" escaped their lips as the impact sent them tumbling to the ground.
"Junjie, get up!" Zhang Mingrui cried, urging his brother to his feet. "Hurry..."
Junjie scrambled to comply, but his movement was hindered by the sharp pain in his scraped knee. With tears in his eyes, he looked up, fear widening his eyes, as Mingrui followed his gaze. Standing before them was another man, adorned in the same menacing uniform as their pursuers.
