The girl cleared the danger zone, joining her brother in relative safety. I held the position a moment longer, ensuring they were truly clear, before letting myself collapse. Using the last of my strength, I rolled sideways, momentum carrying me just far enough as the entire structure came crashing down behind me.
I lay there in the dust, gasping, body still registering phantom pain even as the simulation began to fade. The children's faces lingered longest – their terror transformed to wonder, then gratitude, then finally dissolving into mist.
