The barn at the bottom of the hill was covered in mud up to an adult’s knee. The real problem was that a boulder, as big as an adult’s torso, had rolled down and blocked the entrance to the barn.

“Andrew! Andrew, are you inside?”

Eloise ran frantically and pounded on the barn door.

At first, the sound of the rain drowned out any noise from inside. But soon, she heard banging from within, accompanied by a child’s voice.

“Help me! I’m here!”

His voice was hoarse from crying so much. It was unmistakably Andrew. Alongside his voice, the bleating of a lamb echoed from inside.

“Here! I’m here!”

The wooden door thudded as if he was hitting it with his fists. But he was no match for the boulder blocking the entrance.

“Stay still! I’ll open it for you!”

Perhaps reassured by her voice, the frantic banging subsided. Instead, she could hear soft sobbing from inside.

Eloise tried to push the boulder blocking the door. It was half the size of her own body.

It must have rolled down and crashed here, and the broken edges were sharp enough to threaten her hands if she wasn’t careful.

With the rain pouring down, her hands kept slipping even when she tried to exert force.

Above all, the boulder was simply too heavy. No matter how hard Eloise pushed with all her strength, it barely budged a fraction. Moving it any further was impossible.

Realizing she couldn’t do it alone, Eloise looked at the barn.

‘Should I just break it?’

It was sturdily built, but it was still wood. Breaking the barn might be faster than trying to move the boulder and could save Andrew more quickly.

But looking around, she couldn’t find anything that could be used to break down the barn.

‘There must be something at the Ogilvy house or at my house.’

When she turned her head, she could see the houses atop the hill.

At that moment, a rumbling sound echoed from afar. The heavy noise traveling through the ground triggered a primal fear.

“What is that sound…?”

It wasn’t thunder. It was closer, heavier…

Eloise looked toward the distant embankment.

Even through the rain, she could see that the flow of mud from the center had increased. Collapse was imminent.

‘No! If it collapses now…!’

This spot, where the barn stood, would surely be swept away. She remembered that the eastern bridge had already started to look dangerous on her way here.

If the embankment collapsed, the mud would flow down both sides of the hill, and the already unstable bridge would be completely destroyed.

‘There’s no time.’

There was no time to go to another house and fetch tools to break down the barn. Realizing this, Eloise’s mind went blank.

She knew she had to climb up the hill immediately, but she couldn’t leave Andrew alone here and run away.

“Wh-what is that sound?”

Andrew, sensing the danger, asked in a frightened voice.

The sound grew louder and louder. But Eloise could do nothing.

What should she do?

How could she save Andrew and get up the hill?

Eloise tried once more to push the boulder with all her strength, but it still wouldn’t move.

Despair and frustration washed over her. She knew she shouldn’t cry now, but hot tears streamed down her rain-soaked cheeks.

What to do, what to do…

Just as Eloise was about to let go of the boulder, exhausted,

“Eloise!”

The voice that had once saved her in the forest at night rang out.

Startled, Eloise turned her head. Someone was running down the hill toward her, desperately.

Through the rain, she could only make out a blurred figure, but Eloise instantly knew who it was.

“Ryan?”

Just like that night, Ryan was running toward her.

At the very moment she felt most helpless and defeated, as if by a miracle, again.

She wondered if she was seeing things, but Eloise quickly realized he was real.

“Are you crazy? Why did you come here alone in this situation!”

He shouted as soon as he stopped in front of her, his voice so loud it rang in her ears even through the rain.

Crazy? She’d only come because Andrew was missing!

“A child is trapped inside! I came to save him!”

“Then you should have come with others!”

“How could I drag others into danger?”

“You could have brought me!”

She was about to ask why he was here, but from inside the barn, Andrew shouted.

“Sergeant Thornton! Help me!”

The child remembered well the voice of the adult who used to play with him at the manor.

At Andrew’s voice, the two exchanged glances and quickly agreed.

“Let’s save Andrew first and talk later!”

“Agreed!”

Eloise grabbed the boulder blocking the entrance again. It was still slippery and dangerous. Seeing this, Ryan quickly took off his shirt.

His body, solid and muscular, was revealed, just like when he worked in the garden before the party.

He tore his shirt in half and handed a piece to Eloise.

“Wrap it around your hands!”

Eloise did as he said, wrapping the shirt around her hands before grabbing the boulder again.

“On three, we push! One, two, three!”

“Ugh!”

At his cue, Eloise pushed with all her might.

Ryan did the same, veins bulging in his neck as he used every ounce of strength. Together, they moved the boulder a hand’s width—much more than Eloise alone had managed.

“Again! One, two, three!”

At his words, Eloise threw her whole body into it, and the boulder shifted even further.

After several tries, the barn door finally opened enough for a child to squeeze through.

“Andrew! Are you inside?”

“Yes! I’m here!”

“Step back! I’m going to kick the door in!”

There was a flurry of movement inside, and the lamb bleated. It seemed Andrew had retreated to the very back.

Once Ryan was sure Andrew had moved, he called out again for him to get clear, then kicked the barn door without hesitation.

Bang!

With a loud crash, the wooden door burst open.

“Sergeant! Eloise!”

Andrew, crouched in the corner clutching the lamb, saw them and ran straight into their arms.

“H-hic!”

Ryan saw the tearful Andrew and scooped him up. Then he spoke to Eloise.

“Run! There’s no time!”

There was no need to ask why. The rumbling from the embankment was growing louder.

The two of them, carrying Andrew and the lamb, raced up the hill. The rain-soaked grass was slippery and they stumbled several times, but that didn’t matter now.

Eloise, having spent all her strength pushing the boulder, was weak. Her legs shook as she tried to keep up with Ryan.

Soon, she fell behind.

Noticing that Eloise was no longer keeping pace, Ryan turned his head.

“Eloise!”

“Go ahead!”

At her words, Ryan’s face twisted in frustration.

Eloise thought he would run ahead with Andrew.

But…

“Don’t be ridiculous. Leave you behind?”

He came back, tucked Andrew under one arm, and grabbed Eloise’s hand with the other, pulling her along.

Out of breath, Eloise found she could run again, led by his grip.

But Ryan’s pace was slower than before.

“Are you stupid? I said go ahead!”

“Is that something you should be saying?”

“Don’t shout! It makes me tired!”

“Then don’t answer!”

With that, the two ran toward the bridge in silence.

They were both thinking the same thing.

If only they could get across the bridge.

Then, they could finally say everything they’d been holding back.

When they finally reached the bridge, running desperately,

“Oh my…”

Eloise stopped, covering her mouth with her hand.

The bridge was beginning to collapse.