beneath the falls (3)

Among the crowd was Clara Ramirez, a fiery schoolteacher who had recently returned to Alder Creek after years away. She had grown up in this town and knew its people well.

Clara quickly assessed the situation, her mind racing. “We can’t just stand here!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. “We need to organize! We have to warn everyone!”

Tommy stepped forward, his voice steady. “Clara’s right. We need to set up a system to evacuate. If we can get everyone to higher ground, we might save them.” He felt a weight settle on his shoulders; leadership was not something he had sought, but the moment called for it.