But near the far side of the chamber, one explorer noticed an unusual shadow.
It had the shape of a seated person.
He raised his flashlight.
The shadow moved.
He stopped walking.
“There’s someone here.”
The others gathered behind him.
At first, they thought the person might be an injured explorer.
Perhaps someone had become trapped.
Perhaps the figure had entered through another opening.
But when they approached, the young woman sitting near the wall lifted her head.
Her eyes followed the moving lights.
She was wearing a clean, faded blue shirt and dark trousers.
Her hair was neatly tied back.
Her hands rested in her lap.
She looked thin and pale, but not as severely malnourished as someone might expect after years of isolation.
Most disturbingly, she did not seem surprised to see them.
She smiled.
The expression was broad and strangely motionless.
“Hello?” one explorer called.
She gave no answer.
