CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE - UNLIKELY ALLIANCES

Finally, they reached the cabin. Max fumbled with the key, his usually steady hands shaking slightly from the cold and adrenaline. After what felt like an eternity, the lock clicked, and they tumbled inside, slamming the door shut behind them. The interior of the cabin was small but cozy, with a tiny kitchenette, a seating area with a worn sofa, and a single bed tucked into the corner. A stone fireplace dominated one wall, unlit and cold. "Well," Ava said, wringing water from her hair, "this is... intimate." Max let out a short laugh, running a hand through his own dripping hair. "Not exactly what I had in mind when I planned this retreat." They stood there for a moment, the awkwardness of their situation settling over them like a heavy blanket. The cabin suddenly seemed much smaller than it had a moment ago. A flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed almost immediately by a deafening crack of thunder. The lights flickered once, twice, and then went out completely, plungi