The Past.

As Tanner's body tumbled backwards, her reflexes kicked in with a lightning quickness that defied the laws of physics. Her muscles tensed, every fiber of her being focused on one singular objective - to prevent herself from plummeting into the darkness below. With a grace that belied her desperate situation, she swiftly extended her arms and legs, catching hold of the rough walls of the pit like a skilled acrobat defying gravity.

Her captors, using an auger to dig the hole, failed to account for Tanner's height and large wingspan extended to its full reach. She was longer than the hole was wide, allowing her to put enough pressure on the wall to prevent slippage.

With a victorious surge of adrenaline, Tanner managed to steady herself, clinging to the earthy walls like a tenacious vine seeking its hold in the face of a relentless storm. The wet soil clung to her hands, embedding itself beneath her fingernails as if whispering secrets of survival and resilience.

Slowly, her ascent continued with Tanner moving each appendage in turn – hand over hand, followed by foot over foot.

As she painstakingly climbed the dirt walls of her prison, Tanner's mind was consumed by a tumultuous mix of emotions. Fear coiled around her heart like a venomous serpent, its icy fangs sinking deep into her chest with each labored breath she took. The darkness that enveloped her seemed to take on a life of its own, pressing in on her from all sides, suffocating her with its oppressive weight.

Yet, she remained undaunted, her determination fueling her ascent, inch by painstaking inch. The dappled light that filtered through the narrow opening above cast an ethereal glow upon Tanner's dirt-streaked form, creating a stark contrast against the damp, dark walls that seemed to close in on her with each passing moment.