The card slapped against the low table and spun before it settled.
Elias stared at the faded edge of his hand without really seeing the numbers. His knuckles had swollen around the joints. Every finger felt packed with sand after the fight with Colby, and his ribs complained whenever he breathed deeper than a sip.
Elias cared little about winning. The chair, table, and cheap cards kept his mind on an ordinary task instead of counting pain.
A vibration moved under his boots.
Elias first blamed Cube X's ventilation, but the hum climbed beyond its usual range. The floorboards began to rattle. The vibration reached his teeth and stayed there.
Paul pushed off the wall. His shoulders came up as he checked the ceiling, the door, then the seams along the floor. "Can everyone else hear that vibration under the floor?"
Tidwell stopped with his thumb still on the deck. The discard pile trembled on the metal table.
