Claire wrapped her arms around her knees, swaying slightly back and forth. The faint light from the hole above had dissipated into the gentle darkness of early night. The examiners would arrive within the next day or so, leaving little room for evasion or self-delusion. Although admitting the gravity of her situation was still challenging, Claire began to comprehend the instinct that drove condemned prisoners to seek solace and confession on the eve of their execution.