In the hushed silence, Evelyn crouched behind an overgrown hedge, her heartbeat thrumming in her ears. She glanced at the windows of nearby houses, curtains drawn tight as if the occupants were merely phantoms. "We can't make a sound," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Marcus, crouched beside her, nodded grimly. His eyes scanned the street, every muscle in his body taut with vigilance. "If it hears us, we're done," he muttered, glancing at the idling cars, their keys still in the ignition, a testament to the suddenness of the threat.

Evelyn gestured silently towards the bicycle, her eyes meeting Marcus's. "We need to find a way out," she mouthed, pointing towards the narrow alleyway beyond. "We can't risk the cars, but maybe we can use that," he replied, understanding her plan.

Evelyn and Marcus moved stealthily, their footsteps as silent as the whispering breeze. The bicycle creaked softly as they wheeled it into the alley, its sound swallowed by the night. "Stay close," Evelyn urged, her voice barely audible.

Marcus paused, straining to hear past the thundering of his own heart. "It's close," he hissed, urgency tightening his voice. Evelyn nodded, her grip tightening on the bicycle's handlebars as they pressed forward.

Evelyn and Marcus emerged from the alley, their breaths mingling with the cool night air. "We made it," she breathed, relief flooding her voice. "For now," Marcus agreed, casting a wary glance back at the shadows behind them.