The faint scent of ozone hung in the sterile air, a constant companion to Elias. He watched the indicator lights, each a tiny beacon of the unseen processes at work.
His fingers, calloused from years of delicate adjustments, twitched with a familiar anticipation. The primary conduit thrummed, a low vibration that resonated through the floor.
It was always a moment of profound quiet before the shift, a breath held collectively by the facility. He checked the pressure gauges one last time, a ritual as ingrained as his own heartbeat. A singular bead of sweat tracked a path down his temple. This was it. The sequence initiated, a cascade of clicks and hums.
Elias exhaled, a long, slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
The growl, he noted, had intensified, a hungry sound now, accompanied by the distinct rustle of leaves.