The dark subterranean environment had contributed to the growth of mold on the bones. The clothing had largely rotted away, leaving only scattered pieces.
Sixteen skeletons lay in disarray, spread outward from the furnace as if they’d been tossed by a big hand. All of them were burned and blackened, twisted by incredible force. Rock fragments lay among them.
Annja breathed shallowly. After 150-plus years, the bacteria that triggered decomposition had done its work. All trace of the death odor was gone. But the musty thickness of the air was still filled with particulates. She took a disposable filtered mask from her backpack and fitted it over her face.
Playing the flashlight beam over the skeletons, Annja saw some of them couldn’t have been much more than children. They hadn’t had a chance inside the room.