Food was another issue.
The cave might have contained stored supplies.
Someone could have delivered food through another entrance.
Alternatively, the reported three-year timeline might have been inaccurate.
The physical condition of the young woman would also need to be evaluated carefully.
Her apparent cleanliness could not establish that she had lived underground continuously.
She might have had access to washing facilities or received assistance.
The condition of her clothing, skin, hair, and belongings could provide useful clues.
Investigators would also need to examine the possibility that she had been moved between locations.
The central question was not whether the situation seemed mysterious.
It was what evidence could establish about her actual circumstances.
A Second Entrance?
During a more detailed examination of the chamber, the rescue team noticed unusual airflow near one of the rock walls.
A faint current of air seemed to emerge from a narrow opening.
At first, it was barely noticeable.
But when the explorers moved closer, they discovered a small gap behind a large stone formation.
It was too narrow for an adult to pass through comfortably.
However, it appeared to continue farther into the mountain.
The opening raised the possibility of another route.
If the passage connected to a larger tunnel, it could explain how supplies had reached the chamber.
It could also explain why the original search teams had failed to locate Layan.
A hidden entrance in difficult terrain can be extremely hard to identify.
The investigators decided not to enter immediately.
The passage needed to be assessed for structural stability and other hazards.
The cave could contain unstable rock, low oxygen levels, flooding risks, or dangerous drops.
A specialized team would need to examine it.
When Layan heard about the discovery, she became visibly distressed.
“Close it,” she said.
The rescuer asked why.
“Because that's where it comes from.”
Nobody spoke.
The team now had another reason to investigate the passage carefully.
The Father Receives the Call
Meanwhile, outside the mountain, Layan's father received a phone call.
The person speaking identified themselves as a member of the rescue operation.
They explained that a young woman had been found inside a remote cave.
They asked him to remain calm while they confirmed her identity.
Then they mentioned her name.
Layan Mahmoud.
For several seconds, he could not speak.
He had imagined receiving that call countless times.
But after three years, he had gradually learned not to expect it.
He asked the same question repeatedly.
“Is she alive?”
The rescuer confirmed that she was alive.
Her father began crying.
He asked whether he could speak to her.
The team explained that she was being assessed and that they needed to ensure her safety before arranging contact.
He immediately prepared to travel toward the mountain.
Relatives accompanied him.
The journey seemed endless.
He remembered the last conversation they had shared.
He remembered telling her to be careful.
He remembered waiting for her car.
He remembered the nights when he had listened for the sound of her returning.
And now, after three years, he was finally going to see her again.
But he had no idea that Layan was asking the rescuers not to bring him inside.
The Reunion That Did Not Happen
When her father arrived near the rescue area, he was informed that Layan had been found.
He immediately wanted to enter the cave.
But the medical and rescue teams had concerns.
They did not yet understand her condition.
They also needed to ensure that the cave was safe.
He waited.
Then he asked whether she had recognized her name.
A rescuer told him that she had.
He began crying again.
“Tell her I'm here.”
The message was passed through the team.
For several minutes, there was no response.
Then Layan asked a question.
“Is he alone?”
The rescuer confirmed that her father had arrived with relatives.
She looked toward the entrance.
Her expression became difficult to read.
“Tell him I'm sorry.”
The rescuer asked whether she wanted to see him.
She shook her head.
“Not yet.”
Her father was devastated.
He had spent three years imagining their reunion.
He had expected her to run toward him.
He had expected tears, hugs, and explanations.
Instead, his daughter was refusing to come out.
He asked whether she was afraid of him.
The rescue team explained that they could not draw that conclusion.
She might have been frightened by the entire situation.
She might have been experiencing psychological distress.
Or there might have been information that she had not yet disclosed.
The medical team recommended a calm and gradual approach.
Her father agreed.
He would wait as long as necessary.
What Happened During the Three Missing Years?
As investigators began organizing the information, several possible explanations emerged.
One possibility was that Layan had been held against her will.
If another person had controlled her movements, the hidden passage might have provided a way to deliver supplies without being seen.
Another possibility was that she had entered the cave voluntarily and later become unable to leave.
A fall, injury, psychological crisis, or environmental hazard might have changed her circumstances.
A third possibility was that she had spent only part of the missing period inside the chamber.
She might have moved between locations before returning to the cave.
The available evidence was not enough to determine which explanation was correct.
Investigators needed to establish a reliable timeline.
They would examine the original search records, the location of the wooden owl, the notebook entries, the physical condition of the cave, and any evidence of human activity.
They would also need to interview people who knew Layan before her disappearance.
Her university classmates might remember conversations about the mountain.
Her professors might have information about the research project.
Her friends might know whether she had been worried about something.
The purpose would be to understand her movements and circumstances without assuming that one explanation was automatically correct.
The Most Disturbing Possibility
There was one possibility that the explorers found particularly difficult to ignore.
Layan might not have been alone.
The footsteps, the second passage, and her repeated warnings suggested that another person could have been present.
But the sounds could also have come from natural cave activity.
Water movement, shifting stones, and echoes can produce noises that resemble footsteps.
The team could not identify the source without further examination.
They also had to consider the possibility that Layan was experiencing auditory hallucinations.
Such experiences can occur in several medical and psychological conditions.
They can also be associated with severe stress, sleep deprivation, neurological problems, and other circumstances.