First two beats: the heroes notice the danger and decide to run.
“Sir . . .” Rawiya tugged on al-Idrisi’s sleeve.
Al-Idrisi turned. “It seems we know more people in Cairo than we thought.”
Notice that in this snippet, we don’t actually see the threat! We sense it from the characters’ reactions.
Also, notice the mix of dialogue and action.
Let’s focus on the notice/decide pattern, but try to use dialogue for dramatic effect.
An agonised roar called out across the beach. “Dad?” said Freya, turning towards the sound.
Douglas dropped his bags. “Get to the ship.”
Helena felt a prickle at the back of her neck. She nudged her pale companion. “Don’t look back,” she said, “but we may have to walk faster.”
