Maria.
The moment I made up my mind, I rushed out, heading straight for the forbidden area without wasting another second. Every step I took was driven by one thought, one purpose that drowned out everything else.
Noah.
I would do anything to save him.
Anything.
The urgency burned through me, pushing me forward faster than I should have been moving, but I didn't slow down. I couldn't. Time felt like it was slipping through my fingers, and every second I wasted only made things worse.
The deeper I went into the woods, the quieter everything became.
Too quiet.
The usual sounds of nature—the rustling leaves, the distant calls—faded into an unsettling stillness that made my skin crawl. The air felt heavier here, thicker, like something unseen was pressing down on me.
And then…I felt it, that lingering sensation like someone was watching me or rather following me.
