Page 10

She heard him coming after her, the heavy footsteps pounding on the path, the crack of a brittle branch as he passed.
Faster. Run faster!
Kara was breathing hard, but she saw the glitter of the lake. Through the forest, the icy surface gleamed in the moonlight, beckoning. On the far shore, lights of a few houses glowed like beacons.
If she could make it.
She could!
She would!
Faster. Run faster!
She slammed her toe into an exposed root and flew forward, crying out. Pain pulsed through her foot and she stumbled a few steps, temporarily hobbled, and she wanted to give up, to fling herself into the snow and cry.
No! Keep running. Get help. Jonas is still alive!
She plowed forward.
The killer was closing in.
She heard his ragged breathing, felt his footsteps shake the ground. But he, too, was struggling and when he called out, he was gasping. “For the love of God, girl, stop! I’m not . . . I’m not going . . . I won’t hurt you.”
She didn’t believe him for an instant.
Move!Her mind was screaming at her and she was nearly panting.
She reached the bank, her feet sliding out from under her as she slipped downward toward the lake.
“Stop!” the man shouted. “Jesus Christ, stop!”
She hurled her body forward, tumbling onto the glassy surface, skidding away from the shoreline.
“Hey!” he was yelling again, his voice raw.
She ignored him and sliding and spinning, she finally made it to her feet, but she couldn’t get traction and had trouble running. She should have run around the shore. But it was too late.
The killer was on the ice.
No!
She threw herself forward, her feet sliding wildly as she willed herself across the icy expanse toward the winking lights, where she would find someone to help her, someone in one of those cabins. She had to.
“Don’t! Oh, shit!”
He followed, slipping out onto the ice.
More panicked than ever, she scrambled forward wildly only to fall flat and bang her chin.
“Stop!”
He was making his way across the frozen surface.
Getting nearer!
She had to outrun him! Had to get away!
Another glance over her shoulder and she saw him in the corner of her eye.