Page 3

Two

Madison cried out as the man tossed her face down onto the front seat of the van.

He drove off at high speed, giving her no time to sit up.

Her head ached and she wanted to spew as the van bounced and swerved along dirt roads.

Trembling with terror, she lay as still as possible, too afraid to move or say a word.

Eventually the van came to a stop. She didn’t move when the man slid out from behind the wheel.

Moments later, he grabbed her, dragged her out, and tossed her to the ground.

She caught sight of the knife in the moonlight and screamed, but he didn’t stab her.

He bent to cut the zip ties on her wrists.

She staggered to her feet and her long blue ball gown tangled around her legs.

The forest closed in around her, the trees so dense no moonlight penetrated the gloom.

Shivering as the man ran his gaze from the top of the head to her feet and back again, she hugged her chest. What did he want from her?

“Run.” He aimed the rifle at her and a sinister chuckle escaped his lips. “I’ll count to twenty.”

Hesitating for just a second, Madison lifted her gown and ran into the dense forest. Unable to find a trail, she stumbled over tree roots and dashed between the trees.

Branches clawed at her dress, but she kept going, driven by sheer terror.

All around, shadows played tricks on her mind, creating bears and men waiting to jump out at her.

With each step her feet sank into the soft ground, and pine needles and twigs cut into her bare flesh.

Desperate to escape, she scanned the trees, searching for a trail to follow, and finding nothing, she dashed on.

It hurt so bad to breathe. The cold mountain air burned her chest and cut through her thin gown, chilling the sweat on her skin.

She’d always been afraid of the forest, and when an owl shrieked above her, she turned and ran in a different direction.

How long had she been running? Was he still behind her, stalking her like prey?

She looked left and right at the lines of pines.

They all looked exactly the same. Indecision crept over her.

Had she run in a circle? Hearing a crunch close by, she turned and glanced over one shoulder, convinced the man was right behind her.

Heart pounding, she bit back a sob and stared into the darkness.

As a freezing breeze rustled through the forest, shadows twisted and morphed into hands reaching out to grab her.

Where was he? Had he decided not to chase her after all?

Her teeth chattered with fear but she kept going.

Where was the trail? A deer path—anything.

She stumbled to a halt and bent over, hands on knees, panting.

The break was a luxury she couldn’t afford.

She straightened and turned in a slow circle to peer through the labyrinth of trees and shadows, not knowing which way to go.

The maze of trees disoriented her and Madison sank into the depths of despair.

Cheeks wet with tears, she sucked in ragged breaths and headed toward the moon, but it seemed to move with every step.

A noise in the underbrush stopped her midstride.

Staring into the darkness as leaves rustled and twigs snapped, she gaped in horror as something huge crashed through the trees.

Flattened against the trunk of a tree, the rough bark cut into her skin, but she didn’t care.

The next second, a proud head with antlers moved into a shaft of moonlight.

Trembling, Madison sagged and sucked in freezing air.

It was so cold in the mountains her breath came out in a white cloud.

Behind the buck, she made out a fire road and lifted her filthy torn gown and ran. Fire roads led to highways and people.

Muscles screaming with fatigue, she kept moving.

She couldn’t stop—wouldn’t stop until she’d found safety.

Ahead, moonlight illuminated the gravel-covered road and she burst out of the forest and slowed.

Which way—left or right? She heard a sound, and stomach clenching with terror, turned slowly to stare at the man in the balaclava.

He stood not ten feet away from her, casually leaning against a tree, with his gun pointed at her.

She took three steps back, gaping in disbelief.

How had he found her? She’d run for miles.

Exhausted, her mind fogged, she didn’t know what to do.

If she ran, he’d shoot her just like he did Martin.

There’s nothing I can do. She wanted to scream but her throat closed and she fought to breathe.

“Well, hello there, Madison.” He eased away from the pine tree and strolled toward her. “What took you so long?”