Page 25

25

Beatrice

I’d faded in and out of consciousness all night, waking only to darkness and pain. My mouth was dry. My arm throbbed. I couldn’t move it. I wasn’t sure if it was broken or dislocated, but it hurt like hell. Plus, it was my good shoulder.

The branch that had saved me creaked with every breath of wind. I couldn’t see the ground below me. Couldn’t even tell how far up I was. I just knew if I fell, I wasn’t getting up again.

My phone was gone.

My voice was hoarse from screaming, but I tried again anyway.

“Help!” I rasped.

Nothing but wind and trees.

Please, Raven… hurry. I knew he was coming home today. I talked to him last night.

I’d lost all sense of time.