Chapter 32
CHAPTER 32
Russ moved swiftly, his ears straining to catch every sound as they pressed deeper into the woods. The far off thrum of a helicopter echoed in the distance, its searchlight casting fleeting beams of light over the treetops. Somewhere farther away, voices called Claire’s name, the desperate cries blending with the rustling of leaves in the cool night air.
But here, in the thick undergrowth, it was eerily quiet save for the crunch of their footsteps on the forest floor. Russ tightened his grip on his flashlight, glancing at Hillary ahead of him. She moved with purpose, her party dress snagging on brambles and vines but her pace relentless. Her sneakers were the only thing saving her from a worse fate in this terrain, and Russ struggled to match her speed.
Suddenly, a scream pierced the stillness, sharp and heart-stopping. Russ froze for half a second, his breath catching in his throat.
Hillary didn’t hesitate. She took off in a sprint, her flashlight bouncing wildly as she weaved through the dense trees. “This way!” she called back over her shoulder.
Russ cursed under his breath and followed, pushing himself to keep up. Twigs and branches lashed at his face and arms, but he barely noticed the sting. His mind raced, every nerve on edge as he tried to process what they’d just heard. Claire. That scream had to be Claire.
Another scream cut through the night, more desperate this time, and Hillary veered sharply to the right without slowing down. Russ could hear the thud of his own heartbeat in his ears, the sound mingling with the distant barking of dogs. Police search dogs, he realized. They must’ve been deployed to join the effort. The thought gave him a shred of hope, but it was quickly drowned out by the fear clawing at his chest.
He pushed harder, his legs burning as he fought to keep pace with Hillary. She was impossibly fast, her dress catching on branches and tearing as she barreled forward. Russ stumbled over an exposed root but caught himself, his flashlight slipping from his grip for a moment before he snatched it back up.
“Hillary, wait!” he called, his voice hoarse. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. Another scream ripped through the air, closer now, and Russ felt his stomach twist.
The trees thinned suddenly, giving way to a small clearing bathed in pale moonlight. Russ skidded to a halt as Hillary dropped to her knees ahead of him, her flashlight beam fixed on a figure lying in the brush.
“Claire!” Hillary’s voice cracked as she scrambled forward, her hands trembling.
Russ stumbled into the clearing, his flashlight sweeping over the scene. Claire lay crumpled in a pile of leaves and branches, her body unnaturally still. Her hair was matted with dirt and twigs, her face pale against the dark backdrop of the forest floor.
Russ’s chest tightened. The world seemed to narrow around them, the distant sounds of the search party fading into the background.
“Is she—?” Russ couldn’t finish the sentence, his voice breaking.