Chapter 5 - The Chase through the Pines
The library became a maze of shadows and obstacles. I knew the layout from my childhood, but the attackers knew the town. They moved with a terrifying, silent efficiency. We scrambled through the back exit, plunging into the dense, suffocating woods that bordered the property.
"They're behind us!" Noah cried, stumbling over a root. I hauled him up, my lungs burning, the cold night air clawing at my throat.
We scrambled through the underbrush, the memories of the fire pushing me forward. I wasn't going to let another Blackwell die in the dark. I navigated by the stars, aiming for the old creek bed that led to the abandoned mill—the one place where my father had taught me to hide as a child.
We ducked into the crawlspace beneath the mill, the wood groaning under the weight of years. I held Noah tight, my hand over his mouth, as heavy footsteps circled the building. I could hear their voices, low and jagged.
"Check the mill. If the girl has the locket, she’s not leaving town."
I pulled the microfiche from my pocket, my mind racing. I couldn't outrun them, and I couldn't fight them. But I could expose them.
I pulled out my phone. The signal was weak—one bar, flickering in and out. I opened my email and began to upload the image of the microfiche to every major news outlet in the state. Upload 10%... 20%... 40%...
May you like
"Come on," I prayed. 60%... 80%... 100%. Sent.
I dropped the phone into the creek, letting the water carry away the digital evidence of my location. We stayed huddled in the dark for what felt like hours, listening to the pulse of the town searching for a ghost.
