Hale and Terri had been running for what felt like forever.
In reality, it had only been seventeen minutes.
Seventeen minutes of weaving through trees, doubling back, ducking behind rocks, and trying not to get shot.
The forest had turned into a maze.
Branches clawed at their clothes as they pushed through. Leaves crunched under their boots no matter how careful they tried to be. Every sound felt too loud.
Hale kept glancing back as they ran, gun raised whenever he thought he saw movement.
He fired when he had to.
Short bursts. Quick shots.
Nothing clean. Nothing controlled.
He was tired.
His aim showed it.
Still, it was enough to keep their hunters from closing in too quickly.
But it never lasted.
They kept coming.
Terri stumbled slightly ahead of him, one hand pressed against her stomach.
Hale noticed.
"Don't," he said under his breath as they ran. "Not now."
Terri shook her head, trying to hold it in, but her face had gone pale.
Her breathing was uneven again.
