Chapter 1
The young woman—just 19, maybe 20—had been running for what felt like hours, her breath raged, sore from scraping her bare feet against the forest floor. She had barely escaped from the hands of her abductors. As she ran frantically through the forest, her body screamed for rest, but there was no time. Her legs felt like they were made of stone, each step heavier than the last, but she couldn't stop. If
he did, they would catch her. The towering trees above swayed ominously, their branches casting shadows as though she was being watched. Behind her, she heard the faint shouts of her captors, their voices sharp and angry. They knew she was gone, They were coming for her. As their voices became louder, she knew they were catching up, and at this point, they'd catch her in no time. Her heart began to race even faster, her entire body cowering with fear. The thought of hat they'd do if they caught her sent a wave of adrenaline surging through her, pushing her to run faster. The forest finally opened up to a narrow deserted road. Her heart leaped. Civilization meant safety—at least, she hoped so. She stumbled onto the asphalt, her clothes were torn, her skin scraped raw, the night cold against her exposed body. The air was thick with the smell of earth and damp leaves, and the soft hum of distant crickets filled the silence around her. The headlights of a car suddenly appeared in the distance, cutting through the darkness. A car. Her only chance. She staggered into the middle of the road, waving her arms desperately. The vehicle—a weathered sedan—slowed to a stop just feet away from her. The driver stepped out, a man in his late 40s or early 50s. His salt-and-pepper hair and worn leather jacket gave him the appearance of someone who had seen too much of life. “You okay, miss?” His voice was calm, almost too calm, as his eyes scanned her disheveled state. She stepped back instinctively, her gut told her something wasn't right. Her instinct screamed at her to run, but where, there was nowhere to go. Her clothes were torn, revealing her shoulders and knees, her bare feet covered in dirt. She couldn’t imagine what she must look like—vulnerable, a mess, a girl with nowhere to go. His outstreched hand seemed genuine, but the way his eyes lingered on her made her skin crawl. She hesitated, every fiber of her being torn between trusting him and bolting back into the forest.
