The darkness that had sucked us in had eaten everything in its way. We stood in the clearing, hearts throbbing with fear and uncertainty, and I could feel the hopelessness covering me like a blanket.
Then Ethan said, "We have to find a way to fight back," he said, resolute. "The dark cannot consume everything we treasure."
Ava nodded in accord and gazed about her at the surrounding forest for any sign of hope. Resolved, she said, "There has to be something we can do." We cannot give up now after all we have gone through.
But uncertainty was there, niggling at the edges of my mind even as we spoke. We were hopelessly outmatched, I thought, and the blackness seemed to stretch on forever, twisting and turning with each second that passed.
I said, trembling, "We have to figure out where th
