CHAPTER 7 —The Road That Led Nowhere
Carolyn
I burst out of the forest like a wounded animal fleeing its own shadow.
The sudden openness shocked me so badly that I nearly fell flat on my face.
Trees gave way to emptiness, and under my feet was no longer soft earth or forgiving roots. It was cold, unyielding tar. A narrow, lonely road stretched ahead of me, covered by darkness in both directions, flanked by looming silhouettes of trees that pressed inward.
The night air hit my lungs sharply.
I gasped, choking on it, bending forward as my chest convulsed violently. My breath came in broken, panicked bursts, they were too fast, too shallow, each inhale scraping my throat raw. My heart slammed against my ribs like it wanted to break free, like it was trying to escape my body the way I w
