Salome’s POV
"I know you're out here, Salome."
The voice didn't come. Only the wind did, whistling through the branches above me. I looked up at the stars, squinting until the light blurred. My eyes burned, but I refused to let the tears fall. I just needed to breathe.
Five minutes passed. Then ten.
The silence of the woods changed. It wasn't the soft rustle of leaves anymore. It was a rhythmic, heavy sound.
Crunch.
Snap.
A footstep pressed firmly into the dirt, then another. I went stiff. Every muscle in my legs locked up. That wasn't Clementine. Clementine would be driving. She would be shining a bright light and shouting my name until the birds flew off the trees. This person was moving with a quiet, predatory focus. They were trying to be silent and failing just enough for me to
