The trio trudged along a quiet back road, the kind that hadn’t seen a car in hours. Dust stirred around their feet, kicked up with each step, the golden morning light slanting through the trees that lined the path. The world here was still, peaceful—birds chirping overhead, the occasional rustle of leaves breaking the silence. They moved quietly, always alert, taking winding backroads and wooded paths to stay hidden. Civilization buzzed far off in the distance, but they were ghosts now. Off the grid. Untouchable—at least for now.
Rory walked in step beside Nathan, her eyes scanning the surrounding trees with curiosity, but her mind clearly spinning with thoughts. She’d been quiet for a while, chewing over everything that had happened—until she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Okay,” she
