The trail had disappeared three hours ago.
Sweat slicked down her spine, soaking the back of her sports bra as brambles tugged at her leggings. She’d tried following the sound of water, but now even that had faded. Her phone battery was dead. And the sun? Sinking. Fast.
Panic fluttered under her ribs, but she bit it down.
Then — a clearing.
A wooden cabin, thick logs stacked tight, a porch shaded by pine. Smoke curled from a crooked chimney. Civilization, finally.
She stumbled forward, heart thudding. “Hello?”
No answer.
She knocked, loud. The door creaked open.
It was warm inside. Smelled like cedar and something animal. A fire crackled in a stone hearth. Animal pelts hung along the walls. Weapons too — knives, axes, ropes. A heavy presence filled the air, but no one in sight.
“H
