Ryder's point of view.
I succeeded in losing them as I drove into the forest that bordered the town of Aldritch. They knew better than to follow me. The forest surrounded me like a heavy blanket, giving me the cover and protection I needed.
It was dark and quiet. I tried to slow my heavy breathing, but it was next to impossible. My heart was still pounding crazily, threatening to rip my chest open. My hands shook. I clenched the steering wheel harder, hoping the shaking would stop, but it lingered. The rush of energy I felt earlier when the chase started was fading, leaving behind a dull pain spreading through my body. I knew it was possible that I must have been hit. I wasn't thinking straight, but I knew that much.
The left side of my ribcage throbbed—it was a sharp and insistent thr
