The sky was dark.
After a full day of rain, the clouds had cleared, revealing a serene, deep blue-black sky.
The air in the wilderness was far fresher than in the city, and the Big Dipper was clearly visible overhead.
The forest trees were tall and dense, their canopy making the satellite phone’s signal exceptionally weak.
After leaving the cave, Ivan walked for a while and stopped on more open ground.
With the guidance of the stars, Ivan could orient himself, but he didn’t want to stray too far from the cave—or from Clarice.
The signal was still faint. Ivan turned his gaze to the steep cliff beside him.
Climbing higher would reduce signal interference and strengthen the satellite phone’s connection.
Ivan cautiously began scaling the cliff.
The stones, still damp from the rain, ma
