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Wait. Hadn’t we already looked?

Yes.

It didn’t matter.

Keep going.

The trees crowded closer. My lungs burned. I ran harder. Something moved to my right.

I turned toward it. Nothing.

Leaves shifting. Sunlight breaking between branches.

I veered left. Wrong. Stopped.

Only for a second.

The ground climbed ahead of me.

Higher.

Wrong.

The certainty hit before the thought did.

Higher was wrong.

I knew that.

He taught me that.

Wait. Who?

My heart slammed. I turned downhill. Ran. There.

Something pale between the trees. I chased it.

Gone. My foot caught a root.

I went down hard on one hand and one knee. Pain. Dirt in my palm. I was up again before I understood I had fallen. Keep moving.

Max. I was looking for Max.

Wasn’t I?

My breathing had become too loud. It covered everything. I slowed enough to listen. Nothing.

Then—

A sound. Ahead. I ran toward it. Brush tore at my legs. I shoved through. Another sound.

Lower. Farther.

No.

Closer. I changed direction.

My chest hurt. My side cramped.