The forest was quieter now, the occasional rustle of leaves the only sound breaking the silence. Caleb stayed close behind Evelyn, his flashlight darting between the shadows. Every so often, he thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned, there was nothing there.


    “You think they’re still out there?” Caleb asked, his voice low.


    “Yes,” Evelyn replied without hesitation.


    Caleb’s stomach tightened. “You think they’ll come back?”


    Evelyn slowed slightly, glancing back at him. “They will. But not yet.”


    “Why not?”


    “Because they’re waiting for us to make a mistake,” Evelyn said.


    Caleb didn’t respond. He focused on the trail ahead, his mind racing.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    They reached another small clearing a few minutes later, the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the canopy. Evelyn stopped abruptly, holding up a hand. Caleb froze, his gun raised.


    “What is it?” Caleb whispered.


    Evelyn didn’t answer immediately. She crouched down, her flashlight illuminating the ground. Caleb stepped closer, his heart pounding.


    “Footprints,” Evelyn said quietly.


    Caleb frowned, his gaze following hers. The tracks were faint but unmistakable, leading away from the clearing and deeper into the forest.


    “How recent?” Caleb asked, his voice tight.


    “Recent enough,” Evelyn replied.


    “Fantastic,” Caleb muttered.


    Evelyn stood, her expression hard. “We need to pick up the pace.”


    Caleb hesitated. “You’re sure they haven’t caught up to us?”


    “If they had,” Evelyn said, “we’d already know.”


    “Reassuring as always,” Caleb muttered.


    The tension between them was palpable as they continued down the trail, the trees pressing closer around them. Caleb could feel the weight of the silence settling over him again, and it made his nerves itch.


    “You know,” Caleb said finally, his voice breaking the quiet, “you don’t always have to act like the world’s on your shoulders.”


    Evelyn glanced at him briefly, her expression unreadable. “It is.”


    Caleb let out a short laugh, though there was no humor in it. “You’re impossible, you know that?”


    Evelyn didn’t respond.