The road twisted and turned, the narrow path cutting through the dense forest, the trees towering above us like silent guardians. The hum of the engine was the only sound breaking the oppressive silence. I held Ava close, her head resting on my chest as the SUV sped deeper into the woods, the night pressing in from all sides. She was still asleep, thankfully unaware of the terror swirling around us, but my mind was racing, unable to rest.
Martha sat beside me, her face pale and lined with worry, though she didn't say a word. The weight of everything was pressing down on us, and neither of us could deny the reality we were facing—Castellano had found us once, and there was no guarantee he wouldn't find us again.
