Prologue
Easton
I can’t see.
Can’t hear, either—nothing but the thoughts in my brain and thethunk thunkof my head knocking around.
Still, I run.
Frantically, hoping and praying I don’t smash into a tree or twist my ankle falling into a hole, or worse, breaking something because my pace is fast and frantic.
This is literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.
Seriously stupid.
It’s dark—of course it is, I’m in the woods near the back of the high school, at the edge of a golf course subdivision but not so close I’m going to get busted for trespassing.
At least, that was the plan when I shoved this monstrosity on my head.
I figured wearing it would be easier than carrying it, but I’m having second thoughts about that, too.
Fuck, it’s hot in this thing, and excuse my language but it’s so damn hot.
So hot.
And could someone tell me why I chose to eat Mexican food for dinner? I feel it rolling in my stomach along with the nerves I’ve felt all damn day. All week.
All month.
I’m so screwed.
I continue running, the light of the nearby high school glowing in the distance, their athletic fields lit up like the Fourth of July as their girls soccer team plays under the bright lights.
Breathe, Easton.
Breathe.
I do, heavily.
It’s not easy with this thing on my head.
Seriously,damn.
In through my nose, out through my mouth, the spicy salsa I ate hours earlier lingering on my breath and dang near suffocating me inside this prison I’m trapped in, rammed on top of my head.
I dodge and weave best I can through the woods, branches slapping the plastic protecting my face, occasionally stabbing me in the chest. That’s protected, too, but only because of the massive pile of brown fur I’m carrying in my arms.
Thank god for that or I would be in rough shape.
My toe gets caught on a root and I stumble, catching myself just in time to keep from face-planting.
I stop; adjust the monstrosity on my head so I can see where I’m going, the lights in the distance appearing more…distant? Which makes no sense, I’m running in the right direction.
I think.
Iwas.
Crap, this thing is making it almost impossible to get a visual on my surroundings.
