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I veer right, then left. No idea where I'm going.

But neither does he. That's something.

“Callie!”

His voice is closer.

Fuck.

I push harder.

My lungs burn. My vision blurs around the edges.

I can't keep doing this. Not at this speed.

He's going to catch me.

I need to stop running.

The thought feels wrong.

Every instinct I have is screaming at me to keep moving. But I can't outrun him.

So I need to make him lose me.

I cut sharply left and nearly slide down a steep bank covered in wet leaves.

I catch myself against a tree.

The ground drops several feet before leveling out.

I scramble down it.

My shoes skid.

I half-slide the last few feet, landing hard on my ass. Pain shoots through my hip. I bite back a cry.

Above me, branches snap.

Mercer.

I get up and run along the bottom of the bank instead of continuing straight.

Twenty feet.

Thirty.

Then I see a fallen tree. Huge trunk. The roots have been ripped from the ground, leaving a wall of dirt and tangled wood behind it.

I duck behind it and clamp both hands over my mouth.

My breathing sounds deafening. I try to slow it but can’t.

My heart is pounding so hard I'm convinced he can hear it.

Leaves crunch above me.

I freeze.