Cassie was overjoyed. When she finally reached the bottom of the mountain, she cried openly yet tried to remain quiet. She hadn’t run into any predator, in either human or animal form, and she thanked God for that.
Nightfall had overtaken the sky, and while tired, she still had to be cautious and watch her surroundings. The drone, unless it was a heat-seeking one, wouldn’t be able to locate her at night, but the men could have continued their search. She prayed that they hadn’t, and at first light, she would move closer to the road, stay well-hidden, and watch for cars. She wouldn’t get far on her own without food and water or a way to call for help. She needed the aid of strangers, whether they were local to the area or travelers, but as long as they had a phone or could take her to a police station, she would be grateful.
Sitting against a tree trunk for support, Cassie let her guard down for a minute to enjoy her victory. She drank the last sips of water from the plastic bottle and munched on a couple of crackers. She closed her eyes and listened to the night sounds. As quiet as it was without another human nearby, the woods seemed to come alive. Owls hooted, and small animals skittered around. An occasional twig snapped in the distance, but as she squinted toward the sound, she saw only the shapes of deer pass by.
Cassie longed for Jolie, but she was gone. All the years they had been with Bart, they’d had each other’s backs, and now Cassie was alone.
How am I going to do this? I’ve never gone a day without my sister.
Tears rolled down her face and stung her windburned and scraped cheeks, but Cassie was strong. She would be okay once the sun lit the morning sky. After finding help, she would somehow lead the police to the ranch and see justice served. Bart and his men would go to prison for killing Jolie and countless others. The rest of the kids would be safe, and the authorities would find loving families who would take them in.
Cassie wiped her wet cheeks with her sleeve. Once she was safe and settled in, she planned to do something special in Jolie’s honor—in memory of her. Her murder wouldn’t be forgotten, and Bart would pay, one way or another. She would make sure of it.
She relaxed, and the night sounds drifted away.
Cassie woke to something cool against her forehead. She opened her eyes to daylight and a rifle barrel pressed against her face. Her victory was short-lived, Donny stood in front of her, and she was sure to join Jolie in a dark suffocating hole in the ground.
Donny grinned. “Gotcha. Now stand your ass up and start walking.”
Cassie rose to her feet and looked from left to right. It was only her and Donny.
He chuckled as he pushed her forward with the gun’s barrel. “Think you can outrun my rifle? Go ahead and try. I dare you. All that running and hiding you did would be for nothing. You’d be as dead as your sister in a second’s time.”
Cassie spat in Donny’s face and cursed him. “I’m not afraid of you. You’re nothing but a piece of shit and Bart’s bitch.”
Donny cocked his fist and delivered a blow to her face, bloodying her lip. “Keep it up, smart-ass, and you’ll be lucky to make it back to the ranch alive.”
“Why should I care? Bart is going to kill me anyway!”
“I’m sure you’re right, so start moving. We have a half-mile walk to the truck.”