The Woodsman steps out of the woods. Amber syrup covers his skin, and he glistens in the sun.
“Get to the car,” Trey says. Leslie hands him the ax, but a strong force seizes it from his hands, and it flies through the air to the Woodsman’s hands.
“Go,” Trey yells to the others. “Run.”
The Woodsman swings the ax, growling, “You destroyed my trees. You destroyed the new future of this world.”
“Who gave you the seeds? How did you get them?” Trey says, trying to buy the others time.
The Woodsman looks not only angry, but anguished. “They were sent to me,” he says.
“Who sent them?” Trey asks. If I keep him talking, the others have a better chance of getting to the car.
“Years ago, a meteorite crashed on the shore of Lake Helen, and when I went to investigate, I found a silver pod filled with seeds. As soon as I touched them, I knew their power. I knew what to do. They spoke to me. They told me what needed to be done. Years I have taken care of those trees. Years.”
“And they told you they were sent here to take over the Earth?” Trey says.
“To take over the human race,” the Woodsman says. “The trees knew the value of this world; humans do not.”
“Most of us want to make the world a better place,” Trey says.
The Woodsman steps closer to him. Trey backs away.
“You could help me,” the Woodsman says, pulling a silver pod out of his pocket. “Just hold this in your hand. Feel the energy. You could help me care for the new trees. I will not give up. I will start again.”
A fly circles Trey’s head and then another and another, and suddenly a swarm descends upon the Woodsman, covering his syrupy face and arms.
Trey bolts down the path and catches up to the others at the car. “We need to get out of here.”
Dominic throws Trey the keys. “You drive. I won’t be able to steer with my arm.”
“He’s coming!” Leslie yells as Dominic, Willa, and the three missing kids cram into the backseat. The fly-covered Woodsman stumbles down the hill toward them.
“You’re my copilot,” Trey says to Leslie. “You keep your eyes on the Woodsman, and I’ll keep my eyes on the road.”
“Hurry!” Leslie says, looking out the rear window. But when Trey turns the key, the engine sputters and dies.
“Try it again, and don’t flood the engine,” Dominic says from behind him.
Trey turns the key again and steps lightly on the gas. The engine turns over, and he jerks the car into gear just as the Woodsman’s ax slams against the trunk.
“Go!” Leslie shouts as the Woodsman pulls the ax out of the car.
Trey guns it up the road, swerving left and right as the Woodsman chases them, but slowly he loses ground.
Trey throws his phone to Leslie.
“When you see even one bar, dial 9-1-1.”
They approach the fallen tree blocking the road.
“We’re trapped,” Dominic says, looking out the back window. The Woodsman is still following them, his ax raised above his head.
“We made it past this tree once. We can do it again,” Trey says. He yanks the steering wheel around with all of his might and shouts, “Hold on!” as the car dives into the ditch. The car ricochets off a rock near the bottom and Willa, crammed in on one side, cries out as her head hits the window. Trey steps on the gas, and the car surges up the steep bank and back onto the road.
They gain only a few hundred feet before the ax strikes the back tire.
“Keep going!” Dominic yells, but the ax jams against the wheel well and the engine revs uselessly. Leslie throws open the door, jumps out, and pries the ax out of the tire.
“Pop the trunk,” she yells as she throws Dominic the phone.
Trey pulls a lever, and Leslie drops the ax in the cooler, locks it, and slams the trunk closed.
“Nice,” Trey says as she hops back in the car.
They keep going even though the back tire is flat and the metal rim strikes sparks against the gravel.
“I got 9-1-1! There’s a sheriff in the area already!” Dominic shouts, holding the phone up for all to see. “What do I tell them?”
“Tell them to hurry!” Trey says.
The car thunks down the road. Everyone cheers as the trees thin out, revealing the flashing of red and blue lights turning off the highway onto the road ahead.