The helicopter was almost on top of me. Somehow, I knew it would find me. That they would have an infrared camera. Once I was on their screen, my shadow would glow like the sun. They would be on me in seconds. And I couldn’t let that happen.
I think it was instinct. Or maybe it was some deep, buried memory that was there, but just out of reach for me to really recall it. Whatever it was, I turned and broke into a run. Not fifty yards back, I had crossed another stream, this one bigger and deeper. As I neared it, I looked up. I saw light among the trunks, not far away. It flashed and moved, and the thumping sound grew louder and louder.
I reached the stream and carefully placed the phone and the case on the ground. Then I jumped from the bank, landing a few feet into the water. Quickly, I waded out until the depth reached my waist. The light was almost on me. I could see the helicopter through the thick patches of needles above and to the west. So I held my breath and dove. The cold water swallowed me, but I could only hope it was cold enough.
It was an effort, but I clung to the rocky bottom and forced my body to stay under. I swear the spotlight passed directly over me. The water seemed to pulse in time with the whirling blades. Then the sound faded. The light disappeared. I stood, gasping in air.
That’s when I heard the phone ringing. Lurching up out of the water, I tried to high-step to the bank. A wet rock gave way beneath my foot. As my ankle twisted, I lost balance, falling back into the water. By the time I finally crawled out onto the grassy bank, the ringing had stopped.
My hand hovered over the phone before I picked it up. When I did, I saw the prompt.
Julia
Missed Call
I stared at it for only a second, knowing that I had to move. With the phone still in my hand, I continued deeper into the forest, a single thought in my head.
She has to find me first. Julia has to find me first.