And then—there it was again. A faint sound, deeper into the woods. A shuffle and then the low rumbling on an engine. His heart kicked against his ribs. He had come this far, and he couldn’t turn back now. If he wanted answers, he had to take the risk. Swallowing hard, he adjusted his footing and rushed forward, following the sound into the darkened depths of the forest.
The uneven terrain made it harder to keep up, but he pushed forward, heart pounding. The sound had been real—he was sure of it—but now the forest had swallowed it whole. He moved cautiously, eyes scanning the darkness between the trees, ears straining for any hint of movement. But there was nothing.