Suddenly, the dense trees cleared. Kelly skidded to a halt, Marcus catching her arm just in time to stop her from stepping over a drop-off. They were standing at the edge of a small, muddy cliff. Below them was a steep, jagged ravine.
The old man was right there, on his knees at the very edge of the dangerous ledge, drenched to the bone and screaming down into the dark abyss. As their flashlight beams illuminated him, he whipped his head around. His eyes were wide with a frantic, desperate pleading. “Thank God,” Kelly cried out, rushing forward to pull him back from the muddy drop-off. “Are you hurt? What happened?”
But the old man grabbed Kelly’s raincoat with surprising, terrifying strength. Tears were streaming down his wrinkled face, mixing with the torrential rain. “He’s down there!” he roared, pointing a trembling, mud-covered hand into the dark ravine. “You have to help him! Please!”