Veronica’s P.O.V.
The SUV sliced through the night like a shadow.
Dark pine trees flanked either side of the narrow dirt road, their branches swaying like sentinels whispering secrets to the wind. The moon played hide-and-seek behind thick clouds, casting fleeting silver across the forest floor. The headlights illuminated only the path ahead—narrow, winding, and suffocatingly quiet.
Beside me, Mason sat silently. His body upright, still. Obedient. Like a statue carved from flesh.
Every so often, I glanced at him. His eyes were open, but hollow. His chest rose and fell evenly. There was no resistance.
No spark.
No recognition.
It unnerved me more than I cared to admit.
The SUV jolted slightly as the driver turned onto a barely visible path leading deeper into the woods.
“We’re clo
