Panic reigned as the sound of the vehicle’s engine came nearer. Oh, God, please let him drive past. Let him think we’re long gone. Maybe they should hide, just stop and use the cover of darkness as their cloak, but that seemed like inviting danger. No doubt he had a flashlight or lantern and some kind of a weapon. A gun or machete or whatever.

Run, run, RUN!

Dragging her sister, Zoe veered off the road, over a berm of weeds and grass. Finally the rain was letting up a little, clouds moving, a bit of moonlight offering some visibility.

“We should’ve listened to Mom,” Chloe said as they stumbled and raced to the edge of the woods. “We should’ve gone to her apartment.”

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

“Then this dickwad wouldn’t have found us.” Chloe was breathing hard, panting.

“Too late.”

“Or I should never have broken up with Tommy. If he were here, he would know what to do—”

“Tommy’s a prick and we don’t have time for this!” Why the hell was Chloe thinking about her exboyfriend now?

“But he loves me!”

“Oh, for crap’s sake, just hurry!” Together they scrambled through the undergrowth. Thorns pricked, nettles stung, the sharp edges of pinecones cut into their feet as they hurtled blindly through the trees. Chloe thought she heard and smelled water ahead, maybe a creek or river or—

Thunk!

“Ow! Shit!” Chloe yelped, her hand sliding from Zoe’s as she fell. “Damn it all to hell.”

“Shh!” Zoe ordered, sliding to a stop and turning back toward her sister. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled and she whipped around. Was there someone else here? Suddenly she felt dozens of pairs of unseen eyes watching her. Which was crazy. No way. She took a few steps toward the sound of running water. Aside from the lunatic she’d left in the cabin and whoever was driving the car, they were alone . . . right?

Craaack.

A twig snapped.

Zoe spun quickly, searching the darkness. “Chloe?” she whispered.

No answer.

“Chloe!” Which way was her sister? She had to be nearby. “Where the hell are you?” Her voice was a raspy whisper as she squinted into the shadows. “Chloe?”

“Over here!” Her sister shouted from the suddenly quiet copse. But her voice came from a few yards off, as if she were moving away from Zoe.

“Where are you?” Zoe whispered.

“Here!”

The engine had quit running and now . . . Oh, God, Zoe saw the sweep of a flashlight’s beam flickering through the foliage. How the hell had he found them? It’s not the freak. He’s dead. You killed him. You had to have killed him. He couldn’t have survived.

“Maybe it’s help,” Chloe ventured.