They moved swiftly and silently until suddenly, something caught Tara’s eye. It was a sliver of reflected light and what the sheriff was bringing them toward. As they got closer, she could see it clearly. It hung on a tree branch in the distance, glistening under the fragments of sunlight breaking through the trees.

They moved closer until she stood right in front of it. It was a bronze pocket compass, hanging open, with a silver needle that pointed south instead of north. She took a step back from the tree. Underneath the tree branch, etched on the trunk, was the image of a sun. It sat behind a series of peaked mountains, as if to show a sun that was setting or rising, and as her eyes moved further down the base of the tree, she saw words, They Never Leave, and she immediately felt goosebumps form on the back of her neck.

“What do you think it means?” she asked as she looked up to see Warren’s face in disbelief.

“We found it here this morning. We have no clue,” the sheriff said.

Warren reached into his pocket, grabbing a set of gloves and putting them on, before grabbing hold of the compass. He moved it slightly in each direction, but at each jostle, the needle continued to point south.

“It’s stuck,” Warren finally said before staring at it and moving it in his hand for a moment longer.

Tara continued to stare at the tree. It had to mean something, but what?

“Do you think it’s pointing to the other crime scene?” she asked.

It was pointing south, after all, the same direction the supposed blood of the couple was found.

A silence fell around them for a moment until Warren opened his mouth. “Possibly,” he said. “Have you found any more of these?” He turned toward the sheriff.

“No,” the sheriff stated. “This was it…the other crime scene had nothing.”

They continued to stand in silence as Warren turned the compass in his hand once more. Tara knew they all had the same question. Why take the other bodies and leave nothing, but then the opposite here? Maybe he didn’t want her to get away, Tara thought. Her mind raced as it all came together in her thoughts. What if he only left something because she got away? Maybe it became a game to him, once he knew they would be on his tail. Maybe he was taunting them.

“Did you check the other crime scene after you found this body?” Tara asked.

The sheriff stared at her with confusion. “Uh…no…there was no reason to. We already turned the scene upside down.”

She suddenly felt all eyes on her, as he and Warren waited for her to elaborate. She stared at the compass in Warren’s hand, questioning whether to trust her instincts, but the feeling was too strong.

“What if he went back?” The words fell out of her mouth.

Chapter Five

The sun had already peeked up over the horizon and he stood there, watching it break through the trees. It was a new day, and he could feel the urge rise within him at each touch of the sun, like an itch that was too deep to scratch.