15. CORA

I was struggling to breathe. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t suck enough air into my lungs.

Twigs snapped under my feet and scratched my skin.

There was a low growl from somewhere behind me. It was getting closer.

I needed to run.

Needed to get away from it.

I glanced over my shoulder which was a mistake. My foot caught on something, sending me flying through the air and then hitting the ground. I cried out when I hit the ground. Rolling onto my back, I blinked up at the canopy of leaves high above me.

“Run, Cora!”

Mom’s voice had me rolling onto my stomach and pushing myself to my feet. My legs shook so badly that I could barely stay on my feet.

“Run, baby!”

Run. Run. Run.

The monsters were coming.

I hadn’t seen him. But Mom had. She told me to run as soon as she saw him. He hurt Dad.

Tears burned my eyes. He was hurt. Hurt so badly. There was a lot of blood on the floor.

Without realizing it, I had slowed down. It was a mistake.

The monster snarled, and then he was