Get The Hell Outa There

Kelsey forced a fake smile. “My friend’s waiting. Be right back!”

She dove under before he could answer and swam with desperate, thrashing strokes toward the opposite shore. Her lungs burned again, but this time it was pure fear. She surfaced halfway across, peeked back—the old man was gone. Vanished into the dark like a bad dream.

She crawled out of the water onto the rocky bank, sobbing with relief. Cold and naked, she ran for the spot where she’d left her clothes.

Nothing.

Her bra. Her thong. Even Jashaun’s shirt and jeans. All gone.

“No, no, no,” she whimpered, spinning in a circle. The forest pressed in around her, old and hungry. Still no sign of Jashaun. She was alone, naked, miles from Amanda’s house.

A twig snapped behind her.