Startling encounter
A sharp crack split the stillness, jolting Gracie back to the present. Her breath caught as she spun, eyes wide, and there he was—the unknown man, standing before her in undeniable flesh and blood. His face revealed nothing, his expression unreadable, and the reality of him after all this searching made her heart pound harder than ever.
Startling Encounter
Unsettling words
The man’s lips curved into a cryptic smile. “I knew you would find me here,” he said, his tone calm yet chillingly assured. The words rippled through Gracie, sending a cold shiver down her spine, mingling relief with fresh questions. How had he known she would come? And why this hidden forest? His presence, paired with his strange certainty, only deepened the mystery she was unprepared to face.
Unsettling Words
