Her fingers hovered for a second before she typed a message: “Alex, I know this is a lot to ask, but I need help. Juniper’s gone. We’re searching the forest. If there’s any chance you can come…” She pressed send, the words feeling heavy even as they disappeared from the screen.
Minutes crawled by. Samantha sat on the porch steps, phone clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. When the screen lit up with Alex’s reply, she could barely breathe. “I heard. I’m already packing up. I’ll be there shortly.” Relief flooded her so fiercely she nearly burst into tears.