Hope rekindled in the small crowd. Finally, they had a direction, a purpose beyond desperate fumbling. Samantha tightened the straps on her backpack, feeling a grim steadiness she hadn’t known she still possessed. With Dr. Alex leading the way, they set off toward the cliffs, hearts pounding, hands trembling with urgency.
The woods closed around them once again, but this time, Samantha felt different. No longer blind, no longer helpless. They had a plan now—based on facts, truths, unyielding refusal to let Juniper’s trail grow cold without a fight.