WELCOME

Amy was exhausted - her mouth dry from the few sips she'd managed to ration, her canteen nearly empty. The wind burned her eyes and tore at her face as her stomach growled in protest. Her feet ached from miles upon miles of walking, every step heavier than the last. How much longer could she keep going? She knew they were close. Too close. She had been too tired to cover her tracks properly, and the mistake gnawed at her chest. She needed shelter fast. Nightfall crept in as the temperature dropped sharply, the cold settling into her bones. Amy glanced down at the map her father had left her, the edges blurring as her vision swam. If she didn't rest soon, she'd be useless. Straight ahead, just as her father had promised, the trees opened into a small clearing. Their twisted branches bent inward, forming a natural shelter as the sun dipped low behind them. She recognized the place instantly- a spot her mother and father used to picnic before they were murdered in cold blood. All for loving each other. In the distance, she spotted a small cabin. And beside it - a horse. Her heart slammed against her ribs. Stealing was far from who she was but survival didn't care about morals. She needed transportation. Her feet were already blistered, raw, and screaming with every step. Amy swallowed hard and kept moving.