Narrator

Glenn nodded, satisfied.

Then he glanced around the woods, eyes sweeping.

She'll come back, he said, to nobody in particular.

Tess always comes back.

The older man with the rope, his voice rasped, almost amused.

"'Blood calls blood,' he muttered.

Tessa's face went pale at that.

She stared like she'd been struck.

Glenn turned and looked toward the ridge, toward us, though I don't think he could see us through the brush.

But his gaze lingered there too long, like he could feel we were watching."

Then, from somewhere deeper in the trees across the creek, a heavy crack sounded.

A branch snapped, then another, closer.

Eb's grin faded.

He turned his head, listening.

The older man stiffened.

Glenn's posture changed subtly, like a man who hears a storm coming.

shut that door glenn snapped at ebb gesturing to the shed ebb moved quick unhooking the shed door and pulling it open for a second the inside of the shed was visible dark cluttered and i saw something that made my stomach drop

Not just supplies.

Not just tools.

There were backpacks inside.