Narrator

Tessa grabbed Luke under the arm.

I grabbed his other side.

Move, she barked.

We hauled him away from the shed, away from the cabin, into brush, low and fast.

Luke's feet dragged.

He was heavy and weak, but he was moving.

Behind us, Glenn shouted, rage, shock.

Another shot cracked, hitting a tree above us, showering bark.

Tessa shoved Luke forward, forcing him to stumble rather than be carried.

run she snapped at him voice harsh luke tried he made three stumbling steps then his legs buckled i grabbed him again half carrying half dragging we crashed through brush toward the creek because the creek was the line that broke their easy pursuit

We hit the water, cold and knee-deep, and the shock of it made Luke gasp like he'd been punched.

He stayed upright out of sheer reflex, and we used that, pulling him along the creek bed, stumbling on slick stones.

Behind us, Glenn's voice roared, Shoot her!

Another shot, another!

Then the woods exploded with sound.

The creature, across the creek, wounded or enraged, charged.

I didn't see the whole thing clearly because trees blocked the view and I was busy not drowning.

But I heard it.

A deep, pounding rush.

Heavy impacts.