“Maya… Maya…”

I jumped out of the car and ran to her, my voice shaking as I called her name. My hands gripped her shoulders, and I pulled her close, desperate for her to respond.

Nothing. No reaction.

I tilted her face toward me, hoping for a flicker of recognition, but the moment I got a clear look, my breath caught in my throat.

Her face… it didn’t even look human. It was swollen beyond recognition, her eyes barely open, her ...