The forest slipped by like a dark blur outside the car window, the trees bending and fading into the night, and branches shaking under the weight of the wind. Desiree’s reflection stared back at her from the glass, pale, wide-eyed, lost.

She didn’t know how long they’d been driving. Minutes. Hours. The road seemed endless, swallowed by darkness. The only sound was the low hum of the engine and the occasional crunch of gravel under the tires.

Her hands rested on her lap, trembling. She ...