My body stiffened. For several heartbeats, I just stood there staring at a spot below her mouth until I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to know if something was inside the tree.

I twisted the ax around so I now held the blade and prodded the handle's end into the hole. Out streamed more blood from the corners of her mouth. It sloshed around the inside, and when I pulled the handle out, red coated the last fourth of it.

Seeing so much blood inside her plunged a heavy ...