KATHERINE

The ground rumbled beneath his steps, the dark treetops looming close above us.

I looked up at his beastly features. He sniffed the air and changed direction.

His furry ears twitched, catching every whisper of the night. So powerful… It was unbelievable that Elliot was this creature.

A high-pitched scream tore through the forest, sending shivers down my spine.

"That’s Lavinia, it’s our daughter!" I screamed, my heart lodged in my throat, twisting desperately to see ahead. The trees cleared, revealing a sight that froze the blood in my veins.

A rickety suspension bridge, crudely built with vines and wood, stretched between two distant edges. Beneath it lay a deep gorge.

Below, the swamp’s murky green waters appeared still, but dark shadows slithered just beneath the surface.

It was infested with alligators. And now, on that unstable bridge, that damn witch held my daughter by the arm, forcing her forward toward this side.

A bone-chilling roar made the woman stop in her tracks