Snippet #2100364

They arrived at the park in no time, ahead of the other two groups, and pulled into the parking lot that was out front. Amnell unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out of the jeep, once again making use of her umbrella to keep her dry. She started to follow Alex into the gloomy woods when he stopped abruptly, questioning their lack of flashlights.

“Sorry! I just have this one,” she replied, clicking it on again. Thankfully this time a sliver of light immediately shot out of the end, illuminating a section of the path in front of them. “Hey, Seth? Did you bring any?” She squinted at the thick clusters of trees on either side of the muddy path as the rain continued to beat down on her umbrella. They were tall and spindly, jutting into the sky like the serrated edge of a blade. The first stirrings of fear sliced into her warm chest. “Maybe Miss Cardiff was right about waiting until the weather clears up a little. It's really hard to see anything out here when it's this dark and rainy.”

But what else was there to do? Wait in the car until the rain let up? Or at least until Evan and Colin arrived with supplies and directions? That was probably the smartest idea. Giving up on the idea of being the first to find Faith, Amnell shrank back towards the jeep. She could vividly imagine a young girl of six or seven hiding amidst the trees, huddled fearfully beneath a tangled web of branches. If that was the case, there was no time to waste, but there was no good in wandering around aimlessly and ill-equipped.