Chapter 14: Following the Path
Anika’s heart pounded as she stood frozen for a moment, watching the bear slowly make its way toward the edge of the hospital parking lot. Its massive form cut through the mist, moving with deliberate precision, its every step measured, as if it knew exactly where it was going. For a moment, Anika hesitated, her mind racing with a thousand questions. The bear had just been guarding the hospital, now it was leaving. Was this part of the plan? Was it leading her somewhere? Or had it completed its mission?
Without thinking, Anika started moving toward the parking lot exit. Her footsteps were quick but quiet, her focus solely on the bear. She had to know what this meant. Evan was still in the hospital, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the answers lay in the bear’s actions. There was a purpose to everything—it had brought the boy here, it had guarded him, and now it was moving away. The bear’s movements were too deliberate to be random.
As Anika approached the edge of the lot, she could hear the faint crunch of gravel beneath the bear’s paws. The mist in the air was thick, swirling in the cool night, and the hospital lights cast long shadows across the ground. She didn’t want to lose sight of the animal, but it was hard to keep up as it moved further into the darkness, each step taking it closer to the woods that bordered the hospital grounds.
She felt a chill crawl up her spine. The woods had always been there, just beyond the hospital’s reach. But it was a place no one ventured. Was the bear leading her into that wild, unknown space? What could it possibly want there?
Anika’s mind raced, trying to piece together the connection between the bear, Rowe, and Evan. Was there a hidden trail, something Rowe had set up? The bear’s path didn’t make sense. It wasn’t just wandering aimlessly—it was following a purpose, perhaps one that had been set in motion long before it had arrived at the hospital.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind her.
“Dr. Sorel.”
Anika turned sharply to see Detective Martinez standing there, his expression unreadable. His uniform was damp from the rain, and his brow was furrowed with concern.
“I think we need to talk,” Martinez said, his voice low, but urgent. “It’s about the bear.”
Anika took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation settle on her shoulders. She had a feeling this conversation was going to change everything.
The bear was still moving through the mist, its silhouette barely visible now.
And Anika knew the answers were just ahead, waiting to be uncovered.
To be continued…