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I kept running.

“Hazel!” Mom’s voice behind me, clear panic in it.

Farther already.

Another branch slapped my shoulder. I ducked. Kept moving. Something was ahead.

I had to find it.

What?

My feet knew. Left. Down.

Around a fallen tree. I jumped it. Landed badly.

Kept running.

My breath came hard.

Something scratched my calf. Another branch caught my hair and ripped strands loose.

I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t see the house anymore. That should have mattered.

It didn’t.

Searching. I was searching. For—

Something. Someone.

I knew this. I knew—

Max.

Oh. Right. Max.

I was looking for Max.

“Max!”

My voice tore out of me. Nothing answered.

I ran. The ground dipped.

My shoes slid through loose dirt, caught again.

Faster. “Max!”

No bark. No jingle from his collar.

Nothing crashing through brush toward me.

I pushed between two trees.

A branch scraped across my forearm. Blood welled. Gone behind me.

Max. I had to find Max.