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Despite her best efforts, Fiona felt herself slowing down, her legs heavy with fatigue. She reached the car, fumbling for the handle just as Mason caught up to her. In a desperate move, she pivoted around the car, narrowly avoiding his grasp, and made a mad dash for the stretch of woods behind the funeral home.
Branches snapped underfoot as Fiona plunged deeper into the darkness, her terror driving her forward. She could hear Mason's heavy breathing not far behind her, the sound chilling her to the bone.
"Stop running, Fiona!" he shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears.
As Fiona dashed through the woods, she suddenly tripped over something hidden beneath the undergrowth. She landed hard, the wind knocked out of her as she stared at the container she had stumbled upon—full of corpse fauna.
"You really think you can escape me?" Mason's menacing voice echoed through the trees, and she looked up to see him towering over her, a twisted grin playing on his lips. "You came right where I wanted you to go."
Fiona's heart raced as she struggled to catch her breath, her mind racing for a solution that seemed increasingly elusive.
"Is this what you wanted for your sister, Mason?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "To be left to the mercy of these creatures? To suffer the same fate you've planned for me?"
"Matilda was betrayed," Mason spat, his face contorted in anger. "She deserved better. And now, you will know what it feels like to be abandoned and helpless, just like she was."
As he towered over her, Fiona felt the crushing weight of despair settle upon her shoulders. Yet even in her darkest moment, a small part of her clung stubbornly to hope—to the belief that there had to be a way out of this nightmare.
With a surge of adrenaline, Fiona scrambled to her feet, knowing that she had only one shot at survival. She grabbed the container of corpse fauna and hurled it at Mason with all her strength. The container exploded on impact, showering him with bugs that crawled all over his face and clothes.
"Pathetic!" Mason laughed, swiping the insects off of himself. "I know you're an entomologist, so you should know better than anyone that these things are harmless to the living!"
Fiona clenched her teeth, realizing that he was right. But as Mason was distracted with brushing off the bugs, she spotted a large rock lying nearby. It wasn't much, but it was her only chance.
Gripping the rock tightly in her hand, she steeled herself for what was about to come.
***
Jake sped through the streets of Portland, his heart pounding in his chest as he weaved through traffic. He tried calling Fiona's cell multiple times, but each attempt went unanswered. Panic gnawed at him, fueling his urgency to get to the funeral home where Matilda's service had been held. He knew that Fiona had intended to speak with the funeral director there, and he desperately hoped that she was still safe.
"Come on, Fiona, pick up," he muttered under his breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter. His thoughts raced, imagining all the possible outcomes of this night, and he couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out.
As he approached the road leading to the funeral home, Jake's phone buzzed with another unanswered call. He was close now, and he could only pray that he would reach Fiona before it was too late.
The dim glow of the dashboard lights flickered across Jake's face as he sped through the city streets, his eyes darting between the road and his phone. The memory of sending officers to Mark Jenson's house gnawed at him; maybe Mason was responsible for Matilda's death all those years ago, but something told him Mark knew more than he was letting on. And even if Mark wasn't directly involved, the man was guilty of beating his wife – a crime that filled Jake with rage. He couldn't wait to see Mark behind bars.
"Damn it," Jake muttered, glancing at his silent phone. Fiona's lack of response only intensified his concern. A knot twisted in his stomach as he accelerated around another corner, tires screeching against the pavement.
Finally, the funeral home came into view, its darkened silhouette looming ominously against the night sky. Jake pulled into the parking lot, the gravel crunching under his tires. The lot was full of cars, but eerily quiet. His heart raced as he searched for any sign of Fiona, his breath fogging up the windshield.
He spotted Fiona's car parked near the edge of the lot. Relief washed over him, quickly replaced by a surge of adrenaline. If her car was here, she had to be close. He needed to stay sharp, to be ready for whatever lay ahead. For Fiona's sake, he couldn't afford to let his guard down now.
The silence of the parking lot pressed in on him, amplifying the urgency of his mission. With each passing moment, the stakes grew higher, and Jake knew he had to find her before it was too late. Jake parked his car and stepped out into the cool night air, his breath visible in the dim glow of the streetlights. The funeral home cast long shadows across the quiet parking lot, but something felt off. Fiona's car was there, but she wasn't answering her phone. Anxiety gnawed at him as he scanned the area.
Just then, a faint shout reached his ears, coming from the stretch of woods behind the funeral home. Without hesitation, Jake sprinted towards the sound, his heart pounding in his chest. God, let her be okay, he thought as he navigated the dense undergrowth, branches scratching at his face and snagging his clothes. He could feel the frenetic energy coursing through his veins, feeding his determination to find her and keep her safe from harm.
As he pushed through a tangle of bushes, he stumbled into a small clearing. His pulse quickened at the sight before him—Fiona, raising a rock high above her head, and then lowering it down on the head of a man.
Mason Black.
Jake watched as the rock collided with Mason's skull, sending him flying flat to the ground. Fiona let out a yelp and jumped back. She stood there, a rock clutched tightly in her hand, her eyes wide with shock. Blood trickled from a wound on Mason's head into the earth.
“Fiona!” Jake called out, snapping Fiona from her trance.
"Jake!" Fiona's voice trembled with relief when she saw him, the rock slipping from her grasp and thudding softly onto the forest floor.
"Are you okay?" Jake asked urgently, rushing to her side and scanning her for any signs of injury. Jake's heart pounded in his ears as he pulled Fiona close, their embrace a moment of solace amidst the chaos. "You're okay," he reassured her, before quickly assessing her for injuries. Satisfied she was unharmed, Jake turned his attention to Mason, who lay motionless on the forest floor. "Stay back," Jake instructed, his voice steady as he approached the unconscious man.
He crouched down beside him and checked for a pulse, his fingers pressing into the side of Mason's neck. A moment passed, and then Jake exhaled a sigh of relief.
