Carrie had hiked through this forest many times--it was her refuge, when life was beating her up. With each inhale, the scent of woody pine cleansed her mind and quieted her self-doubt. The dappled sunlight filtered through the ancient trees and sparkled in the slow drips of sap clinging to the crevasses of the bark. Beneath her feet, layers of brown pine needles shushed under her feet and cushioned every step. The sounds...

She stopped dead. No birds, no squirrels, no rustling of the forest's busy fauna. What would cause this? Her heartbeat started to quicken with the overwhelming feeling of danger.