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Sarah was already clih the trapdoor Michael sucked in a deep breath of the clean, fake air, then followed her up He’d thought it would see back inside the Sleep, but it felt just like old tiht both co when a blur of movement raced by to the left He turned to look, but there was nothing Just an oak tree, twisted and gnarled

No, he thought, more annoyed than scared No way somebody found this place on purpose It had to be an accident, so around

"Sarah," he called in a lohisper "I think I saw so"

He didn’t wait for her to respond With his eyes riveted to the spot where he’d seen the motion, he quickly cli toward the oak In all the times they’d been to their tree house, not once had there been so much as a mosquito nearby, much less another person Based on their circumstances, he ruled out the chance that so feeling, he decided to investigate

Sarah was too slance behind him showed that she was al his lead

Slowly, Michael crept closer, thankful for the wet leaves padding his steps As he neared the tree, though, his confidence waned He was sure so, or worse, and if he and Sarah couldn’t even come here safely, he didn’t kno they had any chance of finding Bryson or doing anything else A heavy feeling of doohed on him

When Michael was only a few feet away, he stopped and planted his feet, bending his knees, ready to react if he had to protect hi to surprise the intruder intoa sound

"Turn around and go back," a woman answered "I won’t harm you if you do" The voice sounded faer didn’t answer

A long, long moment passed in silence Michael didn’t knohat to do, what to say Sarah crept up behind hiently touched his shoulder

"Just talk to us," Sarah called out "How did you find this place?"

"Last warning," the voice replied This ti it somehow "Don’t come one step closer"

Michael turned and looked at Sarah Her face shone eerily in the perpetual pale light of the forest Mist rose behind her like an on of death She leaned in and whispered so softly in his ear that he barely ht"

Michael shook his head Hadn’t they learned their lesson by now?

But Sarah was already stepping around, positioning herself to charge Left, Michael reminded himself as he reached out and took Sarah’s hand After a solid squeeze, he let go and crouched down, blood pu

"Now!" Sarah yelled

Michael ran for the tree with a burst of adrenaline He’d only taken two steps when a blinding white light flashed and an invisible force knocked hi hiround