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The Last Echo Ki 17570K 2023-09-01

He lowered the light, just slightly, and Violet caught a glimpse of that perfect sround, and aled into darkness as Violet heard it shatter at Caine’s feet Her sto She had no idea where he was

And then she took a breath

She cal she was Re herself that she knew exactly where he was She just needed to stay focused

A ghost of a smile curved her lips as she realized that she had the upper hand now "What’re you gonna do now, Caine?" She took a calculated step forward, clutching the pitchfork, ready to use it "You can’t seevoid, and Violet wondered if he’d even heard her And then a low rew, ripped fro, like the wail of a child

Violet ju from him She heard him drop to his knees as he scraht

She didn’t wait to see if he found them She took her opportunity to run for the side door she’d seen when the flashlight had been working

But she didn’t get far As she passed hi and tearing frantically as he clutched at her coat--at his coat Violet got tangled up and turned around, until the tines of the pitchfork were no longer pointed at Caine She tried to swing back around so she could strike him--or stab him--but it was too late She was disoriented and the weapon was useless as his grip on her tightened

She threw the pitchfork down, letting it clatter to the ground, and at the sao li herself free She kept running, leaving Caine clutching the coat and not her

She didn’t have much time; he’d be up and after her in a matter of seconds She wouldn’t make it to the door on the opposite end of the barn--the one she’d seen when she’d been hiding in the tack roo the only other way out

That left her with one choiceup

Violet scrambled up the steps, which were more like a makeshift ladder than actual stairs, and even without her ability to tell her that Caine wasn’t co yet, she’d have known She could still hear hi to piece the shattered fragether, and she wondered why it mattered sointo the barn, that she’d trapped herself But she still had a chance; she could still get away if she was careful And s in the loft floor was sht conditions, sheover to block Caine fro to barricade herself inside