Is That Mom

Part 6 of Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Into the Shadows

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Part 6:

A New Threat Emerges

Ethan slipped out of the facility, the cold night air hitting his face like a slap. The weight of his encounter with Dr. Hale pressed heavily on his chest, but there was no time to process it. He had to get out of there, back to somewhere safe, where he could think and plan his next move. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale, silvery light over the forest, and for a moment, the world felt still.

But as he stepped deeper into the woods, that stillness was shattered. He heard it first—a faint rustle, a soft crack of twigs snapping underfoot. It was distant, almost imperceptible, but enough to make him freeze. Ethan’s heart began to race. He was no stranger to the sounds of the forest, but this was different. Someone was following him.

He glanced over his shoulder, straining his eyes to peer through the shadows, but saw nothing. Maybe he was imagining it, letting Hale’s warnings and his own paranoia get the better of him. But then he heard it again, closer this time. Another snap, the unmistakable sound of someone—or something—moving through the underbrush.

Panic surged through him, and he quickened his pace, trying to move quietly but swiftly, his mind racing. Who were they? Had they been watching the facility, waiting for someone to show up? He didn’t want to stick around to find out. He had to lose them, fast.

The forest that had once felt like a sanctuary now seemed suffocating, every tree and bush a potential hiding spot for someone tracking him. The moonlight barely pierced the canopy, leaving most of the forest floor shrouded in darkness. Ethan’s breaths came faster as he picked up his pace, his boots crunching softly over fallen leaves. He had to find a way out, to shake off whoever was on his trail.

He veered off the main path, plunging deeper into the underbrush, hoping to throw them off. Branches whipped against his face and arms, stinging his skin, but he didn’t care. All he could think about was getting away, putting as much distance between himself and his pursuers as possible. The forest closed in around him, dense and tangled, but he kept moving, forcing his way through the thick brush.

But the sounds didn’t stop. If anything, they grew louder, more insistent, like a drumbeat in the dark. Whoever was following him wasn’t giving up, and they were closing in. Ethan’s chest tightened with fear, and he forced himself to keep moving, ignoring the burning in his lungs and the ache in his legs.

He stumbled over a fallen branch, catching himself just before he fell, and glanced back over his shoulder. For a split second, he saw them—dark shapes slipping between the trees, barely visible, but there. His heart skipped a beat, and he knew he wasn’t imagining it anymore. They were real, and they were after him.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, sharpening his senses. Every rustle of leaves, every whisper of wind felt like a threat. He had to stay ahead, keep moving, but the terrain was rough, and he was already exhausted. Fear gnawed at him, a cold, creeping sensation that made it hard to think straight. If they caught him, what would they do? Was this the end of his search for answers, of everything?

No. He couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t.

Ethan spotted a narrow deer trail snaking through the trees and darted down it, hoping it would lead him to a road or a clearing—anywhere he could escape. The trail was barely visible, overgrown with ferns and brambles, but it was better than nothing. He pushed through, trying to stay low and quiet, but his movements felt clumsy and loud, a beacon to whoever was behind him.

The sounds of pursuit grew louder, closer, and Ethan’s heart pounded wildly. He could almost feel them closing in, like shadows creeping at the edges of his vision. He didn’t dare look back again, afraid of what he might see. Instead, he focused on moving forward, faster and faster, until he was practically running.

His mind flashed back to the letter, to Hale’s warning—people who would do anything to keep certain things buried. Was this what they meant? Was he being hunted because he was getting too close? It seemed impossible, but the fear in his gut told him otherwise. He had stumbled onto something bigger than he had ever imagined, and now it was swallowing him whole.

Up ahead, he saw a flicker of movement—a brief, sudden flash of light that made his stomach drop. It wasn’t moonlight; it was artificial, like the beam of a flashlight cutting through the dark. Ethan skidded to a halt, crouching low, and squinted through the trees. The light swung back and forth, scanning the area, as if searching for him. They were trying to flush him out, to corner him.

Ethan’s hands trembled, but he forced himself to stay calm, to think. He couldn’t outrun them forever, not through the dense forest, not in the dark. He needed to hide, to find a place where he could catch his breath and plan his next move. His eyes darted around, searching for anything that might offer cover, and then he saw it—a cluster of boulders off to the side of the trail, half-hidden by overgrown bushes.

He darted toward the boulders, trying to move as quietly as possible, and pressed himself against the cold, rough surface. His breathing was ragged, and he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stifle the sound. The flashlight beam swept past, illuminating the trail he had just been on, and he held his breath, praying they wouldn’t see him.

Seconds stretched into an eternity as he waited, every nerve in his body on edge. The light moved closer, and Ethan could hear the crunch of footsteps, the murmur of low voices, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. They were too close, dangerously close, and all he could do was huddle there, hidden in the shadows, and hope they would pass him by.

Then, mercifully, the light swung away, and the footsteps began to recede, fading into the distance. Ethan let out a shaky breath, his muscles aching from tension. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep this up, but he had to keep going. He had to get out of here.

When the forest was silent again, Ethan slowly, carefully, eased away from the boulders, making his way back to the trail. He needed to find a way out of these woods, but he couldn’t afford to be reckless. He moved cautiously, listening for any sign that his pursuers had doubled back, his heart still hammering in his chest.

As he picked his way through the underbrush, a grim realization settled over him. Hale had been right. The truth was dangerous, and he wasn’t just searching for answers anymore—he was fighting to survive. Whoever was after him wasn’t going to stop, and if he was going to make it out of this, he had to be smarter, faster, and more careful than ever.

But even as fear gnawed at him, a spark of defiance burned deep inside. They could try to chase him, to silence him, but he wasn’t going to stop. He would find the truth, no matter what it took. Because now, more than ever, he understood just how much was at stake. And if they thought he was going to back down, they were wrong.

He had come too far to turn back now.