Cameron Keen never expected her life to become entangled in the horrors of Blackwood Mountain.
Drawn back by a past she can't escape, she soon finds herself face to face with her old friend Josh Washington, a man haunted not just by grief, but...
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WHO WE ONCE WERE.
Cameron's trembling hands shot up to clutch her head, her fingers tangling in her damp hair as her wide, tear-filled eyes locked on Josh's retreating form.
The Wendigo — no, Hannah— dragged him effortlessly, its skeletal frame moving with unnerving speed, his panicked screams bouncing off the cavern walls and fading into the distance.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Cameron choked out between sobs, her voice breaking as the icy water splashed around her knees.
Desperation clawed at her chest, and she surged forward, her movements clumsy and frantic. Her muscles screamed in protest against the cold, but she didn't care. She couldn't let Hannah take him.
Before she could get far, a strong hand latched onto her arm, jerking her backward with a force that nearly toppled her. "Are you insane, Cam?" Mike's voice thundered, sharp and furious.
She whipped around to face him, her tear-streaked face contorted with anguish. "Let me go!" She screamed, trying to twist free. Her sobs came harder now, her voice cracking under the weight of her fear. "I have to get him back! Mike, I have to!"
His grip only tightened, his knuckles white against her wet sleeve. "No! You're not going after that thing!" His voice was hoarse, loud enough to overpower her cries. "You'll get yourself killed, too!"
Cameron shook her head so violently it felt like her neck might snap, her wet hair plastering against her cheeks. "It's Hannah, not a thing! And he's not dead yet!" She shouted back. "Josh is still alive! I can't just leave him!"
"And what happens if you're wrong?"
She froze, her chest heaving as the moment pressed down on her.
Her mind raced, a dizzying storm of guilt and terror. Josh wasn't gone—not yet. She could still hear his voice echoing in her mind, calling out for them to help him.
But if she followed, if she confronted the creature dragging him into the darkness, she wouldn't just lose him, she might lose herself, too.
Mike's gaze softened for just a moment, his fingers loosening. "We need to get back to the lodge." He began, his tone quieter now, steadier. "We can regroup. Figure out how to—"
"No." Cameron snapped, her resolve hardening despite the tears streaming down her face.
Her fear was still there, coiling in her gut like a living thing, but something fiercer burned beneath it.
Determination. Love.
With a sudden burst of strength, she yanked her arm free, the motion so abrupt it startled Mike. She didn't give him time to react. Turning on her heel, she charged forward, the water slowing her down but not enough to stop her.
