Page 37 of The One that Got Away

"Stay hidden, do you hear me? We'll be there as soon as we can." The maternal command in her tone was underscored by a raw determination.

Ethan's next breath hitched, a silent understanding passing between mother and son. "Okay, Mom. Hurry."

The call ended, leaving a void filled only by the ragged sound of their breathing and the distant murmur of the creek. Lisa locked eyes with Oliver, his blue gaze reflecting the tumultuous swirl of emotions within her—fear, love, and an unyielding resolve.

They turned together, moving with a newfound urgency. Every rustle of leaves was a potential threat, and every snapped twig a signal to move faster. The air around them grew thick with suspense, the woods alive with unseen dangers.

The moon hung low, a pale guardian in the sky as Lisa and Oliver darted between the trees, their breaths misting in the chilled air. The forest was a labyrinth of shadows, each holding the possibility of danger, but Lisa's thoughts were consumed by the image of her children hiding by the creek. Her gut twisted at the thought of what might happen if their pursuers discovered Ethan, Abigail, and Julia, every dark scenario clawing at her resolve.

"Stay hidden; do you hear me? We'll be there as soon as we can," she had told Ethan, her voice a tremulous blend of command and comfort. She clung to the hope that her words would fortify her son's courage, praying they would remain unseen in the brush.

"Lisa, this way." Oliver's hand found hers, pulling her through a particularly dense patch of undergrowth. Branches snagged at her hair and clothes, but the thorns of worry pricking at her heart were sharper still. She could not—would not—let fear cripple her when her children needed her most.

"Oliver, if they…" Her voice trailed off, the unspoken fears too harrowing to articulate. But she didn't need to finish the sentence; Oliver's squeeze on her hand said everything. They would face whatever came together.

"Lisa, look at me." Oliver halted, urgency lacing his tone. She stilled, meeting his gaze, finding an echo of her own determination mirrored there. "We'll make it to them. We've got to keep moving."

Reassured by his steadfast presence, Lisa nodded, swallowing back the panic that threatened to choke her.

"Ethan, Abigail, Julia… I have to get to them," she whispered more to herself than to Oliver, channeling her love into raw momentum. With renewed fervor, she pushed forward, leading them deeper into the heart of the woods.

Every snapped twig beneath their feet felt like a thunderclap in the silence, every rustle a potential alarm. Yet, with each step, Lisa's maternal instinct outshone her trepidation, propelling her onward. The forest's darkness couldn't compare to the light of her love, a flame that refused to be extinguished by fear.

"Stay put, Ethan," she breathed into the night, a silent vow to safeguard the fragile innocence waiting for them. It was a race against time, a mother's pledge against the shadows. And Lisa was not one to break her word.

“Mommy is coming for you.”

Branches whipped against Lisa's face as she and Oliver tore through the underbrush, their breaths heavy in the cold night air. The moon hung like a silver medallion in the sky, casting a deceptive calm over the dark woods that belied the peril they were in. They knew the creek lay ahead—Ethan's whispered plea echoed in Lisa's ears, urging them on.

Her legs burned with the effort, muscles protesting each desperate stride, yet she couldn't afford to slow down. The thought of her children huddled together by the water’s edge, vulnerable and scared, was unbearable. Every second mattered now; every heartbeat was a drumbeat spurring them onward.

Oliver's hand tightened around hers, an unspoken vow that he would never let go. His resolve was her lifeline, the steadfast determination in his eyes an anchor amidst the chaos. Together, they were a force unto themselves—a whirlwind of courage spun from the deepest wells of parental love and tenacity.

"Almost there!" Oliver's voice cut through the silence, slicing through the tension.

Lisa's heart hammered against her ribs, its rhythm syncing with the forest's thrumming pulse. Adrenaline surged through her veins, lending her limbs a strength she didn't know she possessed. They skirted a thicket and dodged a gnarled tree root, and the sound of rushing water grew louder, promising a nearness to the children that kept panic at bay.

There was a rustle to their left—were they still being followed? The threat of their pursuers loomed over them, a sinister shadow that could pounce at any moment. But Lisa pushed the fear aside, focusing only on the path ahead. She had to be strong—for Oliver, for herself, and most importantly, for their children.

The creek's melody resonated through the trees, its song growing clearer with every lung-busting sprint. Lisa's thoughts whirled, grappling with the possibility of what they'd find upon arrival. Would they make it in time?

"Lisa, look!" Oliver pointed ahead, where the tree line broke to reveal the silvery thread of the creek glistening in the moonlight.

With a final burst of energy, they broke free from the forest's grasp, stumbling toward the water's edge. Their eyes scanned the darkness for any sign of life, any hint of their beloved children.

And then they saw them.

Chapter Thirteen

Oliver's arms closed around Lisa in a fierce, protective embrace the moment they spotted the children across the babbling creek, and they ran to them.

“Mom! Ollie!”

They all hugged, and Lisa closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the moment while kissing her baby’s head, who was cooing delightfully while dangling from her brother’s chest. Relief flooded through Lisa’s veins, mingling with an undercurrent of tension that refused to ebb away entirely. The absence of their pursuers hung in the air like an unanswered question, but for now, the family was reunited, and that was what mattered.

"Are they gone?" Lisa whispered, her voice barely audible over the rush of the water.

"For now," Oliver replied, his gaze scanning the dense foliage that bordered the creek, the stoic set of his jaw betraying his readiness to spring into action should danger resurface. “My guess is that now that they have Ava and Daniel, they have what they came for. They’ll leave us alone.”

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