Chapter 8 - The Hounds
The terrifying sound of vicious barking echoed through the cold night air.
Mark turned his head toward the woods, his eyes wide with sudden panic.
David had released a pack of trained guard dogs to secure the perimeter of the airstrip.
I did not wait for Mark to recover his focus.
I ran as fast as my bare feet could carry me toward the dark edge of the forest.
Lily remained completely limp in my arms, heavy with the sedative they had pumped into her veins.
Sharp branches whipped against my face, and thorns tore deeply at my clothes.
I could hear the heavy thud of paws crashing through the underbrush just a few yards behind us.
The ferocious snarling grew louder with every desperate step I took.
I spotted a massive, hollowed-out oak tree near the edge of a steep ravine.
I squeezed inside the dark hollow, pulling Lily tightly against my chest.
I covered her mouth with my hand, praying she wouldn't wake up and make a sound.
Three massive black dogs stopped just outside our hiding spot, sniffing the ground aggressively.
Their sharp teeth gleamed in the moonlight as they paced back and forth.
One of the dogs shoved its massive snout directly into the opening of the tree.
I held my breath, squeezing my eyes shut in pure terror.
Suddenly, a loud gunshot echoed from the direction of the airplane hangar.
The dogs instantly abandoned the tree and sprinted back toward the source of the noise.
I waited five agonizing minutes before I dared to crawl out of the hollow.
I knew I could not leave without finding Emma.
I carefully made my way back to the edge of the trees, looking at the silver jet on the tarmac.
David was standing near the boarding stairs, holding Emma tightly by her hair.
Emma was kicking and screaming, fighting with every ounce of strength she had.
David raised his hand and violently struck my daughter across the face.
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I gently laid Lily down in the tall grass, promising I would be right back.
I picked up a heavy, jagged rock from the dirt and gripped it tightly.
