She looked up, her breath catching in her throat. It still hurt—it all still hurt—but Alex was right. His voice had cracked through Samantha’s hopelessness. With trembling fingers, she wiped her face, took a shaky breath, and slowly rose. No, she wouldn’t let this be the end. Not yet.
Just as Samantha got up, her phone buzzed sharply against her leg. She pulled it out, bracing for more empty replies. But this time was different—a new comment had appeared under the post. Someone had found a cluster of eagle feathers. Dozens of them near the old, abandoned orchard.
Her breath caught. She tapped the image. Scattered across dry grass were large, striking feathers—white and brown, clear as day. Her chest tightened. The orchard was on the far edge of town. She turned to Alex, eyes wide, voice shaking with urgency. “This might be something,” she whispered. “A real lead.”
Without waiting, her and Alex made their way swiftly towards the apple orchard. They crossed open fields, pushing toward the orchard. Though the mist had eased, a heavy silence pressed around them. It felt like even the air was holding its breath, waiting for what came next.