65Please respect copyright.PENANAdRoWtdEFNWRebecca (panicked):
“Kyle hasn’t come back yet. He said he’d be back before the afternoon to help build our cabin. I’m afraid somethings happened to him…”
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She drops to her knees — but Paul is already standing, grunting as he reaches for his cloak.
Cornelius watches him.
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Metro crouches beside Rebecca.
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Rebecca (voice breaking):
“Find him… please. I need him with me.”
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Metro nods, hunger forgotten, cold irrelevant.
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Metro:
“We’ll head out immediately.”
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Rebecca (gasping):
“Thank you… all of you…”
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Paul turns toward the exit.
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Paul:
“Let’s hurry. We’ve only got a few hours of daylight left.”
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Gregory and Sam step forward.
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Gregory:
“Sam and I will assist.”
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All the men rise now except Archeus.
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Metro:(voice stern)
“We need a few men to stay and protect the camp.”
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Cornelius:
“I’m absolutely famished. I can stay…”
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Blake raises his hand with a forced grin.
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Blake:
“I can stay too.”
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Archeus shakes his head, staring at the wall.
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Archeus:
“I doubt I’ll be of any use… but here.”
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He digs through a file container and pulls out a rolled map.
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Archeus:
“It’s a hundred years old… but how much can the land change?
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”He hands it to Sam, who tucks it away.
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Cloaks are gathered.
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The horses stomp nervously in the snow, sensing the tension. Their breaths puff out in thick white clouds. Metro tightens the straps on Sally’s saddle, fingers stiff from the cold. Paul swings onto Stone with the ease of a man who’d done it a thousand times. Gregory climbs onto Crook, the one‑eyed horse snorting like he disapproves of the mission. Sam mounts Curly, patting his neck to calm his shaking.The wind picks up — a long, low howl that threads through the camp like a warning. Blake rechecks the lanterns oil, and that they are lit — only two.
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Their golden glow flickers against the snow, fighting to stay alive.
Gregory adjusts his goggles next to Metro who pulls back a black cloth over his mouth.
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Sam checks the quiver strapped to his saddle while Paul scans the trail ahead.
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PAUL:(jaw tight)
“We ride fast. We ride together.
If he's out there, we'll find him!”
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The four riders nudge their horses forward. Hooves crunching in the snow. The lanterns sway an the wind roars. They enter into a white‑buried trail leading north.
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Snow whipping sideways, stinging their faces, clinging to their layered cloths, frosting their eyelashes.
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