The Sheriff struggled through the foggy woods, puffs of white in the frigid air from his breaths. The only sounds that broke the eerie silence were the crunch of leaves under his boots and the odd hoot of an owl. His gait darted left and right, searching the dense foliage for signs of danger. Branches of gnarled trees resembled grasping fingers as they loomed overhead. It was a gloomy night, and the moon, a hazy ball in the sky, cast an ethereal glow over the woodland.
His senses were keener with each step forward, and his body was tight with expectancy.
A blood-curdling scream, suddenly, pierced the blackness, stopping him in his tracks. His pulse pounded as he rushed towards the sound, adrenaline coursing through his veins, his flashlight piercing through the gloom.
When he arrived, he saw a young girl lying lifeless on the ground, her garments ripped and bleeding. He spoke into his radio, "Dispatch, we have a possible assault victim here in the woods. Requesting backup and an ambulance ASAP."
"Copy, Sheriff. Backup and ambulance are on their way," came the crackling response.
The Sheriff turned to his deputy, who had just arrived on the scene. "Start canvassing the area for any witnesses or suspects.I'll stay here with the victim until the ambulance arrives."
The deputy nodded and hurried off into the woods, shining his flashlight into the darkness.
The Sheriff turned his attention back to the young girl lying on the ground. Kneeling alongside her, he caressed her cheek tenderly, feeling the chilly coolness of her flesh. "Hang in there, kid," he whispered, hoping she could hear him.
Her eyes fluttered, displaying piercing green orbs that appeared to glow in the moonlight. She looked up at him with a mixture of fear and confusion. "What...what happened?" she asked weakly.
"You were attacked," he replied gently. "But we're going to get you help. Just hang on."
When the ambulance pulled up, He stood back and watched as the paramedics worked to stabilize the girl's condition, but he couldn't escape the sensation that this was only the start of a more profound and convoluted mystery that would need all his abilities and intuition to solve.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
