“Look…” Ami whispered shakily.

The light is faint, flickering.

The woods are achingly still, as if the insects that were crooning their alarm to us before were silenced by the vengeful gods that led us here, a fate that even a crow couldn’t prepare us for. There were no calls or coos, no snapping of twigs, no stirring of vegetation. Just pure silence.

I moved my eyes to Ami’s. Her glazed stare w...