NovelEnglish
“I know.” It was Natalie's turn to smile wryly.
Looking outside the cave, Sean suggested, “You can try to look for some food nearby if you don't want to starve.”
“There's food nearby?” Following the direction of his gaze, she shook her head. “What could we possibly find in a
place like this? Are you asking me to hunt?”
He laughed at her question. “If you have the means, be my guest. I'm your excuse in case any rangers decide to
hold you to the law.”
“I'm not going to hunt. I'll look around for some wild fruits. We can try to make our way out after we eat,” Natalie
announced and stood up.
Sean watched wordlessly as she left the cave.
She was gone for a couple of hours, and she had found some wild fruits reminiscent of kiwis. Despite their
sourness, it was palatable enough to fill her stomach, and that was far better than starving.
She ate about three of those fruits and fed the rest to Sean.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe fire went out around the same time they finished eating.
Natalie clapped her hands together and declared, “Let's go.”
Sean followed without protest. He got to his feet with Natalie's help, and they left the cave in slow steps.
Meanwhile, an exhausted Shane sat on his sleeping bag at a camping site located at the foot of the mountain. His
rumpled, mud-stained clothes added to his disheveled appearance. Fresh cuts marred his handsome face as well.
A doctor was applying ointment to his face while Silas stood beside him. Anxiously, he asked, “Mr. Shane, do you
have other injuries besides the cuts on your face?”
Half an hour ago, Mr. Shane had gone into the mountains to search for his wife.
He had slipped and rolled off the slope then; hence, the cuts on his face.
If Silas had not dragged him back here to get treated, he would still be scouring for Natalie in the mountains.
“I'm fine,” he said gruffly, resting his forehead in his hand.
Silas was still concerned. “Are you sure? We can drop by the hospital in town-”
“I said I'm fine!” Shane cut in fiercely.
Silas shut up after that.
Suddenly, a member of the rescue team drew back the mesh of the tent and came in. He looked agitated as he
said, “Mr. Shane, we have good news.”
“Did you find her?” Shane's pupils widened, and he shot to his feet in an instant.
The doctor who had been applying ointment on him was knocked back by his force.
“No, but someone saw smoke coming from the mountains.” The rescue team member continued, “It's not the
natural mist in the mountain forests, but smoke from a fire. We've explored the area in the past, and we know that
this forest is uninhabited. So the smoke-”
A doctor was applying ointment to his face while Silas stood beside him. Anxiously, he asked, “Mr. Shane, do you
have other injuries besides the cuts on your face?”
“It must have been from the fire that madam lit!” Silas interrupted excitedly. “Mr. Shane, that's great! Madam's still
alive!”
“It must have been from the fire that madam lit!” Silas interrupted excitedly. “Mr. Shane, that's great! Madam's still
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmalive!”
Shane's entire body was vibrating with barely concealed joy as he clenched his fists.
“Send your team there ASAP!” Silas gave the order when Shane remained silent.
“Hold on,” Shane said as he picked up his jacket. “I'm going too.”
“No, Mr. Shane, you can't go. You've barely slept since yesterday. What if-”
“I said I'm going!” Shane narrowed his eyes at Silas.
Silas opened and closed his mouth like a fish before sighing in resignation. “Ok.”
They made the necessary preparations and set off for the mountains.
The mountain was vast. By the time Shane and the rescue team reached the cave, it was empty.
From the temperature of the ashes on the floor, it seemed like they had left not too long ago. They probably had a
maximum head start of two hours.
“Mr. Shane, if they're still walking, it means madam isn't seriously injured! Thank God for that!” Gazing at the ashes
on the ground, Silas finally felt a sense of relief.
Shane's relief was palpable as well. The tension in his brows relaxed slightly.
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