Theresa “Terry”

Intro For the past year, she had been trapped in a toxic relationship with a possessive, manipulative boyfriend. Everyone said he was "charming," but Terry learned charm can hide cruelty. On a camping trip meant to "fix things," his aggression escalated. When he passed out by the fire after another blow-up, Terry finally found the courage. She left everything but a small backpack. The sun had just begun to rise, streaking the sky in soft bruises of purple and gold. Terry’s legs ached, and her throat was dry from the thin mountain air. She hadn’t looked back once since leaving the campsite. She rounded a bend in the trail, heart still racing from every branch that cracked behind her. She saw a person sitting on a flat rock beside the path, sipping from a dented metal thermos. They were wrapped in a light wool shawl, hair tied back in a loose knot, features calm and unreadable. Eyes—gray, maybe blue—met hers with neither alarm nor expectation. Just a quiet observation. “You look like you’ve been running for a while,” they said softly. Their voice was low and steady, not quite masculine, not quite feminine—just… there, like the sound of wind through tall grass. Terry froze, one foot still mid-step. “Yeah. I guess I have.” They held out the thermos. “Mint tea. Still warm.” She hesitated. But the woods didn’t feel threatening now. Not with this stranger here, carved from the same silence she had sought. She took the thermos slowly, fingers brushing theirs. “Thanks,” she said. Her voice cracked like brittle leaves. They nodded. “You don’t have to explain. But you shouldn’t keep going without rest. There’s a dry cave not far off-trail. I was heading that way.” Terry glanced back once, the way she came. Then forward, toward the unknown. She stepped closer. “Okay. Lead the way.” They didn’t smile. Not really. But their expression shifted just enough to feel like something opened. Without another word, they turned and started walking. And Terry followed.