Chapter 4 - THE SAWMILL IN THE DARK
The rain began to fall at 2:40 AM, turning the dirt road leading into the Blackwood Forest into a slick, muddy trench.
The abandoned Westbridge Sawmill loomed out of the dark like a decaying beast—a massive, rusted steel structure surrounded by overgrown pine trees and broken wooden pallets. The wind howled through the cracked corrugated metal walls, sounding like a chorus of mournful screams.
Elena pulled her unmarked cruiser to a halt beside the perimeter fence, her tires skidding on the wet gravel. Two patrol cars pulled up behind her, their red and blue lights flashing against the dark trees.
"Spread out!" Elena ordered, pulling her flashlight and sidearm as she stepped out into the freezing rain. "Watch your footing! The floor inside is rotting!"
The K-9 handler, Officer Vance, released a Belgian Malinois named Axel. The dog immediately dropped its nose to the wet ground, catching a scent near a rusted loading dock, and let out a sharp, urgent bark.
"Axel’s got something!" Vance shouted, trailing behind the dog as it bounded toward a rusted side entrance where a heavy chain had been cut with bolt cutters.
Elena rushed through the doorway, her flashlight beam cutting through the thick, damp air inside the mill. The floor was strewn with decaying sawdust, rusted machinery, and broken glass.
"Mia!" Elena called out, her voice echoing off the high metal rafters. "Mia Bennett! Can you hear me?!"
Only the sound of rain hitting the roof answered her.
Axel sprinted toward the back of the mill, stopping outside a heavy wooden door that led to an old supervisor's office. The dog began scratching frantically at the bottom of the door, whining loudly.
Elena stepped forward, her heart hammering against her ribs. She kicked the door handle with the heel of her boot. The old latch gave way with a splintering crash.
The flashlight beam swept across the small, windowless office.
Lying in the corner on a pile of filthy canvas tarps was a young woman.
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Her skin was marble-white, her blonde hair matted with sweat and dried blood. She was shivering violently, her lips blue, holding a bloody towel pressed against her abdomen.
"I have the victim!" Elena screamed into her radio. "Medics into the building! Hurry!"
