Chapter 4 — Shelter from the Storm

Maren

The rain began as a soft tap against the windshield, a rhythm so faint it could almost be ignored. But it quickly swelled into a relentless downpour, swallowing the truck in a cocoon of sound. Each drop seemed to carry its own weight, hammering against the glass with a force that blurred the world beyond. Maren leaned her forehead against the cool window, her breath fogging the surface as she stared into the black expanse ahead. The windshield wipers slashed back and forth, their frantic effort barely carving through the storm.