CHAPTER THIRTY TWO – SURVIVED TO TELL THE TALE

Exhaustion weighed heavily on Karina's limbs as she stumbled down the deserted road. The adrenaline that had fueled her escape had long since faded, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness. Cars were scarce at this late hour, and with each passing minute, hope dwindled. Just as despair threatened to engulf her, the rumble of an engine echoed in the distance. A beacon of salvation in the darkness. She flagged her arms frantically, her voice hoarse from disuse. The truck, a behemoth with rusty fenders and a faded paint job, slowed to a stop. Karina held her breath as a man emerged from the driver's side. He was a giant of a man, muscles rippling beneath a worn t-shirt, a thick beard obscuring most of his face. A grizzly bear sprung to mind. But his voice, when he spoke, surprised her. "You alright out here, miss?" he rumbled, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Looks like you could use a ride." Karina hesitated, fear warring with desperation. "I… I need to get to the police station. As soon