Jess risked a glance at the porch above her. The rough-hewn lumber presented a solid haven, tempting her to climb upward. Then she glanced down, only to realize her mistake as she took in the forty foot drop. God, it felt as if she’d fallen fifty feet, but she still had a long way to go. Her hands stung, her shoulders ached, and what if she missed another knot and couldn’t stop? Surely she’d break a leg, an ankle, something, and she wasn’t sure if her hands could survive any more damage.

She could stop now. It would be so easy to just give up. Exhaustion seeped through every muscle and she rested her forehead against the rope in despair.

Images of her son floated through her mind. His smiling expression warmed her deep within, and she drew strength from the vision. She wanted to live; she wanted to see her son grow into a man. Jess knew that if she were caught, they would kill her just like they’d killed her friends. She couldn’t let that happen. She’d fight with everything inside her to live.

Filled with hope, she lowered herself down the rope, knot by knot. Her legs and arms trembled from fatigue, and sweat streamed down her body, mingling with the rain. However, each movement brought her closer to the ground, closer to escape. Soon, she had only ten feet to go. Then eight feet, five, and finally, solid ground. The rain and salty sweat dripped in her eyes and burned. Every part of her body hurt.

Once her feet touched God’s green Earth, she was thankful to be alive. She lifted her hands from the rope and saw deep lines of abrasions embedded in her palms. She looked up to the porch expecting to see Dan, but at that moment, gunfire erupted and she instinctively ducked. She whirled away from the cabin and ran as fast as she could down the steep hillside. Halfway down the hill, she tripped over a hidden tree root. She fell hard, and her momentum propelled her down the rocky slope. Sharp rocks and craggy tree limbs tore at her skin and bruised her already sore and tired muscles. Finally, she crashed into a grove of cedar saplings and stopped. Jess remained motionless for a few seconds, mentally evaluating her body for any broken bones. She could move her legs and arms, although soreness tore through her muscles, there didn’t appear to be any serious damage. She lay still for a few minutes, trying to calm herself from the fall and catch her breath.

How did she end up in the middle of the Smoky Mountains running from murderers? Forced to kill a person in self-defense. She’d broken one of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shall not kill”. Did that make her a murderer?

Not only that, but how would Dan find her in the vast wilderness? Hell, she had no clue which way was east!

Rapid gunfire began again. She scrambled to her feet. Without any thought of direction, she sprinted into the woods.

God, how could this possibly be happening?

She was a nobody, a secretary at a furniture

store, for crying out loud. Instead of enjoying

a memorable reunion with friends, Jessica

McConnell was running for her life.