Hunt and Pray by Cindy Sutherland

least I won’t have time to die of pneumonia…. The random thought almost made him smile.
    He came across a small, sunken clearing, not more than six feet across, that was surrounded by high bushes and offered a good vantage point.
    He checked to make sure there was nothing alive there calling the place home and then made the decision this was where he was going to stop to rest.
    He would be protected a little from the wind by the thick brush, and anyone trying to sneak up on him would make a lot of noise crashing through the surrounding area.
    He wished he dared to try starting a fire for warmth, but he knew if he did, it would send a signal straight to anyone trying to find him, especially in the dark.
    He stepped down into the hollow and carefully checked it over again for any uninvited guests before clearing a spot to hunker down. Once he was as satisfied as he could be in the fading light, he crouched down, settled his back against a tree, and let himself rest.
    As he sat and shivered, he remembered a time when he was about eleven and had been camping with his dad and older brother. Drew had gotten angry at something Aaron had said and had stomped into the woods to try to cool off.
    He hadn’t paid attention to where he was going, and when he’d tried to go back to camp, he’d found himself turned around and lost. It had been a harrowing hour for him until his dad and brother found him, and he’d never been so happy to see them.
    He wished for that now, his father striding out of the bush and hugging him tightly before reading him the riot act for wandering off and getting lost. He wouldn’t mind enduring the gentle teasing from his brother—he’d welcome it right now, in fact. He’d love to find himself at the farm, being smothered with love and attention by his mom and grandma. Even his little sisters’ crankiness would only make him smile.
    He sighed and pulled out a water bottle for a drink. He eyed the other protein bar, decided to wait to eat it, and then laughed quietly.
    What in the hell was he waiting for? He grabbed it and pulled the wrapper off and stuck it in the backpack, years of being taught respect for nature stopping him from throwing it on the ground. His dad would be proud.
    As he chewed on the bar, he heard a noise; something louder than the usual low-level hum of the forest. He panicked, frozen on the spot, not moving a muscle.
    The noise seemed to be getting nearer and the gorge rose in Drew’s stomach as he imagined Chance coming closer and closer, a knife in his hand, ready to rip Drew’s throat out or plunge it into his heart.
    Finally, he couldn’t take it any longer. He lifted himself up enough to peek over the edge of his little hiding place. He watched as a dark shadow approached, confused about how small it was. When it got close enough, Drew could finally see what it was in the rising moonlight.
    He almost laughed out loud. It was a raccoon. He sat back and relaxed. It wasn’t Chance sneaking up on him after all.
    Drew looked at his watch. He was shocked to see that almost ten hours had gone by since he’d walked away from the cabin. No wonder he was fucking exhausted.
    He settled himself again and prepared to wait until sunrise. If he was still alive by then, he’d start walking again. There was nothing else he could do.

Chapter Six
     
    C HANCE spied on Drew through the trees, impressed with him in spite of himself. The blond had made it this far without getting himself killed by accident and had even found a reasonably safe place to spend the night.
    Of course, if Chance had been out to kill him, this would have been as far as he got. But still, it had been more challenging to find him than he’d thought it would be.
    He lifted his hand and wiped at a trickle of sweat running down his cheek. Even in the dim moonlight he could see the sweat was tinged red with blood, and he wondered if he was ever going to stop bleeding.
    His father and Ezra had hauled him out of their