With the situation somewhat clarified, Ariana resolved to continue her search.
Initially lacking much hope, she now felt prepared to confront whatever lay ahead, thanks to a clear objective.
Armed with her gun, Ariana adjusted her backpack and rose to her feet, prepared to resume her quest for Holden and Adrian down the cliff.
Are you leaving? Bennett inquired, quickly grabbing her.
Thats none of your concern, Ariana retorted, kicking off his hand. You can stay here and wait for your death.
Bennett struggled to move his body to follow her, but he soon realized it was futile.
Observing her resolute departure, a wave of concern flooded Bennett, prompting him to speak up. In fact, it does concern me. You wont be able to get out of here without me.
When Ariana heard that, she paused for a brief moment, stunned, but she quickly recovered and shot back coldly, You think Im going to fall for that crap?
Bennett was a bastard. Ever since capturing her, his malevolent actions had piled up, and now, he dared ask for her trust? Impossible!
Youre just saying that because you dont want me to leave you here, right? You think you can fool me? Ariana said, looking Bennett squarely in the eyes. Stay here and face your fate; it might just offset some of the terrible things youve done.
Having spoken her mind, Ariana resumed her descent. Her strength had largely returned. Armed with her prior experience in climbing and fueled by the hope that Holden might still be alive, she soon got to the bottom of the cliff.
Upon reaching the ground, she turned on her flashlight, startled to discover a dense forest at the cliffs base.
The lush undergrowth seemed promising. It renewed her hope that Holden and Adrian might still be alive.
She made her way through the thick branches, illuminating the path with her flashlight.
It was night, and the narrow beam of the flashlight barely pierced the darkness. Without a compass, navigating the dense forest in search of someone was daunting. Despite walking for about fifteen minutes, Ariana had made little progress.
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But she wasnt discouraged. As long as there was a sliver of hope, she was determined to keep searching.
She quickly devised a plan and navigated her way out of the dense forest to the outskirts to search for survivors. She soon found the driver.
The drivers limbs were all broken, his body contorted in an unnatural way.
Ariana shuddered, checked his breathing and pulse, and confirmed that he was dead.
A twinge of guilt washed over Ariana; if not for her, the driver might have been spared this fate.
However, she knew she couldnt let her emotions overtake her. She gathered herself, moved the body to a tree, and planned to return later to retrieve it for a proper burial and to compensate his family. It was the right thing to do.
After completing this grim task, Ariana ventured back into the forest in search of the others.
But no matter how long she wandered, she couldnt find a way out, always circling back to her starting point.
This endless wandering exhausted Ariana, and eventually, she found a spot to sit, drink some water, and rest, feeling somewhat lost.
As time slipped away and she failed to find anyone, her anxiety intensified.
Could it be true, as Bennett had hinted, that Holden and Adrian were already dead?
It seemed plausible, especially considering they had been caught in an explosion before falling. If the driver, who was healthy, hadnt survived, what chance did two injured men stand?
Yet, the thought that Holden and Adrian might have just perished here after everything they had endured was unbearable to Ariana.
No, she refused to succumb to such despair.
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.
She cast aside the grim thoughts, drank more water, and ate some bread to quickly restore her energy.
Perhaps her rising panic had been clouding her judgment and obscuring the path. Once refreshed, she resolved to venture back into the forest, this time taking the opposite direction.
She knew Holden and Adrian were not the type to passively await rescue.
Perhaps they had assessed their situation and moved deeper into the forest seeking an exit.
Regardless of the obstacles, Ariana was determined not to give up. Even if she didnt locate them on this attempt, she vowed to continue the search.
She was resolute in finding them.