Chapter 66: A Glimpse of a Stranger

Hampton Jr. and Joshua had been hunting for hours, and the silence of the forest was only broken by the occasional sound of twigs snapping or birds chirping. Hampton Jr. was deep in thought, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement.

As he walked further into the forest, he caught a glimpse of someone in the distance. The trees were thick, and he couldn't see clearly, but he was sure he saw a figure moving quickly.

Bella, on the other hand, was busy harvesting wild mushrooms. She had been living in the forest for weeks now, and she knew every nook and cranny. She heard the break of dry twigs and looked up to see someone staring in her direction.

Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and Bella's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned around and ran as fast as she could, her feet pounding against the earth.

Hampton Jr. was taken aback by the sudden movement. He tried to follow her, but she was too fast, and he lost sight of her in the thick trees.

Bella ran for what felt like hours, her heart racing with fear. She finally stopped when she was sure no one was following her. She leaned against a tree, panting heavily, and thought to herself, "Oh my God, that was close."

She couldn't shake off the feeling that the person she saw was one of the hunters she had encountered before. She had been living in fear of being discovered, and now she was more vigilant than ever.

Hampton Jr., on the other hand, was still standing in the same spot, trying to process what had just happened. He asked himself, "So we have people living in this forest?" He couldn't believe his eyes. "And she's black."

He wondered how she ended up in the forest, which was clearly not safe for her. He felt a pang of concern for her well-being, but he pushed it aside, not wanting to get involved.

Just then, Joshua appeared, holding up two rabbits. "Dude, I've hunted two so far. I think they'll be enough."

Hampton Jr. forced a smile, not wanting to reveal what he had just seen. "Yeah, that's great, Josh. Let's head back."

As they walked back to their campsite, Hampton Jr. couldn't shake off the image of the mysterious woman. He wondered who she was and what she was doing in the forest. He felt a sense of intrigue, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

The two friends packed up their gear and headed back to their Jeep, chatting about their hunting trip. Hampton Jr. was quiet, lost in thought, but Joshua didn't notice.

As they drove back to Greenwood, Hampton Jr. couldn't help but think about the mysterious woman. He wondered if he would ever see her again, and what would happen if he did.