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and terrifiedin the woods while at least one killer hunted her down for a reason she simply couldn’t understand. Why could they possibly want to kill her? She didn’t even have any idea who they were.
    Ash lay there for what felt like a long time. A minute? Two? Five? It was difficult to tell, and she didn’t dare look at her watch. However long it was, she heard no further sound from her pursuers or the dogs. Had they given up and gone? Or were they still out there waiting for her to make her move? God, she was so very, very cold. She couldn’t lie like this for ever. At some point she would have to find shelter. Otherwise she risked dying from exposure.
    A twig snapped a few yards away, and Ash froze.

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    SILENCE FOLLOWED. ONE second. Two seconds. Three. Ash stopped breathing and fought to keep her shivering under control, because it was rustling the leaves under her. Every nerve ending in her body felt like it was on fire.
    She heard a footstep nearby. Then another. Coming closer.
    Oh God, no .
    She didn’t want to die. The thought of a knife being plunged into her and slowly bleeding to death almost made her cry out in utter terror. But she forced herself to calm down, hold her breath and stay still. Without the dogs to help him there was a possibility he might miss her. No part of her body was exposed. He might not see her.
    Please God, if you exist, help me now. Don’t let him see me. Please .
    The man was right above her now. She could feel his presence. His boots crunched on the forest floor as he crept round the bush.
    Don’t move. Don’t speak. Don’t breathe .
    Slowly Ash forced her eyes open, and that was when she saw the bottom half of his legs. He was standing right there, his muddied boots only two feet from her head, pointing her way.
    Jesus, he knows I’m here .
    The whole thing felt like some horrible game of hide and seek. Ash could feel her lungs coming close to bursting. She had to breathe soon.
    Then he was moving off again, down towards the edge of the stream. As he did so, more of him came into view. It was the same man from the lodge. The one who’d stabbed Nick. She was sure of it. He was still holding the bloodied knife he’d used down by his side.
    Bastard .
    Out of the corner of her eye, Ash could see a piece of jagged flint the size of a fist near to her right hand. Suddenly she felt an intense rage the like of which she’d never experienced before. Ash considered herself a nice girl who didn’t believe in the death penalty, but at that moment all she wanted to do was kill this bastard who’d come here and ruined her life. She allowed herself a long, silent breath before reaching out for the piece of flint and gripping it tightly.
    The man in black crouched down and looked up and down the stream.
    Then slowly he began to turn, and Ash realised that at the height he was at, he was going to see her.
    Fear rushed back. It mixed with rage and desperation. All these different emotions tore around her body like the whirlpools in the stream. She had to make a decision. Fast.
    He turned round completely. He was wearing night vision goggles and he was staring straight at her.
    For a split second, he didn’t move.
    But Ash did.
    With a speed born of pure heart-pounding adrenalin, she leaped out of the bush, rose to her full height and let out a howl of anger as she threw the stone straight at his head.
    It was her one chance of survival, and it worked. The stone hit him full in the face, knocking him backwards.
    He kept his balance, and he still had the knife, but he was hurt. He clutched at his face with his free hand and grunted with pain.
    Now that she’d drawn blood, the rage seemed to re-energise Ash. She flew forward, picked up the stone and, before her attacker had time to defend himself, smashed it into the side of his head with such force that he went down to his knees.
    He swung his knife at her in a wild arc but he was way too slow and unsteady. Ash dodged out of the way and