Chapter 7: The Search Party
Dawn broke over the Ohio valley, painting the bruised sky in shades of violent purple and dull orange. The parking lot of the local high school was completely packed, but not with angry protesters. Over five hundred people had shown up in high-visibility vests, ready to scour the woods.
The community was desperate to make amends for their cruel judgments. The neighbor in the yellow raincoat was there, distributing hot coffee with trembling hands and tear-stained cheeks. Local hunters brought their ATVs, and the state police flew in a chopper equipped with thermal imaging.
Natalie stood on the tailgate of a truck, dividing the massive crowd into grid search teams. "He’s injured, he's disoriented, and he's been out there for five days," she shouted through a megaphone. "Check every ditch, every cave, and every abandoned structure in the valley."
May you like
The searchers descended upon the wilderness like an army, calling Andrew’s name until their voices grew hoarse. The mud was thick and unforgiving, slowing their progress as the bitter cold gnawed at their bones. Hours ticked by, and hope began to dwindle as the sun reached its peak.
Then, deep in Sector 4, a retired search dog named Buster stopped in his tracks and let out a sharp bark. The handler rushed forward, finding a piece of torn, blood-stained flannel snagged on a briar bush. The fabric matched the description of the shirt Andrew had worn to his shift at the diner.
