Create #MOTHERLOAD

#MOTHERLOAD

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+Before︎ I️ realized️ Charlie️ hesitated.︎ Rather︎ easily,️ David︎ understood︎ Claire'️ s️ tone︎ it︎ opened️ nothing︎ new.️ Most︎ evenings,️ Tom️ held️ a︎ lantern.︎ Someone️ yelled️ near︎ the️ hill,️ every️ sound︎ intensified︎ suddenly.︎ Sometimes︎ the︎ effort️ pays.️ Bravery︎ yields.️ Still,️ the️ echo️ persisted.︎ The️ sky️ was︎ heavy️ with️ clouds,️ but︎ no︎ rain️ fell.️ We︎ moved︎ in️ silence,︎ unsure︎ whether︎ to︎ press️ on︎ or︎ turn︎ back.︎ Each︎ step︎ echoed︎ slightly️ on️ the︎ wet︎ stone,️ a︎ reminder︎ of︎ where️ we'︎ d︎ been.︎ Charlie︎ s︎ footprints︎ were️ already️ fading️ behind︎ us,️ swallowed︎ by️ the︎ mist.️ No️ one️ mentioned︎ what︎ we️ were️ all︎ thinking️ that️ he︎ wasn︎ t️ coming︎ back.️ David︎ clenched️ his️ hands️ in︎ his︎ coat️ pockets︎ and︎ didn︎ t️ look︎ at︎ anyone.︎ Claire︎ kept︎ glancing︎ over️ her️ shoulder,️ as︎ if️ hoping️ he'️ d︎ return.️ I️ focused︎ on️ the︎ path,︎ letting️ the︎ cold️ wind️ clear️ my︎ thoughts.️ Somewhere︎ nearby,︎ a︎ branch️ snapped️ sharp,︎ sudden,️ unsettling.︎ We︎ stopped.︎ The︎ sound︎ didn️ t︎ repeat.︎ I︎ could︎ hear︎ my︎ own️ breathing,︎ slow️ and︎ shallow.️ Then️ we️ started︎ walking️ again,︎ slower︎ now.︎ The︎ trail︎ dipped️ beneath︎ an️ overhang︎ of️ trees,︎ dark︎ and︎ close.︎ It︎ felt︎ like️ entering︎ a︎ memory︎ I︎ hadn︎ t︎ meant️ to️ recall.︎ At️ the️ base︎ of︎ the︎ ridge,️ we️ found️ the️ old︎ marker︎ stone.️ The︎ etching️ on️ its️ face︎ was︎ weathered,️ nearly︎ gone.︎ Still,️ I️ traced︎ it️ with︎ my︎ fingers,️ hoping︎ for️ something️ familiar.︎ Claire︎ lit︎ a️ match️ and︎ held️ it️ to️ the︎ surface.︎ The️ fire️. ❤️