I tried to take solace in the knowledge that when I opened my eyes, Caleb would be there to greet me. But even that didn’t work. Nothing was clear, my thoughts were in chaos, and the future appeared totally uncertain. Each time I tried to force my mind to go blank something new flashed inside my head. It was a battle of me versus the sandman, and he had the home court advantage. Every time I closed my eyes, I pictured the girls the pack had found, trapped in cages and brutally tortured. Caleb said their bodies were marred with deep pockets where silver had branded the skin, leaving scar tissue behind. The packs had converged together to tear the place apart but they didn’t find anything—including Sammie. It was nothing more than an empty warehouse that was far enough away from prying eyes and ears not to be of notice, the perfect pit of despair and suffering. It was a blessing not to find Sammie in that cesspool, but it also meant she was still missing, gone without a trace. And none of us had any idea why.
