Chapter 1

The smell of bleach and damp fabric filled the laundry room. It was my whole world.

My younger brother, Kevin, threw his muddy football jersey at my head. It hit my cheek, leaving a wet, gritty smear.

"Wash it," he ordered. "I need it for tomorrow."

He didn't wait for an answer. He just walked out, his cleats clicking on the tile floor. I was a senior in high school with a 4.0 GPA, but here, I was just the maid.

I followed him into the living room, the dirty jersey balled up in my fist. He was already pitching his latest stupid idea to our parents.

"A survivalist trip to the Nevada desert for Spring Break. It'll be epic. Jason Miller did the Utah salt flats, but this is way more hardcore. The TikTok views will be insane."

My mother, Karen, clapped her hands together. Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, Kevin! What a fantastic idea! The photos will be incredible. Rugged. Adventurous."

My father, Rick, just nodded from his armchair, a beer in his hand. "Good for you, son. Show 'em what you're made of."

He lived his whole life through Kevin's minor athletic achievements. This was just another fantasy for him.

"That's a terrible idea," I said. My voice was quiet, but it cut through their excitement.

They all turned to look at me. Three pairs of identical, annoyed eyes.

"I saw on the news that hikers have gone missing out there," I continued, my heart starting to pound. "They said the wildlife is getting aggressive because of the drought."

Karen's face twisted into a snarl. She crossed the room in three quick strides.

The slap was so hard my head snapped to the side. The sting bloomed across my cheek.

"Don't you dare be a buzzkill, Chloe. You ruin everything."

Of course, they went.

And of course, I was in the back seat, wedged between the cooler and the camping gear.

Deep in the desert, miles from any paved road, the SUV's tires spun uselessly in the deep sand. We were stuck. Kevin kicked the tire and screamed about his ruined trip. Karen blamed me for "bad energy." Rick just drank another beer.

Night fell. The temperature dropped. The silence of the desert was absolute, until we heard it.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

It was on the passenger side window, right next to me.

"It's probably a lost hiker," Rick said, his voice slurring slightly. "We should help."

"No," I whispered, my blood turning to ice. I couldn't see anything out there but blackness. "Dad, please, don't."

"Unlock the door, Chloe," Karen commanded from the front seat. "Don't be a selfish brat."

My hand was shaking. I looked at my father, pleading.

He just stared back, his expression empty. "Do what your mother says."

I reached for the lock. My fingers felt like stone. I pulled it up.

In a blur of fur and teeth, the window shattered inward. A massive, starving mountain lion lunged into the car. Its claws sank into my arm, and the pain was blinding. I screamed.

Then, a hard shove from behind.

My mother, Karen, with a look of pure, cold calculation on her face, pushed me with all her strength.

I tumbled out of the SUV and landed hard in the sand.

The car door slammed shut. The lock clicked.

My last sight on this earth was our SUV's taillights speeding away, leaving me alone in the dark with the beast.

Then, nothing.

Until I smelled bleach.

I gasped, my eyes flying open. I was standing. My arm didn't hurt.

The familiar hum of the dryer filled the small room.

In my hand, I held a balled-up, muddy football jersey.

I was back.