That last line from Marcus Langley's diary kept replaying in Nova's head. "They come at night." Who were "they"? The people hunting Marcus? Or something far more... sinister? A knot of unease tightened in Nova's stomach. She tried to calm herself, reminding herself how far they'd come. They had to get answers.
Meanwhile, Axel had gone off to scavenge firewood. Their fire was dying down, and they needed the warmth to dry their clothes and fend off the night's chill. Nova stayed in the cave, re-reading the diary. Though many pages were missing, there were still clues they could use.
Outside the cave, Axel made his way through the small patch of woods, picking up dry branches scattered on the ground. He stepped carefully, pausing now and then to listen for any suspicious sounds.
Then—
Crack.
Footsteps.
Axel spun around, looking back. Empty. No one there. He sighed, trying to think logically. Probably just some wild animal. This forest was bound to be crawling with critters. He crouched down, gathering a few more branches.
But then—
Crack. Crack.
The footsteps again. Axel tensed up. He stood slowly, straining his ears. The sounds weren't coming from just one direction, as if something was moving around him. Cautiously, Axel pulled his pocketknife from his pants. His fingers gripped the handle tight, ready for whatever might burst from the bushes.
He swallowed hard. "Who's there?"
No answer. The wind rustled, shaking the leaves around him. But Axel could feel it. Something was hiding, waiting, watching. Suddenly, the bushes in front of him shook violently. Axel took a step back, bracing for a threat.
Then, in a split second—
Something shot out of the thicket.
Back inside the cave, Nova jumped at the loud rustling sound from outside. "Axel?" she called out. No reply. Her heart pounded. She stood, grabbing a small knife kept near the fire. She approached the cave's mouth hesitantly. The woods outside looked calm, but she had a bad feeling.
Then—
Out of nowhere, Axel came sprinting from the trees! "NOVA, GET INSIDE!" he yelled. Nova didn't have time to ask. She backed into the cave, while Axel stood guard at the entrance, knife in hand.
A few seconds later, silence returned. Nova swallowed. "What did you see?"
Axel shook his head, still catching his breath. "I don't know... but there's something out there." He glanced back at the woods, making sure nothing was following. Nova shivered. She looked at Axel, her face tight with worry. "You sure it wasn't an animal?"
Axel shook his head. "No. The way it moved... it wasn't an animal."
Nova bit her lip. "Then... maybe it's them? The ones from Marcus's diary?" Axel didn't answer. But deep down, he knew Nova was probably right. They weren't alone. And something—or someone—was keeping an eye on them.
That night, they took turns keeping watch. Nova tried to sleep first, but her mind was swarming with bad possibilities. Who was after Marcus Langley? Were they still on the island? Were they the ones watching them now?
When it was Axel's turn to watch, he sat with his back against the cave wall, his eyes scanning the darkness outside. The night was dead quiet. Too quiet. Then, around three in the morning—
Crack.
Axel froze. The footsteps were back. Slowly, he pulled out his knife and peeked outside. In the darkness, he saw something moving between the trees. A dark shape. Axel held his breath. Then—
The shape stopped, right in front of their cave. Not moving, not coming closer, just standing there. Axel felt a chill creep down his neck. He tightened his grip on the knife. If the figure came any closer, he'd be ready to fight. But after a few seconds, the shape turned and vanished into the woods.
Axel stayed put, making sure the figure was really gone. Only after ten minutes had passed did he let out a sigh of relief. But deep down, he knew they weren't safe. Something was hunting them. And sooner or later, they'd be back.
As dawn broke, Nova woke to find Axel still sitting in the same spot, his eyes red and puffy. "You didn't sleep at all?" Nova asked, concerned.
Axel shook his head. "They came last night."
Nova was instantly wide awake. "What? Who?!"
Axel shook his head again. "I don't know. But there's someone... or something... out there. They saw us. They're watching us."
Nova felt a wave of dread. "Then we can't stay here any longer."
Axel looked at her, then nodded. "I agree."
Nova pulled out their worn map and pointed to a spot. "The south bunker. Marcus last saw them there."
Axel took a deep breath. He knew it was risky. But they didn't have any other choice. "We leave now," he said.
Nova nodded. "Before they come back."
They packed up quickly and left the cave. As they stepped into the woods, a soft breeze rustled, carrying a sound that almost seemed like a whisper. From behind the trees, far behind them—
The dark figure reappeared, still watching, still waiting. And this time, they wouldn't let Axel and Nova slip away.
Axel and Nova walked quickly, but carefully, to avoid making any noise. They knew something—or someone—had been watching them all night. There was no time to relax. They had to move. The map showed the south bunker, Marcus Langley's last known location. If they could get there, they might find answers—or at least a safer place.
"I don't like this," Nova muttered, her eyes constantly scanning for danger.
"Yeah, me neither," Axel replied. "But we can't just sit still."
The sky was still dim, the sun barely peeking over the horizon. The morning air felt colder than usual, as if the island itself was trying to warn them. Suddenly, Nova stopped.
"What is it?" Axel asked, instantly alert.
Nova crouched down and pointed to footprints in the dirt. Not theirs. Axel studied the shape. Larger than a human foot, and disturbingly fresh. Nova touched the ground around the prints. Damp. No more than an hour or two old.
"We're not the only ones heading for the bunker," she said quietly.
Axel took a deep breath. "Or worse... they're already there."
They looked at each other, then nodded. There was no turning back now. They continued on, even more wary.
After nearly an hour of walking, they spotted something different among the thick trees. Old concrete walls, covered in moss, almost hidden by nature. Nova's heart pounded. They'd found the bunker.
Axel stepped closer, scanning the surroundings. No sign of movement or anyone else. But the footprints were still visible, leading straight to the bunker's half-buried door. Nova tried to pull the iron handle on the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Locked."
Axel pulled out his pocketknife and tried to slip it into the door's seam, searching for the locking mechanism.
Just then—
Crack.
Footsteps. Nova and Axel pressed themselves against the bunker wall, holding their breath. Someone was nearby. The footsteps got closer, then stopped. Axel peeked around the bunker's corner, and his eyes widened.
Standing between the trees, a figure in a black jacket stared directly at them. But before Axel could react—
The figure raised a radio to his lips and whispered something. And suddenly, the entire forest went deathly quiet. Nova's blood ran cold.