The night grew deeper, but sleep refused to come. The tension in the air kept them alert, even as exhaustion weighed on their bodies.
They had walked far from their previous campsite. Nova, Axel, Logan, and Carter finally found a somewhat sheltered spot—beneath a small cliff with a few large trees that could offer temporary protection.
"We rest here," Axel said firmly.
Carter still looked terrified, his eyes constantly darting toward the dark forest. "Do you guys think… that thing is still following us?"
No one answered.
They all knew the truth.
Nova took a deep breath, trying to push away the fear tightening around her chest. She sat on the ground, leaning her back against a large rock, while Axel remained on guard, his knife in hand.
Logan gathered some dry twigs and attempted to start a small fire for warmth. But this time, there was no large bonfire. They didn't want to attract any unwanted attention.
"We need to take turns keeping watch," Axel said. "I'll go first."
Nova shook her head. "I'll stay up too."
Axel looked at her for a moment, then nodded. He knew there was no point arguing when Nova had already made up her mind.
While Logan and Carter tried to get some sleep, Nova sat beside Axel, her eyes scanning the darkness. The only sounds were the whispers of the wind rustling through the leaves, the chirping of crickets, and their own quiet breaths.
But something unsettled Nova.
She felt like… there was another sound.
A faint breathing noise, coming from deep within the forest.
As if something was mimicking the rhythm of their breathing.
A chill ran down her spine. She turned to Axel, wanting to make sure she wasn't imagining things. But before she could say a word—
"AAAHH!!"
Carter's scream tore through the night.
They all jumped.
Nova sprang to her feet, as did Axel. Logan, who had just dozed off, jolted awake, panic flashing in his eyes.
Carter thrashed on the ground, his body being dragged into the darkness.
Something had grabbed his leg!
Nova rushed toward him. "CARTER!"
Axel moved faster. He slashed his knife toward the unseen hand gripping Carter's ankle.
SLASH!
Suddenly, the grip released. Carter scrambled backward, his breathing ragged, his face pale with terror.
Nova and Logan helped him up. "Are you okay?"
Carter nodded quickly, though his body trembled violently. "I-I felt… a rough hand pulling me."
Axel shone his flashlight onto the ground where Carter had nearly been dragged away.
What they saw made their blood run cold.
Footprints.
Huge. Not human.
And eerily… the prints seemed to appear out of nowhere, without any sign of approach.
As if something had just materialized from the darkness.
Nova swallowed hard. "That thing… is still here."
Logan gripped his wooden stick tighter. "I'm sick of this."
Axel studied the footprints, his jaw clenched. "We need to move. Now."
They hastily gathered their belongings and started walking again. But this time, they didn't just feel watched.
They felt hunted.
Their steps were quick but careful. The small beams of light from Axel and Logan's flashlights were their only guide through the endless trees.
They kept moving, desperate to put distance between them and whatever was out there.
But the further they went…
The stronger the feeling that something was following them.
Nova struggled to stay focused, though her thoughts were a mess. Fear gnawed at her, but she refused to let it take control.
Then, it happened.
A Cold Grip on Her Leg.
Nova gasped.
Suddenly, she felt herself being yanked backward!
The ground beneath her seemed to come alive, coiling around her ankles and pulling her into the shadows.
Her heart nearly stopped.
"A-AXEL—!!"
Axel spun around, his eyes widening as he saw Nova being dragged back by something invisible.
"NOVA!"
Axel lunged for her, grabbing her arm just before she was pulled away.
Nova struggled, trying to break free from the crushing grip around her leg. It felt like a massive hand squeezing with inhuman strength.
Axel pulled with all his might.
But whatever lurked in the darkness refused to let Nova go.
Logan and Carter rushed to help, gripping Nova's arms and pulling as hard as they could.
The tension was unbearable.
Then, suddenly—
CRACK!
Axel slashed his knife at the ground, hitting something unseen.
A deep, guttural growl echoed through the forest.
And just like that, the grip vanished.
Nova collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
Axel immediately helped her up, his eyes blazing with fury. "We need to get out of here. NOW."
Nova nodded, though her body still trembled from the encounter.
They ran again, no longer caring where. All that mattered was getting far away from that thing.
As they distanced themselves, Axel risked a glance behind them.
And there…
Amidst the darkness…
A pair of massive, glowing eyes watched them with pure, seething hatred.
That thing wasn't giving up.
After hours of running, they finally found shelter—a small cave hidden beneath the roots of a massive tree.
They stumbled inside, panting heavily.
Nova slumped against the cave wall. "Damn… I almost died."
Axel sat beside her, his sharp gaze still scanning the entrance. "Are you okay?"
Nova nodded weakly, though her legs still ached from the violent pull earlier.
Logan collapsed onto the ground, rubbing his face. "I can't take this anymore… What the hell is hunting us?"
Carter looked at each of them, his face ashen. "Whatever it is… it's not going to stop."
The cave was cold and damp, their breaths still heavy from the frantic escape.
Nova pressed a hand against the rough stone, trying to calm herself. Her legs still throbbed from the grip of that unseen force. When she glanced down, she saw red bruises forming around her ankle—marks left by something that couldn't be seen.
Axel observed the injury, his jaw tightening. "That wasn't a normal wound."
Nova exhaled shakily. "I know."
They all knew.
This wasn't just a hunt. Something far more sinister was toying with them.
Logan took deep breaths, zipping up his jacket. "So… what's the plan? We can't keep running forever."
Carter, still pale, looked at them with wide, frightened eyes. "If we stay here, that thing might find us."
Axel stared out of the cave. The forest was eerily silent, yet an unsettling presence lingered. "We need a plan. If we keep running without direction, we'll exhaust ourselves and become easy targets."
Nova bit her lip, weighing their options. "We need a safer location. Either we find higher ground or weapons that can actually fight back."
Logan raised an eyebrow. "Weapons? You think a small knife will stop something we can't even see?"
Axel met his gaze, his voice steady. "Fire."
They all turned to him.
"That thing reacted to fire," Axel continued. "When Logan threw that burning stick, it backed off."
Nova nodded quickly. "That makes sense. So we need more fire. Torches, weapons we can set ablaze…"
Logan pondered for a moment. "Then we should find a bigger cave and set a trap with fire."
Carter shook his head. "But what if it's smarter than we think? What if our trap fails?"
Silence.
They all realized one thing—they were still completely blind to what they were up against.
Nova pulled her jacket tighter, trying to steady her nerves. "We can't keep living in fear. If we just sit here without a plan, we'll be picked off one by one."
Axel looked at each of them before giving a firm nod. "At dawn, we find a way out of this forest. But for now, we stay here. We'll keep a small fire going and take turns keeping watch."
They all agreed.
Axel gathered dry twigs from within the cave while Logan pulled out his lighter. Within minutes, a small fire flickered to life, offering a fragile warmth against the overwhelming fear still looming over them.
Nova sat against the cave wall, her eyes fixed on the flames.