That morning, the air felt colder than usual. Mist shrouded the entrance of the cave where they had taken shelter, creating an even gloomier atmosphere. The small fire they had made the night before had gone out, leaving behind only dying embers.
Nova stretched her stiff body after a restless night. Her eyes scanned the cave, looking for the others. Axel was still sitting near the entrance, as vigilant as ever. Carter was awake, his face weary. But something felt off.
"Where's Logan?" Nova asked, her voice hoarse.
Axel turned his head, scanning the area. "He was on watch before me. He should be here."
Carter stood up awkwardly. "Maybe he stepped out for a bit?"
But a bad feeling hit Nova instantly. Without hesitation, she stepped out of the cave, followed closely by Axel and Carter.
Their steps came to a halt just a few meters from their shelter.
There, beneath a fallen tree, lay Logan's body.
Blood pooled on the ground around him.
Nova's face tensed. Her heart pounded as she stepped closer. Logan's body was a horrifying sight. His clothes were torn, his skin was covered in wounds, and the most terrifying part—large bite marks were visible on his shoulder and stomach.
Axel knelt down, examining his friend's stiff body. "Damn…" he muttered through clenched teeth.
Nova covered her mouth, trying to suppress the nausea rising in her throat. These wounds… they weren't from a normal animal. The teeth that tore into Logan's flesh were too neat, too much like… a human's.
Carter took a step back, his face pale. "W-what is this…? Was it that creature… or…?"
Nova exchanged glances with Axel. A horrifying thought began to take shape in her mind.
Taking a deep breath, Nova tried to steady her racing heart. Her eyes traced over Logan's wounds again. Some looked like rough scratches, but the bite marks were what disturbed her the most.
"This is definitely not a normal animal," Axel said in a low, firm voice.
Nova nodded. "And if it wasn't an animal… then who did this?"
Carter shook his head quickly, sweat beading on his forehead. "You're not seriously suggesting… that someone here—"
"Did you see the bite marks, Carter?" Nova cut him off sharply. "They're not from a wild animal. No creature in this forest leaves bite marks like these except… a human."
Carter stumbled back, his face drained of all color. "No… no way…"
Axel sighed, then examined the ground around Logan's body. He studied the muddy soil and scattered leaves. There were footprints nearby—but they looked strange.
Most of them seemed normal, but some were larger and deeper, as if someone had been walking barefoot… or something heavy had been dragging itself.
"The tracks are a mess," Axel muttered. "But something's off. Some of these prints look human… but the shape is unnatural."
Nova crouched down, running her fingers over the dirt. The footprints were larger than a normal person's, with a slightly curved shape at the ends.
"We're being hunted by something we don't understand," Nova said quietly. "But right now, we need to decide… do we stay here or do we leave?"
Axel stood up. "We can't stay. If that thing could kill Logan, then we're all in danger."
Carter hesitated. "But… if we leave, we might run right into that thing again."
Nova stared at Logan's corpse. No matter what, they couldn't just leave his body out here.
"I don't want Logan to become their food," Nova whispered. "We have to bury him."
Axel studied Nova for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. We need to hurry."
The three of them got to work, digging a grave with whatever tools they could find. Nova used her pocket knife, Axel wielded a thick branch, and Carter used his bare hands.
The hard ground made the task even more difficult, but they couldn't just abandon Logan.
After hours of struggle, they finally dug a hole deep enough. Carefully, they lowered Logan's body inside.
Nova gazed at her friend's face one last time before they began covering him with dirt.
"I'm sorry, Logan," she whispered.
When they finished, Axel planted a wooden marker at the head of the grave.
"We need to move now," he said.
The sky had begun to change color as they walked again. Morning sunlight should have brought comfort, but to them, its glow felt hollow. There was no safety, no certainty.
Nova walked beside Axel, while Carter trailed slightly behind.
The forest remained eerily silent. No birds, no rustling leaves—nothing. That only made them more uneasy.
As they passed a large tree, Nova suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Axel asked.
Nova frowned, sharpening her hearing. "Do you hear that?"
Axel and Carter froze, straining to catch whatever sound Nova had picked up.
Silence.
And then—
CRACK.
A twig snapped in the forest behind them.
Carter stiffened. "S-something's following us…"
Axel gripped his knife tightly, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Nova felt her pulse quicken. She stepped closer to Axel, ready to run if necessary.
Then, something moved in the bushes.
The figure was faint—just a shadow between the trees—but clear enough to make them freeze.
A thin body with grayish, pale skin crawled across the ground in an unnatural manner. Its eyes were hollow, completely black, and its mouth… stained with blood.
Nova held her breath. That creature… it looked human.
Carter stifled a scream. "Oh God… w-what is that?"
The creature snapped its head toward them.
"RUN!!" Axel shouted.
Without hesitation, they bolted. Nova's breath came in gasps, but she didn't dare look back.
Carter nearly tripped, but Axel yanked him upright.
Nova could hear rapid footsteps behind them—the creature was chasing them.
Then, the sound grew closer…
Desperately, Nova reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out a small flashlight, and switched it on, aiming it behind her.
A beam of bright light hit the creature's face.
It let out a hoarse, choking sound and recoiled violently. Its body trembled before it leapt to the side, vanishing into the darkness of the trees.
Nova gasped. That thing… it was afraid of the light!
Axel and Carter skidded to a stop, panting hard.
"Did you see that?" Nova pointed at her flashlight. "It backed off when I shined the light at it."
Axel nodded quickly. "That means we have an advantage."
Carter was still trembling, but a flicker of hope appeared in his eyes. "Then… we need to stay in the light."
Nova looked ahead at the endless forest. They were still trapped here, still being hunted by something beyond their understanding.
The woods felt even more silent after the creature disappeared. Nova gripped her flashlight tightly, her fingers trembling. That small beam of light now felt like their only protection.
Axel steadied his breathing, his eyes still scanning their surroundings. "We can't stay here. If it comes back with others, we're done for."
Carter nodded quickly, his face still pale. "But where do we go?"
Nova glanced up, watching the rising sun. Natural daylight could be their savior. If the creatures feared the light, then they had to keep moving before darkness returned.
"We need to find open ground," Nova said. "Somewhere fully exposed to sunlight."
Axel agreed. "Let's find higher ground."
Without another word, they pressed on. Every step felt heavier—not just from exhaustion, but from the constant fear lingering behind them.
After nearly an hour of walking, they reached a small hill that gave them a clearer view of the seemingly endless forest.
Nova swept her gaze downward, toward the path they had just taken. There was no sign of the creature.
Carter exhaled in relief. "Maybe it's really gone."
Axel shook his head. "Don't be so sure."
Then, suddenly, something made Axel tense.
He knelt down, studying the ground around them.
"Our footprints…" he murmured.
Nova and Carter looked.
Their tracks—once clear in the dirt—were now gone.
There were no footprints behind them. It was as if the earth had swallowed them… or someone had erased them.
Nova felt a chill run down her spine. "Something is following us."