The trees were darker here. Thicker. The silence was eerie, not peaceful like before, but charged—like the forest itself was holding its breath. No one spoke as they advanced. The snow had melted in this part of the land, replaced by damp earth and dense moss. Alex felt it in his gut: something was watching.
They came across a wall—tall, made of rusted metal, hidden behind thick vines and trees. It looked like it hadn't been touched in years. A gate stood slightly open, barely hanging on its hinges. There were no signs, no warnings. Just silence.
"This wasn't on the map," Ethan said.
"It wasn't supposed to be," Noah muttered. "But I've heard of places like this. Hidden bunkers. Government outposts. Most were sealed shut."
"But this one's not," Elena said.
Alex looked at the others. "We go in. Carefully."
Inside, the world changed. Cold, echoing halls. Old fluorescent lights flickering faintly overhead. The air smelled of metal and dust. They moved slowly, weapons drawn, hearts pounding. Everything felt frozen in time—abandoned offices, maps on the walls, broken monitors still humming low.
In one room, they found names etched into the wall. Hundreds of them.
"What is this place?" Lina whispered.
A soft noise echoed from down the corridor. Footsteps.
The group froze.
Alex signaled everyone to stay low. Slowly, they advanced, and at the end of the hall they found a door slightly ajar. Inside was a room still powered—machines buzzing, a screen flashing with unread messages.
Then they saw her.
A girl, no older than 12, standing behind a desk. Dirty face, wide eyes, a knife clutched in one hand. She didn't speak. She just stared at them.
"We're not here to hurt you," Elena said gently, lowering her weapon.
The girl said nothing, but after a long pause, she pointed to the screen.
On it: surveillance footage from all over the forest.
Someone had been watching them for days.
Suddenly, a light blinked red in the corner.
"INCOMING SIGNAL — HUNTER ACTIVITY DETECTED"
Alex stepped back. "We need to move. Now."
But the girl shook her head.
"There's more," she finally said. "They're already here."