Chapter 15

As the group retraced their steps, their emotions clung to them like a thick fog—unshaken, unrelenting. The night air was heavy, pressing down on them as if the very universe grieved alongside them.

Mason had gone to gather firewood alone. He hadn’t wanted to leave, not after everything, but someone had to do it. He swallowed his nerves, remembering the bears they had encountered just the day before. His hands clenched into fists as he forced himself forward. He had to be strong. Not for himself, but for them. For the ones who were barely holding on.

Zariyah sat on a lone log near the cold, unlit fire pit, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The silence around her wasn’t comforting—it was deafening. She felt hollow, an echo of the person she was before. Every thought that crossed her mind dragged her deeper into the storm of emotions she couldn’t escape.

How was she supposed to get past this?

Tyler sat nearby, but he hadn’t spoken in a while. He stared at the ground, tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick, his face unreadable.

The night stretched on, cold and merciless.

And somewhere, in the distance, something watched.

A sharp crack echoed through the trees.

Zariyah's head snapped up, her pulse quickening. That wasn’t Mason. He wouldn’t be that careless.

Tyler looked up too, his grip tightening around the stick in his hands. “That sounded close,” he muttered, his voice hoarse from hours of silence.

Another snap. This time, closer.

Zariyah rose to her feet, every muscle in her body tensing. The darkness around them felt thicker now, shifting, moving. The fire pit remained unlit, leaving them as nothing more than shadows in the night.

Tyler stood as well, his body rigid. “Should we—”

A branch snapped to their right, and before he could finish, something lunged out of the trees.

A blur. Fast. Too fast.

Zariyah barely had time to react before a weight crashed into her, sending her sprawling onto the dirt. Tyler shouted, but the sound was muffled under the ringing in her ears.

She gasped, struggling beneath the force pinning her down. Cold fingers wrapped around her wrist, unnaturally strong.

And then—whispered words, right against her ear.

“I found you.”

Her blood ran cold.

Zariyah’s breath caught in her throat. The voice was low, almost teasing, but it sent a deep chill through her bones.

She struggled, trying to kick whoever—or whatever—had her pinned. But the grip on her wrist only tightened.

Tyler moved fast. He grabbed the nearest rock and swung. Hard.

The impact sent the figure stumbling back, loosening their hold just enough for Zariyah to scramble away. She gasped, clutching her wrist as Tyler stood in front of her, chest heaving.

“Who the hell—” Tyler started, but then he saw the figure more clearly in the dim light.

Tall. Dark clothing. But the thing that stood out the most? The way their eyes gleamed unnaturally in the darkness.

A slow chuckle escaped the figure’s lips. “That was rude.”

Zariyah’s heartbeat pounded in her ears. “Who are you?” she demanded, stepping closer to Tyler.

The figure tilted their head. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

And then—just like that—they were gone.

No sound. No movement.

Just… gone.

A heavy silence settled between her and Tyler. Neither of them spoke. They barely breathed.

Then, from the distance, Mason’s voice rang out.

“Hey! I got firewood!”

They turned toward the sound, still frozen in place.

Zariyah’s mind was spinning.

They weren’t alone in these woods.

And whoever—or whatever—had just found them… would be back.

Mason returned with an armful of firewood, his footsteps heavier than usual. He could feel the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on them. As he neared the camp, the flickering firelight illuminated Zariyah and Tyler, both seated in silence, their faces unreadable yet unmistakably worn.

He dropped the firewood beside the flames, dusting his hands off before sitting across from them. His gaze flickered between them, noticing the way Zariyah's hands trembled slightly, the way Tyler kept glancing over his shoulder, as if expecting something—or someone—to still be there.

Mason exhaled sharply. “Alright. Spill.”

Tyler ran a hand through his hair, hesitating. Zariyah’s eyes were still locked on the fire, but her voice was steady when she spoke.

"There was something out there, Mason. Something... watching us."

Mason stilled, his expression darkening. “What do you mean?”

"I don’t know," Tyler admitted, his voice quieter than usual. “It wasn’t human, that’s for sure. And it wasn’t an animal either.”

Mason let that sink in. His stomach twisted uncomfortably, but he forced his voice to stay level. "You’re sure?"

Zariyah finally looked up, her eyes shadowed. "Dead sure."

The fire crackled between them, filling the silence that followed. For the first time since Alicia’s death, it wasn’t grief that settled over them—it was fear.

Something was out there. And it wasn’t done with them yet.

T. B. C.

What do you think the shadow was?

Happy Reading!