The storm continued its relentless assault, the rain coming down in torrents, heavy enough to blur the horizon. Every now and then, a flash of lightning cut through the darkness, revealing the rolling meadow and the dense forest beyond. Zhang tied the deer to his spear, making it easier to carry, their fresh kills still warm despite the cold storm. They were about to head back when Maria, her eyes sharp even in the downpour, spotted something moving in the distance."Hey! Over here!" she shouted, waving her hand frantically.Zhang's head snapped toward her, panic flashing in his eyes. Without a second thought, he lunged toward Maria and dragged her down into the mud, pulling her into a crouch. The wet ground splattered around them as they sank into the grass."Zhang, what the hell?" Maria gasped, confused, as Carter knelt beside them, wide-eyed."Stay down," Zhang hissed, his eyes fixed on the figures in the distance. His heart raced, every nerve on edge. The next bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the scene before him just for a split second. What he saw made his stomach twist in terror.There were bodies out there—human bodies—lying in the grass. But the thing standing among them, moving slowly, wasn't human."Zhang, what is it? What did you see?" Maria's voice trembled, her earlier confidence evaporating under the weight of the unknown.He swallowed hard, his breath shaky. "It's not human."Carter glanced toward the figures, his brow furrowing as he tried to peer through the sheets of rain. "What do you mean, not human? It looks like—""No." Zhang cut him off, his voice sharp and quiet. "I asked you earlier if you could stand in this storm. Look at them. They're not moving like normal people."Another flash of lightning lit the sky, and this time, all three of them saw it. The figure standing upright among the bodies was swaying unnaturally, like a puppet held up by strings. Its arms hung loosely at its sides, too long, its body distorted, pale skin stretched tight over unnaturally thin limbs. Its head jerked to the side, the motion too quick, too wrong, as it moved toward one of the corpses. A low, chilling sound echoed through the rain, something like a moan but twisted, broken.Maria stifled a gasp. "What... what is that thing?""It's using the dead as bait," Zhang whispered, his voice tight with fear. "Waiting for the living to come close. And then it... it hunts."Carter's face went pale. "We need to get out of here. Now."Zhang nodded, keeping his voice calm despite the terror gnawing at his gut. "We retreat. Slowly. Don't make a sound. Drag the deer with us."They crouched low, moving cautiously through the thick grass, each step deliberate and silent. The rain masked their movements, the constant roar of the storm providing cover. But with every lightning strike, Zhang's heart skipped a beat, afraid the creature might spot them. He kept his spear close, his knuckles white from gripping it so tightly.As they moved, Zhang couldn't shake the eerie sounds coming from the creature behind them. In between the crashes of thunder, he could hear it muttering—soft, broken voices like that of a person in agony. "Help... help me... it's so cold... I'm so hungry..."Maria's breath hitched as she heard the voices, her hand tightening around her bow. "Is it... talking?"Zhang shook his head. "It's not human. It's using their voices. It wants us to come closer."Carter's eyes flicked back toward the creature, his face pale as the storm. "It's a monster."They moved slowly, dragging the deer with them, careful not to make any sudden noises. The rain continued to fall, heavy and suffocating, as if the storm itself was trying to crush them under its weight. The voices in the distance grew louder, more frantic, pleading."I'm starving... Please... don't leave me..."The desperation in the voice clawed at their minds, making Maria shiver. But Zhang kept them moving, his focus unbroken. They couldn't risk stopping. They couldn't risk looking back.Another flash of lightning lit up the meadow, and this time, Zhang saw the creature crouched over one of the corpses, its fingers digging into the flesh as it fed, tearing into the body like a ravenous animal. The sight turned his stomach, but he forced himself to keep moving, his hand steady on the rope that held their deer."We're almost there," he muttered, trying to reassure the others.But the storm had no mercy. The thunder boomed, and the voices continued, growing weaker, more distant, as they finally moved out of sight. The safehouse wasn't far, and if they could just make it back, they could fortify their position and try to figure out what to do next.As they reached the edge of the meadow, Zhang finally allowed himself a breath of relief. He glanced back toward the field, watching the storm rage on, the flashes of lightning illuminating the distant, twisted figure still feeding in the darkness.They had escaped. But the horror lingered in his mind, the image of that thing burned into his memory."Come on," Zhang whispered, pulling the deer closer. "Let's get back."They moved quickly but carefully, knowing that the storm wasn't their only threat. Something far worse was out there, lurking in the darkness, waiting for its next prey. And Zhang knew they weren't safe—not yet.