The wind began to pick up as they left the eerie village behind, their pace quickening with each step. The unsettling encounter with the old man lingered in their minds, casting a shadow over the brief relief they had felt when they first saw the village in the distance. Luke kept glancing over his shoulder, expecting something—or someone—to emerge from the darkened houses. But nothing followed them. The village remained silent, haunted by the words of the old man.
"It's spreading," Ava said quietly as they walked, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. "Whatever this is... it's not just in the caves or the forest. It's moving, infecting everything it touches."
Luke nodded, the pit in his stomach growing heavier with every passing moment. "That man... he knew something. He spoke of survival, but even he didn't seem to believe it was possible."
