Nate stood in silence, staring at his hand as the strange red flames flickered and danced across his palm. He turned his hand over slowly, watching the fire move as if it were alive. It didn't hurt. He couldn't feel the heat. It was as if the fire was a part of him now, and the sight left him frozen in shock.
Claire took a cautious step toward him, her wide eyes fixed on the flames. "What… what is that?" she asked softly.
"I don't know," Nate muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Claire circled him, her gaze sharp with curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, as if comparing him to something—or someone.
"This… this happened before," Claire said, her voice trembling slightly.
Bella frowned. "Before? What do you mean?"
"To someone else," Claire explained, pausing as she looked at Nate's hand again. "Amara. It happened to her when we crashed here."
"Who's Amara?" Bella asked, stepping closer.
Claire let out a shaky breath. "Amara was one of the passengers. She was with us when we crashed here… a few days ago."
The group exchanged confused looks. Nate's flames dimmed slightly as he clenched his fist, forcing the fire to fade away. He turned his attention to Claire, his brow furrowed. "What happened when you crashed?"
Claire hesitated, but then started to explain, her voice unsteady. "We thought it was just a normal crash at first. Everyone was shaken up, but we were alive. Then... they came."
"They?" Nate pressed.
Claire swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the ground. "The beasts. They were massive, bigger than any animal I've ever seen. Their fur was jet-black, like it swallowed the light around them. You couldn't even see their muscles move; they were that smooth. But their faces..." She trailed off, her voice trembling.
"What about their faces?" Bella asked, her voice tinged with unease.
"They were twisted," Claire continued, shuddering at the memory. "Snarling, with teeth like jagged knives. And their eyes... their eyes glowed, like burning embers inside their skulls. It wasn't just fear when you looked at them—it was like they could see right through you, into your soul."
A heavy silence fell over the group, each of them trying to picture the horrors Claire described.
"How did you survive?" Nate asked, breaking the silence.
Claire glanced at him, then at the others. "We all scattered. Everyone ran in different directions. I managed to get back to the plane—it was the only place they didn't go near. There were five of us who made it to the plane."
"Why didn't they enter the plane?" Bella asked, her brows knitted in confusion.
"I don't know," Claire admitted. "They'd circle it, growling and scratching at the outside, but they never came in. It was like something kept them out."
"And the others?" Nate asked, his voice steady but concerned.
Claire's shoulders slumped slightly. "We stayed in the plane for days, but then we got really hungry, we went to search for food. We were coming back when the beasts attack. We got separated in the attack. I don't know where they are now."
"We have to go find them," Nate said, his tone firm.
Claire nodded quickly, her expression desperate. "Yes, we have to. They could still be out there, hiding or… or worse."
Bella glanced at Nate and then at the others. "Are we seriously going back out there? Those things are dangerous, and we barely made it out alive just now!"
Nate's gaze hardened. "We're not leaving anyone behind."
The group fell silent, the weight of the decision pressing on them. Claire looked at Nate with a mixture of hope and fear, waiting for his next move.
Nate turned to face the group, his expression calm but determined. "Listen," he said, his voice steady, "anyone who wants to stay can stay. I won't force you to come. But I'm going to find the others. If you want to help, then follow me. If not, stay here where it's safe."
The group exchanged uncertain looks, some shifting uncomfortably. One of the boys spoke up, his voice tinged with hesitation. "Look, Nate, we don't even know what we're up against. These... things, whatever they are, they're not normal."
Another person chimed in, shaking his head. "For all we know, the people we're going to look for might already be dead. Is it worth risking all our lives for them?"
Claire's face darkened, her hands balling into fists. "You don't know that!" she shouted, her voice cracking with emotion. "They're not dead! They can't be!"
"Claire," Nate said gently, stepping closer to her. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. We'll find them."
Before Claire could respond, a boy near the back of the group snorted, crossing his arms. "Oh, come on," he said with a smirk. "Are we really going to pretend you're not doing this just because she's hot?"
The tension in the air snapped like a breaking wire. Nate turned to the boy, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Flames flickered to life in his hand, casting an eerie glow across his face. The boy stumbled back, his smirk vanishing as fear overtook him.
Nate let the fire burn brighter for a moment before extinguishing it, his gaze shifting to the rest of the group. His voice was cold but steady as he spoke. "This isn't about anyone's looks or interests. This is about humanity. It could be any one of us out there right now, scared and alone. Would you want the rest of us to abandon you if it were you out there? Think about that." He paused, his tone growing firmer. "If you have a problem with that, then stay here. Fuck off back to the beach. But don't stand in the way of those of us who are willing to do what's right."
The silence that followed was heavy. Nate's words hung in the air like a challenge no one wanted to answer.
Bella stepped forward, her expression resolute. "You're right, Nate," she said firmly. "We should go. We can't just leave them out there."
Nate nodded at her, grateful for her support. He looked back at the others, scanning their faces for any sign of agreement. But no one else moved. Some avoided his gaze entirely, while others simply looked away, guilt and fear etched into their features.
"Alright," Nate said, nodding again. "Let's go."
He turned toward the exit, with Bella and Claire close behind. Just as they reached the edge of the plane, a voice called out.
"Wait!"
Nate stopped, turning back to see who had spoken. A young woman stepped forward hesitantly, her face pale but determined. It was Madison.
"I want to come," she said quietly, meeting Nate's gaze.
Nate studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright," he said simply. "Let's move."
With that, the four of them stepped out of the plane, leaving the others behind.