Nate stood at the fork, his eyes scanning the two ominous paths before him. The air felt heavier here, and the dim torchlight cast eerie shadows on the uneven walls. He clenched his jaw, weighing his options. Splitting up seemed like a logical solution, but the thought of Madison alone in this maze, vulnerable to whatever dangers lurked ahead, was unbearable. He had made a promise—a silent vow to himself—that he would keep everybody safe.
His fists tightened as frustration began to seep in. Then, out of nowhere, a strange sensation washed over him, like an invisible hand tugging him toward the left tunnel. It was faint at first, like a whisper brushing against his mind, but it grew stronger with each passing second. Before he could even process it, the words slipped from his mouth.
"She's there," he said, his voice steady and certain. "Bella's in the left tunnel."
Madison, who had been standing silently behind him, stepped forward. Her brows knit together in confusion as she glanced at him. "How do you know that?"
"I just… know," Nate replied, not turning to face her. His gaze was fixed on the left tunnel, its darkness seeming to stretch endlessly ahead. He hesitated for a moment, debating whether to tell her the whole truth.
The truth was, he felt her there. It wasn't logical, nor was it something he could easily explain. It was as if her presence was reaching out to him, calling for help. But how could he explain that to Madison without sounding insane?
"'Just know' isn't good enough," Madison said, crossing her arms. "We're not exactly in a place where we can take wild guesses, Nate."
"It's not a guess," Nate said firmly, finally turning to look at her. "I can't explain it, Madison, but I know she's there. Trust me."
Madison stared at him for a moment, trying to read his expression. There was no hesitation in his voice, no uncertainty in his eyes. Finally, she sighed and gestured toward the left tunnel. "Alright, lead the way. But if we're wrong, you're buying me a drink when we get off this damn island."
Nate smirked faintly, "If I'm wrong we might never step out of this tunnel alive."
Without another word, he turned and stepped into the tunnel, his torchlight cutting through the darkness. Madison followed a few paces behind, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.
The air grew colder with each step they took, the chill biting through their clothes. Nate's breaths came out in visible puffs, and the once-dry walls of the cave were now slick with moisture, reflecting the light in strange, distorted patterns. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the soft echo of their footsteps.
Madison quickened her pace, catching up to Nate. "Do you think this tunnel leads to… whatever took her?"
"It has to," Nate said, his voice low. "If I'm wrong about this…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "I'm not wrong."
Madison didn't respond. Instead, she kept her eyes on him, her mind turning over the events of the past hour. How could Nate possibly know where Bella was? Was it a gut feeling, or something more? And why did he seem so certain?
Her thoughts were interrupted when she stumbled, her foot catching on something solid. She let out a small gasp, throwing her hands out to steady herself.
Nate was at her side in an instant, grabbing her arm before she could fall. "You okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Madison nodded, brushing herself off. "Yeah. I just…" She paused, her face paling as she glanced down. "I think I stepped on something."
Nate shone his torch downward, and both of them froze at the sight before them. A bone. A human bone, partially buried in the dirt. It wasn't old or brittle—it was fresh, the jagged edges still stained with clotted blood.
"Oh my God," Madison whispered, her voice barely audible.
Nate crouched down, his face grim as he examined the bone. "This is fresh," he muttered. "A day old, maybe two."
Madison's hand instinctively reached for his, gripping it tightly. "Nate… what if this is—" She knew it wasn't Bella's but what if it was one of the people who disappeared. It had to be, they were the only people in the island.
"Don't think about that," Nate said, cutting her off. He stood, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We don't know whose it is. And we're not going to jump to conclusions, okay?"
Madison nodded, though her grip on his hand didn't loosen. Her usual confidence was gone, replaced by a rare vulnerability. She wasn't used to sights like this, and the reality of their situation was beginning to sink in.
As they continued down the tunnel, the air grew heavier, each step feeling like a struggle against an invisible weight. The silence became deafening, and the oppressive darkness seemed to close in around them. Nate's torchlight flickered slightly, casting unsettling shadows on the walls.
"Stay close," Nate said quietly, glancing back at Madison.
"I'm not going anywhere," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
They pressed on, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. The sight of the bone had rattled them both, but neither wanted to admit it. Nate kept his focus on the path ahead, determined to find Bella—or at least some clue as to where she had been taken.
But as the minutes stretched on, doubt began to creep into his mind. What if they were wrong? What if the left tunnel wasn't the right choice? He shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. He couldn't afford to second-guess himself now.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them shifted slightly, a faint vibration that made them both stop in their tracks. Nate held up a hand, signaling Madison to stay quiet.
"What was that?" Madison whispered.
Nate didn't answer. Instead, he crouched down, pressing his palm against the dirt. The faint tremor had stopped, but the unease it left behind lingered.
"Let's keep moving," he said, standing and adjusting his grip on the torch. "We're getting close."
Madison didn't argue. She simply followed him, her eyes darting nervously around the tunnel.
Nate's steps became more purposeful as they continued down the winding tunnel. The pull he felt earlier had grown stronger, a silent reassurance that he was heading in the right direction. He glanced at Madison, who walked close behind, her face pale but determined. He admired her resolve—despite everything they'd faced so far, she hadn't faltered.
After what felt like an eternity navigating the suffocating darkness, the tunnel widened abruptly, revealing a large, hollowed-out chamber. Nate stopped in his tracks, his breath catching as he swept the torchlight across the space. The chamber was massive, its ceiling so high it disappeared into the shadows. The walls were uneven and damp, covered in patches of moss and strange markings that Nate didn't recognize.
As his light flickered over the room, it settled on a cluster of figures lying on the ground. Nate's heart raced as he realized who they were. Bella and the others.
"They're here," Nate said, his voice hoarse with a mix of relief and dread. He stepped forward cautiously, his torch illuminating the scene in greater detail.
Bella lay closest to them, her body tightly bound with a black, slimy substance that glistened in the dim light. Her arms, legs, and even her torso were immobilized, leaving her unable to move. The others were similarly restrained, though not as severely as Bella. Their mouths were gagged with the same slimy material, rendering them mute.
Madison gasped softly. "What… what is that stuff?"
Nate didn't answer. His focus was on Bella's face, her eyes wide and desperate as they locked onto his. She was alive, but barely. Her breathing was shallow, and her skin was pale.
Nate crouched from his position, trying to find a way to free her, he didn't wanna run towards them, Bella's frantic eyes showed relief when she saw him then she turn to her right as if alerting him of something.
Following her gaze, Nate turned his head—and froze.
In the shadows of the chamber, something massive moved. As it stepped into the light, Nate's blood ran cold.
The creature was unlike anything he'd ever seen. It stood over five meters tall, its black, slimy skin glistening as though it were perpetually wet. Its body was humanoid in shape, but grotesque in detail. Its arms were unnaturally long, its fingers ending in sharp, claw-like tips. Its face was featureless save for two glowing red eyes that burned with malice.
In its massive hands, it held a human bone, blood still dripping from the end. Nate's stomach churned as his gaze fell to the ground beside it. There, lying in a pool of blood, was the remains of one of the missing people. The tattered clothing was enough for Nate to recognize who it had been.
Anger surged through him, hot and unrelenting. His hands trembled, not with fear, but with fury. The torch he held slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground and rolling away. In its place, his hands ignited with flames, the fire casting an intense glow that illuminated the entire chamber.
Madison stepped back instinctively, her eyes darting between Nate and the creature. The firelight revealed the full extent of the carnage—the bloodstained ground, the bound and gagged captives, and the towering beast that now turned its attention toward them.
The creature let out a guttural roar, a sound so loud and unnatural it reverberated through the chamber. It was a sound of rage, a challenge. The beast raised its arms, claws glinting in the firelight, as if to assert its dominance.
Nate didn't flinch. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he stared down the monster. The fire in his hands flared brighter, crackling with raw energy.
Madison, still clutching her blade, whispered, "Nate… what's the plan?"
But Nate didn't respond. His mind was focused on one thing: bringing down the creature.