****
Three days ago
The survivors gathered around the smoldering fire on the beach, the air thick with tension and grief. Ryder stood at the center, his torn shirt still showing faint traces of the healed wounds from the battle. "Before we decide anything," Ryder began, his voice steady but low, "maybe we should wait for Nate and his group. They went into the wild to find a solution. We owe them that much."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. "Wait?" a woman interjected sharply. "We don't even know if they're alive! What if they were killed by whatever those beasts were?"
Ryder's eyes darted toward the dense jungle. His jaw tightened. Deep down, he understood her point. But abandoning Nate felt wrong. "They deserve a chance to return," he replied.
"But at what cost?" a man shot back, his voice heavy with fear. "The longer we stay here, the more exposed we are. The beasts might come back. We can't risk it."
The crowd argued back and forth until Ryder raised his hand, silencing them. "Then we vote," he said. "Stay or leave. Majority rules."
One by one, the survivors cast their votes. The final tally was 60% in favor of leaving, 40% wanting to stay. Ryder sighed deeply, his eyes lingering on the dark path Nate had taken into the island. "It seems we'll be leaving you behind," he muttered under his breath.
They quickly prepared to leave, erasing any traces of their direction. The jungle was unpredictable, and leaving hints could invite danger.
****
Present Time
Inside the cockpit of the plane's upper half, Nate's fingers moved furiously over the controls. Every switch he flipped, every frequency he tried, returned nothing but static. Sweat dripped down his brow as he muttered, "Come on... just one signal. One..."
Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered his concentration.
Both of them turned toward the cockpit windows, just as the sound of frantic footsteps echoed through the trees. A young woman burst into view, her torn stewardess uniform hanging loosely on her body.
Nate's eyes widened. He recognized her instantly. "That's Claire!" he said. He remembered her name because he saw her name tag just before getting on the plane.
Behind her, snarling creatures emerged from the jungle—dog-sized beasts with elongated jaws and glowing, blood-red eyes. Their wiry bodies moved unnaturally fast, their growls sending chills through the air.
"RUN!" Claire screamed as she sprinted toward the plane.
The group froze for a second before the reality of the situation hit them like a wave. The beasts were closing in fast.
Claire sprinted toward the plane, her breath ragged and uneven, her face pale from exhaustion. She had been running for what seemed like hours, and her body was barely keeping up. Just as she reached the plane's doorway, her foot caught on a loose wire. She tripped and fell forward, crashing into Nate, who had stepped out of the cockpit to help.
The unexpected collision sent both of them tumbling to the floor. Nate groaned as Claire's weight pinned him down. "Sorry!" she gasped, trying to untangle her leg, but her movements were frantic and shaky.
Before Nate could respond, a guttural growl filled the air. His eyes darted to the doorway just in time to see one of the beasts leap onto the plane. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him and Claire, hunger and rage etched into its monstrous face.
The group inside the cockpit froze in fear. Someone threw a makeshift spear at the creature, but it barely flinched, the weapon clattering harmlessly to the floor. Panic set in, and everyone retreated further into the cockpit, their breaths shaky. Even Bella hesitated, stepping back as fear overtook her.
The beast snarled, crouching low before launching itself toward Nate and Claire. Its jaws stretched wide, razor-sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light. Nate raised his hand instinctively to shield Claire and himself, bracing for the inevitable pain.
But then—silence.
Everyone held their breath, expecting the worst. When they dared to look again, their eyes widened in disbelief. The creature that had been mid-air was now crumpled on the floor, its flesh entirely burnt away, leaving only charred bones.
Nate stared at his outstretched hand, his heart pounding. A deep red flame burned brightly in his palm, flickering and crackling with an unnatural intensity. He didn't feel pain—only warmth.
"What the..." Nate whispered, his voice trembling. He clenched his fist, and the fire seemed to respond, growing larger, more vibrant.
Nate stared at the beast's charred remains in disbelief, his chest rising and falling as adrenaline coursed through him. The flames flickered on his hand, alive and steady, but there was no pain, only an unfamiliar warmth. His shock was cut short as the remaining six beasts growled, their burning red eyes locked onto him.
The creatures paced, their claws scratching against the plane's metal floor, readying themselves for attack. Nate straightened, his breath steadying as a newfound determination filled him.
One beast lunged from the left, its fanged maw open wide. Nate twisted his body and swung his fiery hand in a wide arc. The flame coiled mid-air, almost serpentine, and struck the creature's chest. The beast howled in agony as the fire consumed it from the inside out, leaving nothing but charred bones in its wake.
The group gasped, watching from the cockpit as the flames danced on Nate's palm, glowing brighter with each defeated beast.
The second and third beasts attacked together, one charging low while the other leapt high. Nate sidestepped the first and raised his hand toward the airborne attacker. The flames erupted from his palm in a fiery jet, catching the beast mid-leap. It crashed to the ground, writhing as the fire devoured it.
The second beast pivoted, using the distraction to swipe at Nate's legs. Its claws scraped against his jeans, but before it could strike again, Nate clenched his fist, and the flames surged outward in a shockwave. The creature yelped as the fiery burst knocked it back, its body igniting on impact.
The fourth beast snarled and circled cautiously, its glowing eyes filled with rage and hesitation. It darted forward, feinting to test Nate's defenses. He followed its movements, his hands glowing with anticipation. The beast lunged suddenly, its claws extended toward his throat. Nate dropped low, using the momentum of the dodge to swing his fiery hand upward. The flame struck the beast under its chin, and it crumbled into ash before it even hit the ground.
Bella, standing at the edge of the cockpit, muttered under her breath, "How is this possible..."
The last two beasts hesitated, their glowing eyes flickering with a glimmer of fear. One growled low, crouching as it prepared for its final strike. The other, emboldened, charged recklessly at Nate.
Nate stood his ground, focusing on the flame in his hand. As the beast neared, he threw his arm forward, releasing the fire in a controlled burst. The flames spiraled through the air, engulfing the beast entirely. Its howl echoed through the plane before it collapsed into smoldering remains.
The final creature froze, its muscles tense as it realized it was the last one standing. It let out a guttural roar, charging with desperate fury. Nate braced himself, raising both hands as the flames burned brighter than ever. When the beast leapt toward him, he thrust his palms forward, releasing a torrent of fire that met the creature head-on.
The flames roared, illuminating the entire plane as the beast's body disintegrated mid-air. Its bones clattered to the ground, the last echoes of the battle fading into silence.
Nate staggered back, his chest heaving. The flames on his hands dimmed slightly but still burned brightly enough to cast flickering shadows across the walls. He looked around, his mind racing to comprehend what had just happened.
Claire, still lying on the floor, pushed herself up on her elbows, her eyes wide with disbelief. Bella finally stepped forward, her face pale but determined.
"What... what just happened?" Bella whispered, her voice trembling.
Nate turned to her, raising his still-burning hands. "I don't know," he said, his voice hoarse.
The rest of the group cautiously stepped out from the cockpit, their faces a mixture of awe and terror. They kept their distance, their gazes fixed on Nate as if he were something alien, something beyond their understanding.
Nate clenched and unclenched his fists, watching the flames respond to his movements. The weight of what he had just done—and what it meant—pressed down on him. For the first time since the crash, the silence wasn't comforting; it was suffocating.