Nate gritted his teeth as he forced himself onto his feet, his hand pressed tightly against the deep gashes on his side. The pain was excruciating, but there was no time to check the injury. They had to move.
"She's alive, Nate!" Madison called out as she knelt by Amara, turning her over carefully. Relief washed over her face as she felt a faint pulse. "Let's take her back!"
Nate didn't respond. His gaze was fixed on the darkened forest behind them, his body tense. Madison frowned and started to ask what was wrong, but before she could, Nate was already at her side, helping her lift Amara.
His face twisted in pain as the movement pulled at his wound, but he managed to whisper hoarsely, "Let's hurry."
The three of them stumbled forward, Amara draped over their shoulders. Every step was a struggle, Nate's injury slowing them down, Amara's unconscious weight making it nearly impossible to move quickly.
The forest around them seemed to close in, the once distant snarls and growls of the beasts growing louder, nearer. Nate could feel them—hear their heavy footfalls, the snapping of branches under their monstrous weight. There weren't just a few.
It was a horde.
"Madison," Nate said through gritted teeth, his breath labored. "How do your powers work?"
Madison hesitated, her brow furrowed as she adjusted her hold on Amara. "I... I don't really know. It just happens. When I see somewhere, I imagine myself being there, and then... I just teleport."
Nate's jaw tightened. "So, you have to see it first?"
She nodded, her voice shaking. "Yeah. I think so."
"Good," Nate said, his voice steady despite the panic rising within him. "I need you to look ahead. As far as you can see. Teleport there. Do it in every direction if you have to. Find somewhere safe. Now!"
Madison's eyes widened. "What about you?"
"I'll manage. Just go!" he barked.
Madison swallowed hard, her gaze darting between Nate and the shadowy figures closing in behind them. Finally, she nodded. Helping shift Amara's weight entirely onto Nate's back, she stepped away.
"Be careful," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nate nodded, giving her a brief, pained smile. "Go."
In the blink of an eye, Madison vanished, leaving Nate alone with Amara and the relentless sound of the beasts closing in.
The forest erupted with howls and growls as the creatures neared. Nate struggled forward, his legs trembling under the combined weight of Amara and his own injuries. Every step sent fresh waves of agony through his body, but he kept moving.
He couldn't stop. Not now.
The snarls behind him grew louder, closer. He could hear their guttural breaths, the scrape of claws against the ground. There were too many.
More than a hundred.
His heart pounded as a grim thought crept into his mind: What if this was it?
He thought of the others back on the beach. What if they encountered the same situation? What if the horde found them too?
His stomach churned at the possibility. What if they were already gone?
What if they were the only ones left?
Nate forced the thoughts away and gritted his teeth. He couldn't let fear control him now. Every second mattered.
As the sound of the horde drew closer, Nate prayed Madison would find them a way out.
Nate had been running for five grueling minutes, his breaths coming out in sharp, painful gasps. Every step sent a fresh jolt of pain through his injured side, but he couldn't stop. He didn't dare.
The beasts were closer now, their glowing eyes piercing through the forest like fiery embers. Their snarls and roars grew louder, a chilling symphony of death at his heels. Nate risked a glance over his shoulder and cursed under his breath—they had seen him.
The horde surged forward, their pace quickening as their prey drew nearer.
His legs screamed for relief, his lungs burned with every breath, and just as his pace began to falter, a voice rang out.
"I found a safe place!"
Madison appeared behind him, her face pale, her breaths labored. Relief flashed in Nate's eyes, but it was short-lived.
Her gaze shifted to the beasts, and her expression twisted into one of horror. "Where did they come from?" she shouted, panic threading her voice.
She dashed forward, placing her hands on Nate and Amara's shoulders. "Hold still!"
"What are you doing?" Nate barked, his voice strained.
"I'm trying to see if I can teleport both of you!" she yelled back, frustration clear in her tone as she struggled to focus.
The horde was too close now. Their snarls grew deafening, their glowing eyes like torches in the encroaching dark. Nate felt Madison's grip tremble as she tried again.
"It's not working!" she cried, desperation in her voice.
"Take Amara first!" Nate shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Get her to safety and come back for me!"
Madison hesitated, her face twisting with indecision.
"Go, Madison! Now!" Nate roared, his fiery gaze locking onto hers.
With no time to think, Madison nodded, removing her hand from Nate's shoulder. She focused all her energy on Amara, trying once, failing, then trying again.
A sharp crack sounded, and she disappeared, Amara vanishing with her.
The weight on Nate's back was gone. Instantly, he felt lighter, his movements quicker, more fluid. The pain in his side dulled slightly, though his exhaustion still pressed on him.
What is happening to me? he wondered briefly. Before the crash, he couldn't run for more than a minute without doubling over in exhaustion. Yet now, not only had he carried Amara for seven minutes, but his speed and endurance seemed almost superhuman.
But there was no time to dwell on the mystery. The beasts were still on his heels, and though he was faster, he couldn't maintain the pace for much longer.
His steps faltered, his body threatening to give in. Suddenly, he felt a shift in the air, a presence he couldn't ignore.
Before he could react, one of the beasts leapt from the shadows, its claws swinging toward him.
The attack came too fast. Nate didn't see it, couldn't hear it over the cacophony of pounding paws and growls.
This was it.
Just as the beast's claws were about to strike, a hand grabbed his arm.
Nate barely registered Madison's presence before the world around him shifted. The roar of the horde vanished, replaced by a deafening silence and the faint hum of teleportation.
Madison had reappeared just in time.
They collapsed onto the forest floor in a heap, Nate panting heavily, his body trembling from the exertion. Madison sat beside him, her wide eyes filled with fear and relief.
For a moment, neither spoke, the weight of what just happened settling over them. Finally, Madison broke the silence.
"I almost didn't make it," she whispered, her voice shaky.
Nate glanced at her, his face pale but resolute. "But you did."
And that was all that mattered.