Nate approached Claire, his expression neutral but his tone firm. "Where are the others? The ones I left here on the plane?"
Claire glanced at him, a hint of relief in her eyes now that Amara, Madison, and Nate had returned safely. "They went to the beach," she said simply, gesturing in the direction of the shoreline.
Nate nodded, ready to walk off, but his eyes caught sight of another girl standing next to Claire. She fit the description of Lena, the one Claire and Bella went to look for. Her quiet demeanor and nervous glances made her stand out, but Nate had no time for introductions. He gave her a quick nod before turning to leave.
Before he could take a step, Claire grabbed his arm. "Wait," she said, pointing toward Bella, who was nearby. "You should know something. We were in trouble earlier when we found Lena, surrounded by beasts. It was Bella who got us out. She used her powers."
Nate froze, his brows furrowing. "Her powers?"
Claire nodded, her voice tinged with awe. "Yeah. She must've awakened them while we were being chased."
Nate turned his gaze to Bella, who was casually resting her back on the plane, peeling the fruit in her hand as though nothing significant had happened. He was stunned. His mind raced as he pieced together the pattern.
He had awakened his abilities when the beasts attacked him. Madison had awakened hers when she was in a dire situation. And now Bella, too, had manifested her powers under stress. There was a clear connection—these abilities seemed to be triggered by moments of extreme danger.
Amara walked by, carrying some supplies from the plane. Nate stopped her with a quick gesture. "Hey, Amara," he called out. "How did you awaken your abilities?"
She paused, tilting her head as if trying to recall. "I was being chased by some beasts," she said matter-of-factly. "I thought I was done for. Then, suddenly, fire shot out of my hands, and I managed to scare them off."
Nate nodded thoughtfully, muttering under his breath. "Stress-induced activation… makes sense."
He started to step away, but Amara stopped him. "Nate, about what you said earlier…"
He turned back to her. "What about it?"
Amara hesitated for a moment, then said, "You mentioned we might not be on Earth anymore. But I just saw a rabbit a few minutes ago. If this isn't Earth, how do you explain that?"
Nate smirked faintly. "And if this is Earth, how do you explain creatures with fire burning in their eyes?"
Amara paused, considering his point. Finally, she shrugged. "Fair enough," she said, walking off to continue packing her belongings.
The group was preparing to head to the beach, gathering supplies and organizing their next move. Nate stood for a moment, watching the others move about. His thoughts returned to Bella.
He walked over to her, his expression unreadable. "Why didn't you tell me you had powers now?" he asked.
Bella didn't even look up. She continued fiddling with the fruit in her hand, her tone flat. "Since when do I tell you everything?"
Her reply left Nate speechless for a moment. He sighed, shaking his head, and walked away, his mind churning with questions he couldn't yet answer. This was how she was before, they attended the same school, but for a while after the crash he thought she changed. But he was wrong, it was still the same Bella.
The journey to the beach took Nate and his group three grueling days. The dense forest, unpredictable terrain, and the ever-present threat of beasts slowed their progress. By the time they arrived at the beach, the sight of the ocean stretching endlessly before them brought a brief sense of relief.
They saw the rest of the survivors scattered across the sand. Ryder stood near a makeshift shelter, and from the corner of his eye, Nate spotted Axel and Jason lingering near the edge of the group. He chose not to approach them and instead walked straight to Ryder.
A week had passed since the crash, and still, no rescue had come. Nate knew hope was waning for many.
Ryder eyed Nate's group cautiously, his gaze lingering on Claire, Amara, and Lena. "Who are they?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.
"They're survivors," Nate explained quickly. "We found them on the other side of the plane. They're part of the same crash as us."
Ryder's expression softened slightly, but there was still doubt in his eyes. "You sure about that?"
Nate nodded firmly. "They're with us now. That's all that matters."
As the group settled in, Nate couldn't help but notice the grim expressions on the faces of the other survivors. The air was heavy with tension, and no one seemed particularly fazed by the return of his group. It was strange—almost unsettling.
Nate turned to Liam, who was standing nearby. "What's with the mood?" he asked. "Why does everyone look like they've seen a ghost?"
Liam didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the ground. Nate's eyes darted around, noting that the people he had left on the plane all seemed broken in some way. Their faces were pale, their movements sluggish. In contrast, the ones who had gone with him to search for the radio looked relatively normal.
Finally, Ryder spoke, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "The day you left, we were attacked."
Nate's expression hardened. "By beasts?"
Ryder nodded. "Yes. A few of us didn't make it."
The weight of the revelation settled over Nate. That explained the survivors' grim expressions. "I see," he said quietly. "But that was almost a week ago. Shouldn't they have... I don't know, started moving on by now?"
Ryder let out a bitter laugh. "That attack was just the beginning of our bad luck."
"What do you mean?" Nate asked, his brow furrowing.
Ryder sighed deeply. "After the attack, we decided the beach wasn't safe anymore. We thought it would be better to find a more secure place to stay."
Nate glanced around, taking in their surroundings. The group was still on the beach, huddled around their makeshift shelters. "Considering that you're all still here," Nate said, crossing his arms, "I'm guessing that didn't go well."
Ryder shook his head slowly, his expression grim. "We should have stayed here."
The weight of his words hung in the air, leaving Nate with a sense of unease. Whatever had happened, it was clear that the group had been through more than he could have imagined.