4:20 AM – Nowhere Left to Run
Ethan Carter leaned against the twisted bark of a seasoned oak tree, his breath coming in short, rough gasps. His entire body rebelled—his ribs thudded, his legs ached, and his lungs scorched.
But he couldn't stop.
Not now.
His mind swirled, attempting to make sense of what had transpired.
He had escaped. Twice.
And yet, still, he was alone.
No one believed him.
The police would never understand.
The only people who could be sure he was sane—the only ones who really counted—remained locked inside that facility.
And with each second that slipped away, they drew further and further away.
Ethan hugged the tree for support, his face contorted in a snarl.
I have to get back.
But how?
---
4:25 AM – The First Clue
Ethan continued on, further into the forest. His leaden legs, his mind burdened with exhaustion, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself onward.
He needed to return to the facility.
He didn't have a map, and he had no idea where the river had taken him.
But there must be something.
A road. A post. A sign—
Then—
His foot hit something hard.
Ethan stumbled, barely catching himself.
Scowling, he gazed down.
It was metal.
A rusty little utility box, half-buried in the bushes.
Ethan's heart pounded.
This was too random to be an accident.
He got down on his knees, scraping dirt off its surface.
Faint letters were scratched into the metal.
D-42 SECURITY ACCESS
Security?
Ethan's heart was pounding.
This has to be connected with the facility.
Which meant.
He was close.
---
4:30 AM – A Shadow in the Dark
Ethan straightened up, his hands shaking.
The discovery thrilled him, hopeful—but it meant something else as well.
If he was around…
Then so were they.
Cold wind cut through the trees, chattering the leaves, sending a shivery chill down his spine.
Something wasn't right.
He whirled slowly, catching his breath in his throat.
The woods behind him were empty.
But it didn't sound empty.
Ethan swallowed thick.
Then, on the very border of hearing—
A sound.
The slightest crunch of leaves moving under purposeful feet.
Someone was out there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Ethan's eyes turned icy.
---
4:32 AM – Run or Hide?
His mind spun.
Was it one of them, or just some random hunter or hiker?
He wouldn't take a chance.
His fists clenched.
Ethan had two options.
1. Run. Break for the hills. But he was weak, injured, and if they were faster… he was dead.
-----
2. Hide. Stay down. Try to follow them, instead.
---
Ethan gritted, his jaw clamped.
Running wasn't an option.
He had to be smarter.
Quietly, stealthily, he crept behind a great tree, crouching down in the bushes. His heart was thudding so hard he could have sworn they could hear it.
Silence.
Then—
A shadow darted between the trees.
A figure.
Dressed in black tactical gear.
Ethan's world disintegrated.
They had already found him.
---
4:35 AM – A Desperate Move
Ethan couldn't breathe.
The masked figure stood stock still, scanning the ground.
They were following him.
Ethan thrust himself deeper into the tree, making himself invisible.
His mind was screaming—Do something!
He only had one chance.
One move.
The figure took a step closer.
Ethan's heart pounded.
Then—he picked up a rock.
Smooth. Flat.
And hurled it as quickly as he could to the right.
The rock hit the undergrowth, birds flying out of the air.
The masked figure turned on the sound, their posture altering.
Ethan didn't wait.
He moved.
Low. Quick. Quiet.
Slipping between the trees when they were distracted.
And then—
He ran.
---
4:40 AM – The Hidden Route
Ethan did not slacken pace.
Branches snagged against his arms, the woods a flash as he ran.
He was not fast. But he was desperate.
Then—he caught sight of it.
A chain-link fence.
High. Ancient. Battened by barbed wire across the top.
On the other side?
A dark concrete building, just visible through the trees.
Ethan's heart pounded.
He had found it.
The facility.
And now…
He just had to break back in.
---
4:45 AM – Back to the Nightmare
Ethan braced himself against the fence, looking for a break.
No going over—not with that barbed wire.
Then—
A gap.
A spot where the metal was dented, like someone had forced entry before.
Ethan knelt down, fussing with the gap.
The metal groaned, bending sufficiently for him to crawl through.
A searing pain pierced his side as he squeezed through, the fence scraping on his hoodie.
Then—
He was inside.
The air was denser here, richer with something intangible.
This was all wrong.
He wasn't meant to be here.
But neither were his friends.
Ethan balled up his fists.
I made it back.
Now, all he had to do was find them.
Before it was too late.