Chapter 20
1483 Words
Alister glanced at the Milo wondering what someone so young could be doing there, then at the others. The statement hung in the air for a moment. No one argued. It didn’t feel like they were just supposed to get to the bottom and be welcomed with medals. It felt like something was watching. Waiting.
The five of them stood in silence until Howard, the ex-military guy, took a step forward and looked at the door that had led them outside. A cold breeze swept in through it. In the distance, past a short trail, they could see pine trees, steep rocky paths, and endless drops hidden behind thick fog. The mountain looked cruel.
“We can’t do this at night,” Howard said. “We move in the day, rest at night. Standard survival tactic.”
“Sounds fair,” Alister finally said, breaking his silence.
Milo nodded. “We don’t even know the terrain. Moving at night is suicide.”
“I don’t wait for permission to move,” Kara snapped. She had sharp cheekbones and wore tight black pants with thick boots. Her voice was arrogant, laced with pride. “ If I’m here, it’s because I earned it. I’m not wasting time with scouts and sleep schedules.”
Beside her, a man with dreadlocks who had been silent during the earlier introductions smiled. “Facts. The rest of y’all can play team-building games. I’m getting down before sunrise. See you losers at the bottom. I’m Kol by the way, remember the name”
“You sure about that ……Kol?” Howard asked calmly.
But he didn’t answer. He adjusted the small backpack they’d all been given and walked off into the woods with kara, the two of them laughing like they were already above the challenge.
“Let them go,” Milo said.
Howard grunted. “Fine. Less mouths to feed let’s go.”
The remaining four of them, Alister, Jules, Milo and Howard found a flat area beneath a large tree. Howard checked the tree line like a soldier while Jules started a small fire using the supplies in the pack.
The fire crackled gently as night settled around them.
It got cold fast. Really cold. Their breath came out in clouds, and the mountain groaned quietly under the weight of the wind.
Alister sat beside Milo, watching the flames.
“Why did you lie?,” He said without looking at him.
“Huh?” Alister grunted.
He nodded. “When everybody introduced themselves earlier, We all told either a lie or half truths.”
“When people lie they always have a tell. I have an eye for stuff like that. It’s part of the things I thought myself while I was trying to find my place in the world. I needed to know people who were sincere, the world doesn’t take it lightly with Trans-Men”
“Ohh so you’re a g… Sorry, I didn’t notice” Howard skipped.
“Don’t make it weird man” Jules finally spoke up.
Howard tossed a few sticks into the fire. “Since we’re all apparently bonding now, I guess I’ll go first.”
He rubbed his hands together, staring into the flames.
“Afghanistan, 2018. I led a team during a high-risk hostage rescue mission. Things went wrong. My intel was bad, but I didn’t double-check it. I followed the plan.” His voice dropped. “Four civilians were killed. Three soldiers under me died.”
Jules looked up.
“I took the fall. Dishonourable discharge. Name wiped. They buried me quietly.” Howard chuckled bitterly. “Few months later, I robbed a bank in Ohio. No mask, no gloves. I wanted them to catch me. They didn’t.”
Silence.
Jules added, his voice soft and dry. “They say war makes men or monsters.”
“Sometimes both,” Howard replied.
Milo sighed. “Okay… my turn.”
He pushed his glasses up and pulled his jacket closer around his shoulders.
“I’m not a fighter like you two obviously. I was… gifted. Smart. Really smart. Too smart for my own good. Graduated early, was supposed to work with a tech firm in Zurich.”
Jules raised an eyebrow.
“But I met someone. A girl,” Milo continued, eyes focused on the fire. “She was everything I wasn’t. Wild, free, unpredictable. She introduced me to a crew. Robbery ring. Mostly tech heists. I ran logistics. Wrote clean software, scouted surveillance blind spots. It was exciting. Everything felt exhilarating”
He swallowed. “One night, we hit a bank in Luxembourg. It was going smooth until the alarm tripped. She got shot while trying to cover me. I froze but the others ran. I got caught by a mob outside while finally trying to flee… and then, someone in a mask pulled me out of the chaos.”
He looked at Alister. “Anonymous.”
Alister nodded slowly, but said nothing.
“What about you?” Milo asked. “Why are you here?”
Alister stared at the flames for a while. Then said quietly, “I was a bodyguard for someone powerful. Got caught in something ugly. Had to run.”
Howard tilted his head. “That’s it?”
“That’s enough for now,” Alister said flatly.
No one pressed further.
The fire crackled between them. Howard stretched his legs.
“Alright,” Milo said, rubbing his arms. “We take turns staying awake. Two hours each. Deal?”
“Deal,” Howard said.
Alister nodded. Jules agreed quietly.
The group settled in. Milo and Howard took first watch while Alister and Jules lay down.
Meanwhile, somewhere deeper in the woods, kara and Kol were still walking. Kara carried a flashlight, but most of the time they relied on moonlight.
“I told you,” she said, laughing, “they were gonna sit around telling stories like we’re in high school or something .”
Kol chuckled. “Let them. The strong don’t wait for permission.”
They came to a steep ridge and paused to rest.
“Can you imagine what kind of power Anonymous has?” Kara said, her eyes glowing with excitement. “No rules. No cops. Just fear. That’s real freedom.”
Kol nodded. “We’re gonna be gods by the time this is over.”
He sat on a large rock and pulled out a protein bar from his bag. “We’re escaping poverty, prison, all that crap. I’m ready to burn the world and build a new one.”
Kara danced around the firelight, her laughter loud and careless. “Let them stay back and bond. We’re already winning.”
Then the wind shifted.
Kol frowned. “You hear that?”
Kara stopped.
Something rustled in the trees.
He stood slowly and pulled out a short knife from the side of his pants. “Stay here.”
“What is it?” she asked, suddenly cautious.
“Probably a rabbit,” he muttered, moving toward the sound.
He stepped past the trees, the leaves crunching under his boots. The flashlight bounced on branches, rocks, moss…
Nothing.
Then silence.
Kara sat down again, tossing a small rock into the firelight. “Found anything yet?” she shouted.
No answer.
She smirked. “Come on, don’t be dramatic.”
Still nothing.
Her smile faded.
“Stop playing,” she said, louder this time.
Only the wind replied.
She stood up slowly. “This isn’t funny.”
She walked a few steps forward, but the firelight behind her made it hard to see. She called his name again.
Then something moved in the corner of her vision. Quick. Low.
She turned fast. Nothing.
“Okay,” she whispered. “You win. Come out.”
But all she could hear was her heartbeat.
Then she noticed… the silence was different now.
Even the crickets were gone.
And just like that, she wasn’t laughing anymore. Something is wrong.
Back at the other group’s camp, Howard had just finished his watch.
He nudged Alister gently. “Your turn.”
Alister sat up, rubbing his eyes.
Howard lay down beside Milo, who was already dozing off. Jules was still snoring lightly under a tree.
Alister moved closer to the fire, adding another stick. He looked up at the sky. The stars were bright tonight, but the mountain still felt… off. Like the silence was watching them.
He stared at the trees, half expecting something to step out of them. He knew something was up but just couldn't figure out what exactly.
Milo stirred beside him, whispering in his sleep.
Alister didn’t know what came next. But he was sure of one thing now this wasn’t just a test of strength. It was a test of mind, spirit, and maybe even soul.
And he couldn't help but feel that somewhere in the dark… something had started hunting.
- Writer
