The forest air grew heavier as Justin suddenly froze in his tracks. His nostrils flared as he caught a strange, unsettling scent—something metallic, sharp, and faintly rotting. His senses had been unnaturally sharp since they arrived on the island, and now, that heightened awareness was leading him to something ominous.
“Follow me,” Justin said, his tone low but commanding.
The group hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances, but they obeyed, falling in line behind him. The smell grew stronger as they moved, and the oppressive silence of the jungle only amplified the tension.
When they reached the source, it was like the world itself recoiled. The sight before them sent shockwaves through the group.
Hanging from a twisted tree branch was a body—a man’s body, charred and unrecognizable fr
