King of The Island

Something In There

To his surprise, a small animal—a raccoon or something similar—darted out from behind a bush, scurrying away into the shadows. Justin exhaled sharply, a mix of relief and frustration washing over him.

"Just a damn animal," he muttered, running a hand through his damp hair.

But the moment of reprieve didn’t last. A deeper, guttural sound rumbled from somewhere ahead, sending chills down his spine. It wasn’t the sound of a harmless forest creature.

Justin took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to retreat. Whatever lurked in these woods wasn’t ordinary.

However, Justin brushed all of that aside. At least now, he knew this forest wasn’t completely uninhabited. The raccoon was proof of life here. They were just... eerily silent.

He needed to act quickly. Empty-handed like this, hunting or fishing was out of the question. Determined, Justin began searching for anything he could use as a weapon or a tool for survival. He gathered sturdy branches, some leaves, and a few rocks that might be useful for starting a fire.

As he ventured deeper into the forest, his persistence paid off. He stumbled upon a cluster of fruit trees. The sight of the ripe, colorful fruit was a relief.

"These will do for now," he thought.

Reaching into his pocket, Justin’s hand closed around a familiar object—his trusty pocket knife, the one he always carried when traveling. Luck was on his side; it hadn’t been lost to the sea.

Using the knife, he carefully sharpened the end of one of the branches, transforming it into a crude but functional spear. It wasn’t perfect, but it would serve as both a tool and a weapon.

Satisfied with his preparations, Justin knew he couldn’t linger. The fading light warned him that nightfall was imminent. Clutching his spear and a handful of fruit, he hurried back to the campfire. Darkness was settling over the forest, and staying out here any longer wasn’t an option.

When Justin returned to the campfire, he noticed Linda looked much better. She wasn’t shivering anymore, but fear was etched on her face. As Justin appeared, he swore he saw her let out a subtle sigh of relief, though she tried hard not to make it obvious.

He offered her a faint smile. This woman was clearly terrified of being left alone, especially now that night had fallen.

Justin sat down beside her and placed everything he had gathered from the forest in front of them.

“Just fruits?” Linda asked incredulously, her tone laced with disappointment.

“Dear madam,” Justin replied with a teasing edge, “it’s nighttime, and I had no tools or weapons to hunt with. Just eat these for now. Tomorrow, I’ll try hunting or fishing.”

Linda scoffed in response. Of course, this spoiled, wealthy woman wasn’t used to hardship or fending for herself. Pouting, she reluctantly picked up one of the fruits.

“Are you sure this isn’t poisonous?” she asked skeptically before taking a bite.

“I’m actually waiting for you to eat it first—so I’ll know if it’s poisonous or not,” Justin said with a smirk.

“What?” Linda’s eyes widened in alarm.

Justin burst out laughing at her horrified reaction. “Relax. I know these fruits are safe. Don’t believe me?” He promptly bit into one and chewed it. “See? I’m not dead, am I?”

Still frowning, Linda finally took a cautious bite of the fruit. She felt like Justin had been mocking her, and it annoyed her even more. How dare this man, who was once her subordinate, treat her like a fool?

After their simple meal, Justin organized the large leaves he’d collected from the forest, arranging them into makeshift bedding. He tossed a few leaves to Linda. Without a word, she mimicked his actions and lay down, keeping some distance but still close enough to share the fire’s warmth.

Exhaustion soon took over Linda, and she drifted into sleep. Unconsciously, she shifted closer to Justin in her sleep, eventually wrapping her arms around him. Despite the campfire’s proximity, she still felt cold, and her body instinctively sought warmth from him.

Justin swallowed hard, his body stiffening. He was, after all, a normal man. How could he not react to being held by a woman as beautiful as Linda?

However, Justin restrained himself. He made a conscious effort not to look at Linda. Closing his eyes, he turned his face away from her. If he acted on his impulses now, it would only prove Tom’s accusations about him to be true—and Justin refused to let that happen. Instead, he forced himself to focus on sleeping. Luckily, his exhaustion was overwhelming, and soon, weariness took control.

As both of them drifted into slumber, a faint noise rustled from the trees nearby.

Justin’s eyes flew open, alert. He pushed Linda’s body aside as he tried to get up.

“Justin! What are you doing? Were you trying to take advantage of me?” Linda exclaimed in alarm as she moved away from him. She looked groggy but was clearly upset.

“Be quiet!” Justin hissed, his tone sharp. “There’s something out there, in the trees!”

Linda froze, her initial anger replaced by unease as she processed his words. The fire crackled softly between them, but the sound from the woods was unmistakable—a faint rustle, like something or someone moving cautiously just beyond their campfire’s reach.

Justin rose quietly to his feet, gripping the makeshift spear he had crafted earlier. His eyes scanned the shadowy outlines of the forest. “Stay close to the fire,” he whispered to Linda without turning his gaze away from the darkness.

Linda hugged her knees to her chest, her fear evident now. “What is it?” she murmured, her voice trembling.

“I don’t know,” Justin replied, his voice low but steady. “But I’m going to find out.”

He stepped toward the edge of the firelight, his heart pounding but his grip steady. Whatever was out there, Justin knew he had to face it—both for his own safety and for Linda’s.