The beast
1009 Words
Right ahead of us, amidst the shadowy forest, a winding stream suddenly emerged.
The water was eerily clear, glistening with a cold, sharp light beneath the dappled shadows of the trees. Yet, the stream was unnervingly silent—there wasn’t even the faintest sound of flowing water.
What was even more unsettling was that both banks of the stream were utterly barren—not a single blade of grass, not even a stray stone. The entire area was shrouded in an eerie stillness, devoid of any sign of life.
“Luke, something's not right,” a bespectacled man from the group hurried to Luke's side and murmured under his breath. “Last week, when we came through here, this stream was over five meters wide. But now, look…”
Luke and I instinctively lifted our heads to observe the stream.
Even at its widest point, the water now barely spanned two meters.
How could it have shrunk so drastically in just one week?
“There's definitely something off about this stream,” Luke muttered, his expression turning serious. He leaned toward the bespectacled man and whispered, “Remember, stay away from the water. After all, the ones who went missing last we were…”
His voice trailed off, too low for me to catch the rest. I instinctively leaned in to listen.
Luke noticed. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, his gaze filled with a mix of smug amusement and disdain.
“Well, well, it looks like our lovely little scholar is eavesdropping,” he sneered.
Now that we had reached the depths of the forest, he no longer bothered to conceal his intentions. With one swift motion, he yanked me into his arms, holding me in a tight grip before pressing a forceful kiss against my cheek.
“Easy there, little kitten,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin. “We have all night to whisper sweet nothings to each other...”
“Luke, you did promise everyone would get their turn,” the bespectacled man added, leering at me.
“Relax. The night is long—plenty of time for everyone to have their fun.”
They both burst into loud, triumphant laughter.
“Go tell the others to set up camp. We’re spending the night here.”
“And keep away from the water,” he added, his tone carrying a sharp edge.
The men responded with a chorus of jeers and grunts, moving about noisily.
Perhaps Luke believed I was already as good as caught—nothing more than meat in a pot—so he let me go. He turned to Emily and said, “I'll be here until noon tomorrow. Not a minute longer.”
Emily's gaze flitted toward the still stream. Her face was pale, her voice tight with unease. “A-all right… If I find my boyfriend, I’ll need your help getting him out of this forest, too.”
“No problem,” Luke grinned, flashing his teeth. “Same deal—fifty thousand per person.”
While they talked, the others had already set up the tents and cleared a patch of ground for a disposable grill, preparing for lunch.
Someone tore open a large bag of pre-marinated chicken wings and laughed, “Few more minutes, and we’ll be feasting.” Hannah, nestled among the men, joked, “Next time, we should bring hot dogs. Just throw ’em on for thirty seconds, and boom—done.”
Their laughter echoed through the forest, as if they were merely here for a barbecue.
Fat dripped from the sizzling wings, hissing as it hit the hot coals. A mouthwatering aroma billowed into the air, thick and rich. The dense canopy overhead seemed to trap the scent within their small clearing, making it even more intoxicating.
With Luke's attention elsewhere, I cautiously edged toward my discarded backpack, keeping my gaze sharp, searching for a possible escape route.
But then—
A sudden, overwhelming sense of danger surged through me, making my entire body stiffen. A chill ran up my spine, an instinctive terror that sent tremors through my fingers.
It felt like something—no, many things— were watching me from the depths of the forest.
A nameless dread clutched my chest. I bit down hard on my lip, scanning my surroundings.
Yet, everything appeared normal.
Not a single breeze stirred the trees, not even the slightest rustling of leaves. Around the fire, the others lounged carelessly, tearing into their food without a care in the world.
But the suffocating sense of unease only grew stronger.
I clenched my backpack, heart pounding.
Luke must have sensed it too. His body tensed, and in an instant, he shot to his feet.
And at that very moment—chaos erupted.
From the darkness of the forest, several pairs of glowing, unblinking eyes appeared, shining like copper lanterns. One pair of amber eyes locked onto mine.
I froze.
A shriek tore from my throat.
But it was already too late.
The glowing eyes vanished. In the next heartbeat, four massive shadows burst from the underbrush, encircling the camp like specters of death.
And when I finally saw them clearly, my blood ran cold.
They were huge!
Each one loomed over two meters tall—larger than Luke himself. Three of them cut off all possible escape routes. The last one was charging straight at me.
Panic exploded in my chest.
Without thinking, I seized my backpack and bolted toward the only path left open—the stream.
But a foul, putrid stench hit me from behind, thick and nauseating. Despair crashed over me like a tidal wave.
How could a human outrun such a beast?
Yet, even as the grim reality sank in, survival instincts kept my legs moving.
The panting breath of the creature grew closer, its hot, sticky saliva dripping onto my head. I could feel the searing heat of its breath against the back of my neck.
Summoning the last remnants of my strength, I lunged forward.
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