Aiden sat on the twisted remains of an airplane seat, absently turning a sharpened piece of aluminum in his hand. All around him, the survivors of Flight 914 had begun to fragment—not just physically, but mentally. It had been four days since the crash, and already people were carving out factions, drawing lines in the sand.
The jungle loomed around them, dense and claustrophobic. The air buzzed with the constant drone of unfamiliar insects, and at night, strange cries echoed through the trees—low, guttural wails that never sounded quite human or animal.
Aiden didn't say much. He didn't like to be noticed. But he noticed everything.
Mira returned from the treeline, her jeans damp from wading through the underbrush. "No coastline. Again. Just forest in every direction."
Leo followed close behind, brushing a thorned vine from his arm. "I'm telling you, we're not on any island I've seen. This place—it's too wild. Too untouched."
"That's assuming we're anywhere near a known continent," Mira muttered.
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying? That we're in a lost world?"
"Maybe not dinosaurs," she said, "but something is definitely wrong here. The air smells… thick. And have you noticed the moon last night? It was too big. Too bright."
Leo looked uneasy. "And the stars—none of the constellations match."
Aiden glanced at the rest of the camp. A fire crackled at the center where Garrett, a broad-shouldered ex-Marine, had claimed leadership over a group of fifteen survivors. He had a commanding presence and a voice people didn't like to argue with. He was organizing supply patrols, assigning night shifts, and hoarding what remained of the water rations.
Across the field, a smaller group called themselves The Edge—people like Mira, Leo, and a handful of others who resisted Garrett's strict hierarchy. They gathered near the tail section of the wreckage and had begun building their own shelter from cargo netting and tree branches.
"You see how they're treating Naomi?" Mira asked. "She's a nurse. Garrett's practically holding her hostage, says she's 'too valuable' to be on her own."
"Same with anyone useful," Leo said. "Mechanics, scavengers, even the cook. He wants all of them under his command."
"We need to leave," Mira said flatly.
Aiden frowned. "And go where? We don't even know what's out there."
"Anywhere but here."
As if on cue, a sudden shout echoed from Garrett's camp. Two men—Derrick and Tomas—were grappling over a can of preserved beans. Garrett stomped between them and delivered a brutal punch to Derrick's stomach, then pointed toward the jungle.
"You want food, you earn it!" Garrett shouted.
Derrick doubled over, gasping. Tomas tucked the beans under his arm and walked off smugly.
Aiden stood slowly. "He's going to turn that camp into a dictatorship."
Leo sighed. "Already has."
That night, Aiden helped Mira and Leo pack their few supplies—some dried fruits, pieces of twisted metal fashioned into blades, a rain tarp, and what remained of their clean water. The plan was to hike north at first light, find high ground, and start over—away from Garrett, away from the power struggle.
But the jungle had other plans.
At dawn, they moved quietly into the forest. The air was damp with morning mist, and the vegetation was unlike anything they'd ever seen. Trees with spiraled trunks. Leaves the size of blankets. Insects with hard shells and flickering wings that glowed faintly in the shade.
They hiked uphill for hours, eventually reaching a rocky ridge. From there, they could see a valley below—but what they saw made their stomachs drop.
It wasn't just jungle. It was something… prehistoric.
Down in the valley, a massive creature lumbered through the undergrowth. Its back was armored in segmented plates, and it had a long tail that swung like a battering ram. It resembled a stegosaur—but bulkier, stranger.
"No way…" Leo whispered. "That can't be real."
"It is," Mira said, her voice tight.
Suddenly, the creature raised its head and let out a low bellow that rolled through the trees like thunder. Birds scattered into the air, and nearby animals fled through the brush.
"Forget rescue," Aiden said. "We're not on an island."
Leo stepped back. "We're not even in our own time."
As the group turned to descend the ridge, they heard a bloodcurdling scream from behind them—back toward camp.
"Run," Aiden said. "Now."
By the time Aiden, Mira, and Leo returned to camp, the sun had dipped below the trees, casting long shadows across the wreckage. The camp was in chaos. People screamed. Fires burned out of control. Blood stained the dirt.
At the edge of the clearing, Naomi knelt over a body—Lucas. His throat was torn open, and his eyes were wide with terror. Garrett stood nearby, a crude spear in hand, blood on his arm and shirt.
"What happened?!" Aiden demanded.
Garrett didn't look at him. "Something came out of the forest. Fast. Too fast. It tore into Lucas like he was paper."
Mira dropped to her knees beside Naomi. "Did anyone else see it?"
Naomi shook her head. "It… it was low to the ground. Scaly. Like a lizard. But bigger. And it didn't make a sound."
Leo scanned the treeline. "Where is it now?"
"No idea," Garrett growled. "It disappeared back into the jungle. But it'll be back."
Aiden turned toward the crowd. People were panicking, grabbing their packs, arguing. Some were saying they should follow Garrett. Others said they'd rather take their chances in the forest.
Then came a second scream.
A woman—a school teacher named Karen—was dragged from her shelter by something half-seen in the dark. It whipped through the camp, too fast for anyone to react. Her body vanished into the trees.
That was all it took.
The group exploded.
Some ran toward the jungle, others tried to climb into the remains of the fuselage. Garrett shouted orders, but few listened. Fear had broken whatever illusion of order remained.
Aiden grabbed Mira's hand. "We need to get out. Now."
"What about the others?" she asked, glancing at Naomi.
"I'll get her. You grab Leo."
Aiden ran to Naomi and pulled her away from the fire, just as a shadow darted between two tents. He caught a glimpse of the creature—a sleek, reptilian thing with glowing yellow eyes and a mouth filled with jagged teeth.
Leo shouted. "There's more than one!"
Another blur whipped past the edge of the clearing, snapping at a man's leg. He fell screaming, blood spraying.
Aiden, Naomi, Mira, and Leo ran into the forest, hearts pounding. They didn't look back.