The sound of distant howls faded into the night as I blinked awake, my body aching and my mind clouded by confusion. The faint scent of pine and earth filled my lungs
"I… I pressed my fingers against the dirt," whispered, the voice shaking. "I am still alive." Heart pounding, I forced myself upright, my head throbbing with every movement.
Dense forest surrounded me in all directions, moonlight barely piercing the heavy canopy overhead. My breath came in ragged gasps as I struggled to remember what had happened.
"Wait... did you hear that?" I whispered, freezing mid-step.
A low groan drifted through the trees. My heart lurched.
"Someone's there," I muttered, dropping to my knees and crawling toward the sound.
The leaves crunched softly beneath my hands until I saw her—sprawled across a bed of fallen leaves.
"Hey! Marie, It's me!" My voice cracked as I shook her shoulder.
Her body was limp, but then—there. A faint rise and fall of her chest.
"You're breathing..." I exhaled, half a sob, half a laugh. "You're alive."
Relief surged through me, tangled with fear so sharp it made me dizzy.
" Hold on, okay? Don't you dare die here now."
I tried to piece together the fragments of the night, clutching at elusive memories. My fingers brushed against my forehead, sticky and warm.
I stared at my hand, trembling. "I'm bleeding," I whispered, voice tight with panic.
The world spun for a moment before I steadied myself, forcing deep breaths. I kneeled beside my friend, trying to stay calm.
"Hang in there," I said, lifting her gently. Her weight pressed down on me, strangely comforting amidst all the horror.
As I staggered forward, a sudden chill crept along my spine. I looked up and froze. In the murk ahead, something shifted—massive shoulders hunching, claws scraping stone. Coarse fur rippled over corded muscle, and long fangs glinted beneath a snarling muzzle. A low growl vibrated through the air, primal and deliberate. The truth hit me like a blow: this was no beast of myth, no story whispered on a stormy night. Its yellow eyes reflected the faintest glimmer of light—animalistic, unblinking, and trained directly on me. Its presence sent raw terror racing through my veins
My gaze darted beyond the creature, landing on the shattered remains of our bus. The vehicle was covered in streaks of red, twisted metal and smashed windows glowing ominously red in the moonlight. The whole scene pulsed with the sickening reality of what had transpired.
My mind is spinning. I keep seeing it all replaying over and over—like my brain is trying to protect me from how terrible it all was.
"Why does it feel like I'm drowning in it?" I whispered, hands shaking.
"But I have to keep going—I have to. Even if it's hard to carry."