2-6

We dismissed ourselves and did what we were assigned for. I walked outside the wall with the group and searched for sticks and twigs. As I thoroughly searched I bumped on Nadia who is also doing what I'm doing.

"Nadia! How many do you got?" I asked her,

"An arm full; hehe, Let do a contest, whoever has the most sticks win." She challenged me with a sinister smile,

"And what do I get when I win?" I asked,

"What do you want?" She asked,

"Nothing in particular, maybe, you could teach me how to properly wear a hijab… I don't know…" I blankly replied,

"Okay, if I win, I'm going to punch you in the stomach with my full force." She set her winning condition; she feels ever so confident that she'll win unanimously. So basically what she is saying is that she hasn't punched my stomach to her full potential, just imagine the pain I will be feeling,

"Hey! That's not fair, okay. If I win…Hmm… It's not like I want to punch you in the stomach so… Hmm… You just have to do a silly dance move." I also set my condition,

"DEAL!" We both agreed, and shook our hands into it.

Both of us we're serious in gathering sticks and twigs; I found a variety of sizes of them. Little does she know that I conveniently brought with me a bundle of yarn, stacking the sticks in bulk is convenient and less hassle. Ha! She will never see this coming when I'm going to bring with me 10 bundles of sticks. (Evil Laugh)

"Ha! This is my second bulk! What about you Nadia… Nadia?" I was about to brag about my second bulk but Nadia is nowhere to be seen, she was just with me a while ago.

"Nadia?Nadia?!" I shouted her name but I can only hear the breeze of the rattling maple leaves. Maybe she already returned to the camp circle, I guess she admitted defeat, I don't know.

I looked towards the compound and already saw the bonfire already lit, it illuminated a good distance of the forest. I carried my two bundles of sticks and twig back to the compound, every gatherer is back except for Nadia. I approached them and ask them where Nadia is.

"Guys, have you seen Nadia?" I asked in the open,

"Nope."

"Haven't seen her yet."

"No."

"She hasn't come back. I think."

It seems Nadia hasn't come back yet.

"I should go back and look for her. We have enough sticks anyway." I told them, Nadia must seriously want to punch my stomach. I should just let her win.

I returned to my spot where I gathered my sticks and looked around that area. I kept shouting her name over and over but I haven't heard a reply yet. Where could she be? As I continued my search, I stumble upon a familiar item. I picked it up and examined it. A sudden realization came to mind as my face turns horrid.

"Is this Nadia's... Doll shoe?" I felt scared and terrified, so many scenarios keep on popping up my head, I was so scared that my sweat gushed all over my body even though the atmosphere is cool and chilly.

Is she kidnapped? Is she abducted? Possessed? Being held hostage? Pulled by some terrible monster? Experimented by some aliens? I keep pondering on these thoughts. First are Kevin and the others and now Nadia?

I ran aimlessly and shouted Nadia's name like it is the only thing I can shout, I turned every direction; hoping to get a glimpse of her. I stopped and could hear a tiny whimper in the air; I ran to the source of the sound hoping that it's her.

There, in the middle of the forest, the moonlight illuminates'half of her psychedelic hijab and half being illuminated by the bonfire from the compound, Nadia crying on the dirt, scared and terrified. She covered her eyes as if she is scared to see the darkness that surrounds me, her and the forest.

"NADIA! THANK GOD, YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" I shouted, I was worried sick,

"DARYYYYYL!" She shouted to the bottom of her lungs, still covering her eyes, shivering from all over her body.

I approached her being and pat her shoulder. Her body was as cold as ice, shaking vigorously.

"Dar, I saw something, I was so scared I ran away and got lost in the process." She explained,

"And you never even shouted even a little?! Anyway, tell me what you saw later, let's go back to the compound first. Here your shoe." I tried to hand her shoe to her,

"I don't want to open my eyes! I don't want to see it! I don't want to! It's in there somewhere! I don't want to see it!" She exclaimed, feeling hesitant and scared, she doesn't want to move a single inch of her body, staying still, she didn't even grab her shoe back,

Whatever she saw here must have traumatized her; she is shaking so heavily, it's as if she saw a ghost or something. She is also drenched in sweat. It looks like she doesn't care what will happen to her as long as she doesn't see what's lurking in the darkness.

I immediately surveyed my surrounding but couldn't really find anything other than trees. What did Nadia saw to turn her into this pathetic state? To even refuse to open her eyes or move a single fiber of her muscle? She became so fragile all of a sudden that she doesn't look like the Nadia that I always see.

"You don't have to open your eyes. Hold unto my shoulder and I'll guide you back to the estate." I told her,

"O-okay…" I grabbed her arm and guide it to where my shoulder is; her hand was as cold as a corpse, as wet as an ocean and shakes like an earthquake.

We walked and passed through the grove of trees and into the compound. Luckily going back wasn't hard as I can see the light source of the bonfire burning up. Everyone saw us approaching the opening of the wall as they ran towards us.