Desperate

After a while the group could hear the soft padding sound of the creatures, Jake gripped his gun and stuck towards the back with Leo. As the group progressed further into the forest, they came acrost an old, abandoned mining tunnel. 

"Should we go in?" Jake asked.

Everyone turned to look at June and Leo, as the sounds of the howls grew louder.

"I think that's one of the safest options for now." June said.

Leo nodded, "Jake help me seal off the tunnel?" Leo asked.

Jake nodded as they all walked into the tunnel, June and Megan turned on their flashlights and waited for Jake and Leo to enter.

"Can you hold her for a minute...?" Leo asked June as he handed her Stacey.

June nodded, cradling the young girl, while Leo and Jake shifted several boulders to seal the tunnel entrance.

"No going back now..." Marrissa said softly.

Everyone nodded and Leo walked over to June, "I can hold her I promise I won't drop her. You need a break you've been carrying her for hours now." June said.

Leo hesitated before agreeing to let her hold the young girl, he then grabbed Christine's hand as they walked deeper into the tunnel. They walked for what felt like miles before coming to a wider aera in the tunnel. It looked as if the tunnel was mined for gold or sulfur, the group stopped and looked around. The sound of running water could be heard from deeper in the tunnel.

"What do you say we stop and rest for a while?" Adaline asked. 

The group agreed as everyone tiredly sat down, they were all exhausted. Leo sat down and pulled out a few bottles of water for everyone. The sounds of the howls grew farther away, as the group rested in the tunnel. 

"Do you think those things will be able to find a way in here?" The red headed boy from earlier asked in the same Irish accent as June.

"I'm not sure..." June said.

"I don't think I ever caught your name?" Leo asked the boy.

The boy gave Leo a weary look before he spoke, "The names Jack." The Irish boy said.

Leo nodded and closed his eyes; he was breathing heavy. Chase walked over to him and sat down in front of him checking his wounds.

"I have some pain meds in my bag if any of you need them?" Chase offered.

June looked up from the notebook she was writing in, "You do?" She asked.

Chase nodded and handed her two small pills; she quickly took them before going back to writing in the journal. Jake and Leo took some pills as well, after a while Adaline spoke breaking the silence once again.

"We should start moving again, it's not very smart to stay in one place for too long with those beasts out there." Adaline said softly.

They group all nodded and got up, as they started walking again the group soon came acrost the end of the tunnel. Emerging from the tunnel, the group stepped into a luminous clearing. They all squinted, momentarily blinded by the sun's intense brightness. Once their eyes adjusted to the light the group saw a beautiful crystal-clear lake, a big white ranch sat in the background. Desperate for help the group ran to the house as the sounds of howls could be heard again. As most of the group ran up to the door a few stayed behind. June banged on the door; the door quickly opened revealing an old Indian lady. She possessed long, silver hair and bright blue eyes that complemented her fair complexion.

"Hurry come inside." The lady said to the group.

As the group ran inside an older male walked outside and shot the people who stayed behind. The onlookers gazed at those who had been shot, only to realize that each one was, in fact, one of those creatures.

"We were traveling with those things?!" Adaline yelled.

June stared at the dead body of Jack, the man she thought was her brother.

"He was my brother...and yet he was one of those beasts?" June asked confused.

"Come inside and we'll explain everything. You kids are lucky to have found this place before being killed." The old lady said.

June nodded and walked inside, the group following close behind her. The older lady gave them all a few warm blankets and helped them all find a place to sit.

"What were you kids doing out in the forest all alone?!" The older man yelled.

"Me and my friends were on a camping trip at my dad's cabin on the edge of the forest by the city. Me and my dad go there all the time and never once heard or saw anything like those beasts." Leo explained.

"Me and me group were on a fishin' trip with me father out by the countryside." June explained.

The older lady nodded and spoke again, "You kids will be safe here till we can find a way to get you all back home. You should all call your families and let them know you're ok." she said.

"Thank you, ma'am." Christine said softly.

"Please call me by my name, Weather." Weather said with a soft smile.

"Weather? Thats a really pretty name..." Chase said softly.

Weather smiled, "Thank you, young man."

Leo looked at his sister before standing up and pulling out his phone calling his mom.

"Hey mom," he said.

"I heard about those wild bear attacks are you and your friends all, ok?! And what about your sister?!" Leo's mom yelled into the phone.

"We're fine mom," Leo lied not wanting to scare his mother. "Stacey is here. She's sleeping right now we were all up pretty late last night..."

"Alright, you kids stay safe out there. Call me when you're on your way home." His mom said softly.

"We will mom, I love you. Tell dad I love him..." Leo said softly.

"I love you too. And I will. Is everything ok? You sound upset?" His mom asked.

"Yea mom everything's alright." Leo said.

"Alright, call me if you need anything. But I need to get back to work." She spoke.

"Alright. Will do..." Leo said before his mother hung up.