Chapter 9: Fractured Trust*

The forest felt like a sanctuary compared to the village, but it was a false comfort. They were still being hunted. Hikaru's breath came in ragged gasps as the group slowed to a stop, their feet sinking into the damp earth. The trees closed in around them like dark sentinels, watching their every move.

Yuto collapsed against a tree, wiping sweat from his brow. "That… was too close," he panted, his voice strained.

Aiko knelt beside Riku, still pale from the near-sacrifice. His wrists were bruised from the ropes, and his skin was clammy. "Riku, are you okay?" she asked softly.

Riku nodded weakly. "I'll… survive. But we can't stay here. They'll keep coming after us."

Mr. Sato glanced back toward the village, his expression grim. "We bought ourselves some time, but you're right. They won't stop hunting us until we're dead or… captured." The implication of "captured" hung heavily in the air, a fate worse than death in the context of this village.

Yumi paced, her mind racing. "We need a new plan. We can't just keep running. Eventually, we'll tire out, and they'll catch up."

Hikaru leaned against a tree, trying to calm his racing heart. "But where can we go? The village is dangerous, and the forest… well, who knows what's lurking in here."

"That's the thing," Yuto interjected. "The forest isn't just dangerous because of the villagers. There's something else here. I've seen things—shadows that move when they shouldn't, whispers that don't belong to anyone. We're not alone out here."

A cold silence followed his words. It wasn't just the villagers they had to fear.

"We need to stay together," Aiko said firmly. "Whatever's out there, we stand a better chance if we're all watching each other's backs."

Riku cleared his throat, his voice weak but steady. "There might be a way to escape this place. I overheard something while they were preparing for the ceremony."

Everyone turned to face him, hanging on his every word.

"They kept talking about 'The Boundary.' It's some kind of barrier that surrounds the village, hidden deep in the forest. I don't know what it is exactly, but the villagers said it keeps people trapped here."

Hikaru frowned. "So, it's not just that we're lost… we're being kept here on purpose."

Yumi nodded, the pieces falling into place. "That makes sense. Every time we try to leave, it feels like we're just going in circles. The Boundary must be why."

"If we find it," Aiko said, her voice filled with hope, "maybe we can find a way to break through it. We could escape."

Riku shook his head. "It won't be that easy. They said The Boundary is guarded by something—something not human. And if we try to cross it, it'll stop us."

The hope in Aiko's face faded slightly, but Yumi remained resolute. "It's still our best chance. We need to find The Boundary. If it's what's keeping us here, then it's the key to our escape."

Before they could continue the discussion, a sudden snap of a twig made everyone freeze. They weren't alone.

From the shadows, **Akane** emerged—another classmate they hadn't seen since the chaos of the village attack. Her face was streaked with dirt, her hair disheveled, and her expression wild. She held a large stick, gripping it tightly as if prepared to fight off anyone who came near.

"Akane!" Aiko gasped, rushing toward her. "Where have you been? We thought—"

Akane flinched away, her eyes darting around suspiciously. "Stay back," she hissed. "I've seen what happens to people who trust too easily here."

Hikaru frowned, stepping forward cautiously. "Akane, it's us. You don't need to be afraid."

"Afraid?" Akane scoffed, her voice trembling slightly. "I've been hiding in these woods for days, watching those monsters in the village. You don't know what they're capable of."

"We do know," Yumi said calmly. "We just rescued Riku from them. They were going to sacrifice him."

Akane's eyes flickered to Riku, narrowing slightly. "And how do we know he isn't one of them now? You think they'd just let him go?"

The group exchanged uneasy glances. The thought hadn't occurred to them until now, but Akane's paranoia was infectious.

"Akane," Mr. Sato said, stepping forward in his calm, authoritative manner. "We understand you're scared, but we're all in this together. Riku is our classmate. We have no reason to believe he's anything but a victim of the village, just like the rest of us."

Akane's grip on the stick tightened, her eyes wild. "You think you know what's happening here? You don't. The villagers—they're not just some cult. They've been doing this for centuries. Sacrificing people, feeding on their fear. And the worst part? Some of our classmates are in on it."

A shocked silence fell over the group. Aiko's hand flew to her mouth. "What do you mean? Some of our classmates…?"

Akane nodded frantically. "I saw it with my own eyes. Haruto and some of the others—they were talking to the villagers, helping them prepare for the ceremony. They've made deals with them. They're safe, as long as they help."

"Haruto?" Yuto muttered in disbelief. "That coward?"

Hikaru felt a cold chill crawl down his spine. The idea that some of their classmates had sided with the villagers made everything even more complicated—and dangerous.

"We can't trust anyone," Akane whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and anger. "Not even the people we thought we knew."

Yumi stepped forward, her gaze steady. "Akane, we don't know the full story yet. But if what you're saying is true, then we need to be more careful. For now, let's focus on getting out of here."

Akane lowered her makeshift weapon slightly but still kept a wary distance from the group. "Fine. But if I see any of them—any of the ones who made deals—I'm not hesitating."

Hikaru nodded, understanding the deep-seated fear driving her. "None of us will. But first, we need to find The Boundary."

The group moved out again, the forest growing darker and more foreboding with each step. Tensions were running high, and the revelation about possible betrayals among their classmates only added to the pressure. Every sound, every shadow felt like a threat.

As they trekked deeper into the woods, Yuto fell in step beside Hikaru. "Do you think she's telling the truth?" he whispered. "About Haruto?"

Hikaru glanced over at Yuto, his expression unreadable. "I don't know. But we can't take any chances. If some of the others really have made deals with the villagers, it means we're in more danger than we thought."

"And if we find Haruto?"

Hikaru's jaw clenched. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

The group pressed on in silence, the weight of the situation settling heavily on their shoulders. The forest stretched endlessly before them, and somewhere out there, The Boundary awaited—a possible escape, but also another unknown danger.

As the night deepened and the temperature dropped, Hikaru couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Not by the villagers, but by something else—something ancient, lurking in the heart of the forest, waiting for them to make a wrong move.

But they had no choice. The only way out was forward.

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