The Isle and the dead

Misho's group, the Ragtag, opened the door once again after the monster that wanted to kill them had finally left. The eerie silence that followed was broken only by the creaking of the rusted hinges as Misho pulled the heavy door open. His heart sank when he saw what lay before him—a dead body.

It was Tala.

Misho froze, his breath catching in his throat. He had known Tala for a very long time, and seeing her lifeless form sprawled out in front of him sent a wave of dread coursing through his veins. "Why is she here?" Misho asked, his voice low and cautious. He scanned the area, trying to make sense of the scene. If he remembered correctly, Tala was supposed to be in the second bunker, far from here, near the herbivores—a location that was considered relatively safe. Jace stepped forward, his grizzled face hardening as he took in the sight. "Is it Tala?" the old guard asked, his voice soft but tense. Without waiting for an answer, Jace dropped his weapon and knelt beside her body. Gently, almost reverently, he lifted Tala into his arms and carried her inside the bunker, placing her on the cold floor so they could examine her more closely.

The dim light inside the bunker flickered, casting lond and twisted shadows against the walls. Julian knelt beside Tala's body, his mind racing with a hundred questions. Her clothes were torn and there were deep gashes along her body. She'd been attacked by something vicious—something unnatural. But there were no clear signs of how long she'd been dead.

Elmira, standing in the corned, with closed eyes. Fear was evident in every line of his face. He had been quiet since they'd entered the bunker, but now his trembling hands gave away is unease. "What happened to her?" Elmira whispered, his voice barely audible. Misho remained silent, staring at Tala's face. She looked peaceful, she looked like she was taking a nap—one she'd never wake up again.

Her violent death was enigmatic, but Misho couldn't do anything but remember their last conversation, Tala had been optimistic, determined to find a way to coexist with island. And now... this. "Something brought her here," Jace said, his voice cold but with a hint of sadness. "She was running from something. I can imagine she'd came here with her own volition. That's the kind of person she was." He said while glancing towards the darkened doorway, where his shadow seemed to move on their own. Misho stood up, his eyes scanning the bunker's cramped space. "The creatures," he said grimly. "Whatever my grandfather created without my knowledge—it's hunting us. It's hunting everything."

Jace clenched his jaw. "We can't stay here much longer, Julian. Tala didn't make it. The island's growing more hostile by the minute. We have to go the herbs now, we are in a war zone." Misho nodded, his face set in determination. The island had once been a place of experimentation and control. Now, it had become a living nightmare. "We need to move soon," he agreed. "But first… we need to find out how Tala ended up here." He looked at Elmira, who was still standing frozen in the corner. "Elmira, check her belongings. Maybe there's something that can tell us what happened."

Elmira hesitated, his lips moving as if he wanted to curse Julian to death, but there was nothing he could do. He slowly knelt beside Tala, hands shaking as he rifled through her backpack. It aws light, it looked like she abandoned most of her gear in a hurry. "There's not much here," Elmira said, his voice trembling. He pulled out a crumbled map, stained with blood and dirtl. "But look at this"

Misho took the map and spread it out on the floor. It was marked with familiar routes, but there were hastily drawn Xs over certain areas—places they hadn't planned to go. Tala had been avoiding something. Jace leaned over, squinting at the map. "She was trying to get away. But from what?"

Misho's gaze flickered to the door, his eyes told Lena something—he knew the things out there but remained quiet. There was nothing she could do, yet. "We need answers," said Misho. "And we need to move before whatever killed Tala comes back." He glanced at the rest of his group, tension thick in the air. "We'll take her body with us. We owe her that much."

As they prepared to leave, a low growl echoed through the bunker's walls, reminding them that Ebinigma was far from finished with them.

The island was alive, the island was watching. It was hungry, with blood and screams.