Forest Survivor

[Ding!]

The tab appeared above her head, glowing faintly in his vision.

[Claire Reynolds]

[Affection 60]

[Lust 30]

[Trust 55.]

Lucas's eyes widened. Those numbers were leagues ahead of anyone else he'd seen so far.

"Holy…" Lucas whispered under his breath, his gaze fixed on the tab.

"What?" Mia asked, glancing at him.

Lucas snapped his attention back to her, his heart pounding. "Uh, nothing. Just... impressed by how well she's keeping it together, you know?" He nodded toward Miss Reynolds, trying to play it cool.

Mia followed his gaze and nodded. "Yeah, she's pretty amazing. I don't know how she does it — being in charge, keeping everyone calm, and still finding time to help out."

Lucas nodded absently, his thoughts swirling.

The system was clear: Miss Reynolds was a prime target. But how was he supposed to approach her? She wasn't like the other girls; she was older, more experienced, and his teacher.

This wasn't a simple matter of casual conversation.

As Lucas pondered his next move, Miss Reynolds straightened up and glanced around, her sharp green eyes scanning the camp.

For a moment, her gaze landed on Lucas, and he swore her lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile before she turned and walked away.

He exhaled slowly, realizing he'd been holding his breath.

"Lucas," Mia said, snapping him back to the present.

"Huh?"

"You're staring again," she said, her tone teasing but with a hint of curiosity.

Lucas coughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Just... tired, I guess. Long day."

Mia gave him a skeptical look but didn't press further.

By the time they finished cleaning, most of the camp was quiet. The fire had burned down to glowing embers, and the rhythmic sound of snoring drifted from the tents.

"Thanks for helping," Mia said, giving him a small smile before heading off to her tent.

"Anytime," Lucas replied, watching her disappear into the darkness.

#####

Morning came in the usual way, the soft glow of sunlight breaking over the horizon and the distant sound of waves rolling onto the shore.

The peacefulness didn't last long, though, as Mr. Rowe's commanding voice boomed through the campsite.

"Rise and shine, people! Up! Let's get moving!"

Lucas groaned from inside his tent, the sound of Mr. Rowe's voice like nails on a chalkboard this early in the day.

He rubbed his face and stretched, his body still sore from the hard ground he'd slept on.

"Why is he always so loud?" Lucas muttered, dragging himself upright.

Across the camp, he could hear Leo grumbling as well, though from a different tent. "Bet he dreams about shouting at us," Leo called out loud enough for everyone to hear.

A few students chuckled from inside their tents.

Lucas snorted, shaking his head as he crawled out into the morning light. Around him, others were emerging from their makeshift shelters, yawning and stretching as they adjusted to the new day.

Breakfast was the next stop for everyone.

They were used to eating together, huddled on logs or mats near the center of camp.

But before anyone could get too comfortable, an unsettling sound cut through the morning routine — a rustling coming from the edge of the forest.

Lucas froze mid-yawn, his eyes darting toward the treeline.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was persistent, the soft crunch of leaves and snapping of twigs growing closer.

"What's that?" Sophia asked nervously, standing nearby.

"Maybe an animal," another student suggested, though the tremble in their voice suggested they didn't believe it.

Lucas stepped forward slightly, narrowing his eyes at the forest. Something about the sound was... wrong.

It wasn't the quick, darting noise of a small animal. It was heavier, uneven, like something — or someone — dragging themselves through the underbrush.

"Stay back," Mr. Rowe ordered, his voice firm as he moved toward the treeline. The students clustered together, their murmurs growing louder as the rustling sound continued.

And then, a figure stumbled out of the trees.

It was a young man, one of the students who had disappeared into the forest two weeks ago. His clothes were torn and stained with dirt and blood, and his body was covered in gashes.

His left eye was swollen shut, crusted with dried blood, and his movements were jerky, like he was fighting with every ounce of strength just to stay upright.

Gasps rippled through the group.

"Oh my God," Sophia whispered, her hand flying to her mouth.

The boy staggered forward, his steps unsteady, before collapsing face-first onto the ground.

"Help him!" the principal shouted, already running toward him.

The teachers leaped into action. Mr. Rowe and another male teacher lifted the boy carefully by his arms and legs, their faces etched with urgency. "Get him to the teacher's tent!" Mr. Rowe barked.

The camp nurse, Mrs. Harding, rushed ahead to prepare the tent for him.

Supplies were shuffled around quickly, and within moments, the boy was being laid down inside, the nurse working swiftly to assess his injuries.

"This isn't good," Leo said, coming up beside him.

Lucas turned to look at his friend, whose usual easygoing expression was replaced with a serious one.

"No kidding," Lucas replied. "If he looks like that, what happened to the others?"

Leo didn't answer, but the grim silence between them said enough.

Nearby, the students huddled together, their nervous chatter filling the air. The sight of the injured boy had shaken everyone.

For two weeks, they had tried to convince themselves that the others who ventured into the forest had simply gotten lost or found a safer place to camp. But now, that illusion was shattered.

Inside the teacher's tent, Mrs. Harding worked tirelessly, cleaning the boy's wounds and checking for signs of infection.

The male teachers stood outside, their faces grim as they discussed what to do next.

"What do you think happened to him?" Sophia asked softly, coming up to stand beside Lucas and Leo.

Lucas shrugged, trying to mask his unease. "Whatever it was, it wasn't good."

Sophia frowned, her gaze shifting to the forest. "Do you think the others are... still out there?"

Lucas hesitated. He didn't want to say what he was really thinking — that the others might not have been as lucky as the boy who stumbled back.

Instead, he muttered, "I hope so."

The rest of the morning passed in a tense blur. The teachers kept the students close to camp, warning them to stay away from the forest.

They avoided giving any clear answers about the boy's condition, but their expressions made it clear that the situation was serious.

By midday, the camp had settled back into a nervous routine. The injured boy was still unconscious, and the teachers were tight-lipped about what they planned to do next.

Lucas couldn't shake the unease that clung to him like a shadow.

The island had felt dangerous from the start, but now, it was undeniable. Something was out there, and whatever it was, it was enough to leave a boy battered and broken.