Into The Unknown

The night air clung to them, cold and unrelenting as they trudged uphill. The trail Ethan mentioned was barely more than a faint path etched into the earth, winding through dense forest undergrowth. Every step felt heavier than the last, the adrenaline that had kept them going starting to wane.

Lena’s gaze kept darting toward Caleb. His breathing was shallow, and his face had grown ashen. Blood still seeped through his torn shirt, staining it a deep crimson.

“Caleb, we need to stop,” she said softly, her voice cutting through the eerie silence.

“No,” he grunted, shaking his head. “We stop, we die.”

Ethan, walking ahead with his gun raised, glanced over his shoulder. “He’s right. We’re not safe yet.”

Frustration bubbled in Lena’s chest. “And if he collapses? Then what, Ethan?”

“Keep your voice down,” Ethan snapped, his tone low but sharp. “Unless you want to lead them straight to us.”