Kanaq stood beside them, her eyes flashing with a fierce determination. "We must get out of here," she said. "Now."
But as they turned to follow her, Maria felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around, but there was no one there.
And then, she felt it again. A cold, clammy hand grasping for her, pulling her back into the darkness.
Maria tried to shake off the feeling, but it was too late. The darkness seemed to be closing in around her, suffocating her.
John grabbed her arm, pulling her forward. "Come on," he said. "We have to get out of here."
But Maria was frozen in terror. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe.
Kanaq stepped forward, her eyes blazing with a fierce light. "Let her go," she said, her voice commanding.
The darkness seemed to hesitate, and for a moment, Maria was free. She took a deep breath, and then she was running, dashing through the jungle with John and Kanaq by her side.
They ran for what felt like hours, the darkness closing in around them like a shroud. But Kanaq seemed to know the jungle like the back of her hand, leading them through the twisting paths and hidden clearings.
Finally, they emerged into a bright, sunlit clearing. Maria blinked in the light, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.
They were safe. They had made it out of the jungle.
But as they turned to look back, Maria saw an horrifying scene. The jungle was moving, the trees and vines twisting and turning like living things.
And in the center of the clearing, Maria saw a figure. The woman, her eyes blazing with a malevolent light.
"We're not safe yet," Kanaq said, her voice low and urgent. "We have to keep moving."
Maria nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that they were far from safe.
And as they turned to run, Maria felt a sense of dread wash over her. They were being hunted, and they would never be able to escape.
The woman was always one step behind them, waiting for her chance to strike.
And Maria knew that she would never be able to shake the feeling of being watched, of being hunted.
The jungle had changed her, had awakened a deep and primal fear within her.
And Maria knew that she would never be the same again.