Blood in the Dirt

Travis hit the ground with a wet thud, the knife still embedded in his throat. His body convulsed once before going still.

Riley screamed his name, rushing toward him, but Leon yanked her back just as another knife flew through the air, embedding itself in the wooden floor where she had just been standing.

"Stay down," Leon snapped.

The hooded figures stepped forward, emerging from the tree line like ghosts. Ten of them. Maybe more. Their faces were covered with masks of stretched leather, their clothes stitched together from scraps of fabric and animal hide. Primitive. Ritualistic.

The lead figure—the one Leon had seen in Madison Valley—stood still, staring with an unsettling patience.

"Who the hell are they?" Eve whispered, gripping her rifle.

Leon's jaw tightened. "Doesn't matter."

The leader raised a hand.

The others moved in.

Leon fired first.

His SIG Sauer barked three times, each shot hitting center mass.

The first man staggered but didn't fall.

Then Eve opened up. A burst from her M4 took down two of them. One collapsed immediately, but the other crawled forward, dragging itself toward them despite the bullet wounds.

Leon's stomach twisted. "They're drugged."

Eve cursed. "Or worse."

Tyler and Sam huddled in the corner of the cabin, eyes wide with terror. Riley had her knife out, but she was frozen in shock, staring at Travis's body.

They weren't ready for this.

Leon clenched his teeth. He needed to get them out.

The first of the masked figures charged.

Leon sidestepped, grabbing the man's wrist and twisting hard. The bone snapped, the knife dropping to the floor.

Before the man could react, Leon drove his own knife into his throat, twisting viciously. Blood sprayed across the cabin wall.

Eve took down another, putting two rounds through his chest before finishing with a shot to the head.

Still, more kept coming.

Leon's gun clicked empty.

"Shit."

A figure lunged at him. He barely dodged in time, slamming the attacker against the wall. The masked man snarled, thrashing wildly, his strength unnatural.

Leon grabbed a broken chair leg and drove it into the man's chest, pinning him to the wall.

The figure gurgled, convulsed… then started laughing.

Low. Wet.

Leon twisted the wood deeper. The laughter didn't stop.

"We need a way out!" Eve shouted.

Leon scanned the cabin. Too many of them. No exits.

Unless—

He turned to Riley. "Light it up."

Her eyes snapped to him. "What?"

Leon grabbed a lantern from the table and smashed it against the wall. Flames crawled up the wooden planks immediately.

The masked figures hesitated.

Leon grabbed Tyler and Sam, shoving them toward the back. "Go! Now!"

The group burst through the rear window, glass shattering as they tumbled into the dirt.

The fire spread fast.

Inside the cabin, the masked men didn't scream.

They stood in the flames, unmoving, watching as the fire consumed them.

Then, through the smoke, the leader's voice finally spoke.

A whisper.

"You will not leave."

Leon didn't wait to hear more.

They ran.

The forest swallowed them, trees stretching high overhead, casting deep shadows as the sun began to set.

Leon kept moving, pushing the group forward, ignoring the ache in his muscles. They needed distance.

He glanced back—dark figures moved through the smoke, emerging from the burning cabin like shadows come to life.

Still coming.

Still hunting.

Leon heard rushing water ahead. A river.

They reached the edge—a steep drop, maybe twenty feet down.

Riley hesitated. "We're not seriously—"

Leon grabbed her wrist and shoved her over.

She hit the water with a yelp, disappearing beneath the surface.

Eve nodded in approval before jumping herself.

Leon turned to the kids. "Go."

Tyler grabbed Sam, and together they leapt.

Leon took one last look behind him.

The masked figures stood at the treeline, watching.

Waiting.

Leon jumped.

The cold water hit like a hammer.

Leon was dragged under immediately, the current pulling at him. He kicked hard, breaking the surface, gasping for air.

The others were ahead, struggling toward the riverbank.

Leon swam after them, his arms burning.

They reached the shore, coughing and shivering.

Eve pushed her wet hair from her face, glaring at Leon. "Next time, warn me before throwing me into freezing water."

Leon exhaled. "We're alive, aren't we?"

Riley turned back toward the forest, her face pale. "They didn't follow us."

Leon frowned. She was right.

The masked figures stood at the top of the cliff, unmoving. Watching.

Leon's grip tightened.

Eve muttered, "Why aren't they chasing us?"

Leon had a bad feeling he already knew.

"They don't have to," he murmured.

Because something worse was waiting in the woods ahead.

And the hunt had just begun.