Chapter 10: Nowhere is Safe

1: A Moment of Rest?

The barn smelled of rot and decay, a mixture of wet hay and something worse—something that had died long ago. Alex leaned against a wooden beam, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. His body ached from the relentless running, and his mind was racing.

The Wendigo was still out there.

They had only bought time, nothing more.

Eli stood by the entrance, his rifle slung over his shoulder, his eyes constantly scanning the darkness beyond the wooden slats. Sally was curled up near the corner, arms wrapped around her knees, still trembling.

Alex swallowed, pushing his exhaustion aside. "So? You gonna tell me what's going on now?"

Eli turned his head slightly, his face unreadable. "I told you. If you want to live, you need to listen."

Alex narrowed his eyes. "That thing outside—what the hell is it? And why do you know so much about it?"

Eli sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He was silent for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully.

"It's called the Wendigo. It isn't just some monster—it's a force of nature. A predator that hunts in the cold, feeding on fear and flesh. It shouldn't be here, but something—someone—brought it into this world."

Alex's stomach tightened. "The Sawyers?"

Eli gave a slow nod. "They didn't summon it. But they found it. Or maybe it found them. Either way, they started using its power. Feeding it. Keeping it satisfied. But they never controlled it. And now, it's loose."

The air in the barn felt heavier, the weight of Eli's words settling over them.

Sally finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "How do we stop it?"

Eli exhaled sharply, glancing at the rifle in his hands. "You don't."

Silence.

Alex's hands clenched into fists. No. That wasn't an option.

He wasn't just here to survive. He was here to change the story.

Side Quest: Find a Way to Kill the Wendigo

Task: Discover a weakness that can be used against the Wendigo.

Reward: +1 Intelligence, +1 Survival Instinct

2: The Hunt Begins

A cold gust of wind howled through the broken slats of the barn, sending a shiver down Alex's spine. The Wendigo was still out there. Watching. Waiting.

They couldn't stay here.

"We need a plan," Alex said. "We can't just hide forever. If that thing is as dangerous as you say, then it's only a matter of time before it finds us."

Eli gave him a hard look. "You think I don't know that? You think I haven't seen what it can do? It doesn't just hunt—it plays with its prey. And when it gets bored, it makes sure you die slow."

Alex didn't flinch. "Then we make sure it dies first."

Sally's eyes widened in fear, but Eli just stared at him, expression unreadable.

Then, slowly, the man smirked. "You've got guts, kid. Stupid, but gutsy."

Alex ignored him. He turned to Sally. "You said the Sawyers had an old family graveyard, right?"

Sally nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, a little past the house. Why?"

Alex's mind was working fast now. "If the Sawyers were messing with something unnatural, maybe they left behind something useful. Something we can use. A journal. A weapon. Anything."

Eli rubbed his chin. "It's risky. But it's better than waiting to die."

Alex took a deep breath.

They had a plan. Now they just had to survive long enough to pull it off.

Side Quest: Search the Sawyer Graveyard

Task: Investigate the old graveyard for anything that can help defeat the Wendigo.

Reward: +1 Perception, Possible Clue Unlocked

3: The Journey Back

The night stretched endlessly as they crept through the forest, each step slow and deliberate. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying distant sounds that made Alex's skin crawl.

The Wendigo was still nearby.

Watching.

Waiting.

The Sawyer house loomed in the distance, its rotting wooden frame silhouetted against the dark sky. Just past it, barely visible, was the family graveyard.

Alex turned to Eli. "Weapons ready. We don't know what we're walking into."

Eli gave a small nod, gripping his rifle tighter. Sally stayed close behind, her breath shaky but determined.

They moved in silence, every step feeling like a mistake.

Then—

A twig snapped behind them.

Alex's blood went cold.

They weren't alone.

Eli's rifle was up in an instant, eyes scanning the darkness. "Move. Now."

They broke into a run, making a break for the graveyard. The Wendigo's howl split the night, a sound so unnatural it made Alex's stomach churn.

They had seconds before it caught up.

The graveyard gate was open—rusted metal, barely hanging onto its hinges.

They rushed inside, stumbling onto overgrown grass and cracked tombstones.

Then, Alex spotted it—a small, stone mausoleum near the back.

"There!" he yelled, pointing.

They sprinted toward it as the Wendigo crashed through the trees behind them.

4: The Mausoleum's Secret

Inside, it was cold, damp, and silent. The walls were covered in old carvings, faded with time. In the center of the room, an iron-bound chest sat atop a raised stone platform.

Eli immediately began scanning the room, checking for threats. Sally caught her breath, her hands shaking.

Alex knelt beside the chest. His fingers hovered over the rusted latch.

"This better be worth it," he muttered.

With a grunt, he forced the chest open.

Inside—a collection of old, crumbling papers. A knife with strange carvings etched into the blade. And a book bound in something that looked like human skin.

Alex's stomach turned.

"What the hell is this?" Eli muttered.

Alex picked up the book, flipping through its rotting pages. The words were faded, but he could make out some of the text.

"The Wendigo cannot be slain by mortal hands. Its curse is eternal, tied to blood and sacrifice. But should one seek to end it, they must use…"

The next words were too faded to read.

Alex's grip tightened on the book.

They had a chance. A real chance.

Then—

A loud crash outside.

The Wendigo had found them.

And this time, it wasn't going to let them escape.

5: The Wendigo's Arrival

The mausoleum shook as something heavy slammed into it from outside. The stone walls trembled, dust falling from the cracks between the bricks.

Alex froze, gripping the book tighter.

The Wendigo was here.

Eli cursed, rushing to the doorway with his rifle raised. "We don't have much time! If you got something in that book, you better read fast!"

Alex's eyes darted across the decayed pages, searching desperately for anything useful.

"The Wendigo cannot be slain by mortal hands. Its curse is eternal, tied to blood and sacrifice..."

His heart pounded. That didn't help. He needed something practical.

Sally let out a soft whimper. "It's right outside..."

Another slam. The wooden door splintered, cracking down the middle.

The Wendigo was going to break through.

Then—Alex saw it. A section of the text that hadn't completely faded.

"...The beast recoils from silver, for it carries the purity of the moon. Fire, though feared, will not end it, but slow its advance. To sever its hold, one must return the blood it has taken..."

Alex's mind raced.

Silver. Fire. Blood.

They had two out of three.

Eli had a flamethrower, and the knife in the chest had strange carvings—was it silver? There was only one way to find out.

Alex grabbed the knife and turned to Eli. "You still got fuel left in that thing?"

Eli smirked. "Plenty. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Fire won't kill it, but it'll slow it down. We need to get out of here and drive it back long enough to find out where it came from. If we can return the blood it's taken—whatever that means—maybe we can end this."

Sally's face was pale, but she nodded. "Then we have to move—now."

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6: The Fight Begins

CRASH!

The mausoleum door exploded inward, shards of rotted wood flying across the room.

The Wendigo ducked inside, its gaunt, elongated body pressing into the tight space. Its milky white eyes locked onto them, its lips peeling back to reveal jagged, bloodstained teeth.

A low growl rumbled from its throat.

Alex's legs screamed at him to run. His survival instincts were overloading—every cell in his body telling him that this thing was beyond human comprehension.

But he held his ground.

"Eli, now!"

Eli fired the flamethrower.

A roaring column of fire erupted from the nozzle, engulfing the Wendigo in searing flames. The monster screamed, a horrifying, high-pitched wail that sent a shockwave through the room.

It stumbled back, its charred skin bubbling and peeling, but it didn't fall.

Alex didn't wait. He lunged.

With every ounce of strength he had, he drove the silver knife into the Wendigo's side.

The moment the blade pierced flesh, the creature let out a deafening shriek. The skin around the wound blackened and cracked, as if something inside it was rejecting the metal.

But it wasn't enough.

The Wendigo lashed out, its clawed hand raking across Alex's chest.

Pain exploded through his body as he was flung across the mausoleum, slamming into the stone wall. His vision blurred, the impact knocking the air from his lungs.

"ALEX!" Sally screamed.

Eli fired another burst of flames, keeping the Wendigo at bay.

Alex struggled to move, his chest burning from the deep gashes. He was losing too much blood.

But then—

A notification appeared before his eyes.

---

[System Notification]

Survival Instinct Activated.

Pain Resistance +1

Endurance +1

Bleed Status: Slowed

---

Alex gritted his teeth. He wasn't done yet.

---

7: The Final Stand

The Wendigo, though wounded, wasn't finished. It charged, its movements erratic and twitching like a broken puppet.

Eli emptied the last of the flamethrower's fuel, but the fire was losing its effectiveness.

"Sally! Get Alex out of here!" Eli barked.

Sally hesitated—but Alex grabbed her wrist. "No! We have to finish this!"

Eli growled. "Damn it, kid! We're running out of options!"

Alex forced himself to stand, his vision swimming from blood loss.

His mind raced.

The book said something about returning the blood it had taken.

Then—it clicked.

The graveyard.

The Sawyers had been feeding the Wendigo. If they could find where it was bound, they might be able to sever its hold on this world.

Alex stumbled forward, gripping the silver knife tightly.

"We need to find its grave!" he shouted.

Eli blinked. "Are you insane?! That thing is trying to gut us!"

"If we don't, it'll just keep coming back!"

For a second, Eli didn't move. Then, with a growl, he nodded.

"Fine. But you better be right."

---

8: The Grave of the Wendigo

They ran, dodging through the crumbling graveyard as the Wendigo shrieked behind them.

Then—Alex saw it.

A grave marked with strange symbols, its headstone cracked in half. The soil around it was disturbed, as if something had crawled out of it.

"Here!" Alex gasped.

Eli turned, raising his rifle. "What now?!"

Alex didn't hesitate. He stabbed the silver knife into the ground—right where the Wendigo had been buried.

The effect was instant.

The Wendigo let out an ear-splitting scream, its body convulsing violently. Its skin cracked, deep fissures of black decay spreading through its form.

Sally clutched her ears, screaming. Eli stumbled back, eyes wide.

The creature lurched forward—but it was too late.

The ground split open beneath it, the earth swallowing it whole.

Then—silence.

The Wendigo was gone.

For a long moment, none of them spoke.

Then, Eli let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "I can't believe that actually worked."

Alex collapsed onto his knees, his breath ragged.

He had changed the story.

For now.

---

[System Notification]

Side Quest Complete: Defeat the Wendigo

+1 Intelligence

+1 Perception

Survival Rank Increased

---

Alex exhaled.

They were alive.

But he had a feeling this wasn't over.

Because the Sawyers were still out there.

And they wouldn't be happy that their monster was gone.

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To Be Continued...