The Vanishing

The school bus rumbled down the winding mountain road, its old engine vibrating beneath the floor as it snaked through thick clusters of towering trees. Outside, the early morning sky was a canvas of purples and oranges, the last remnants of night retreating before the rising sun. A thin mist curled around the bus's tires, swirling like ghostly tendrils as the vehicle cut through the crisp mountain air.

Inside, the atmosphere was a blend of drowsy murmurs, occasional laughter, and the rhythmic hum of the moving vehicle. Some students leaned against their windows, lost in their own thoughts, while others tapped away on their phones, their screens casting faint blue glows on their faces. A few had dozed off, lulled to sleep by the steady rocking of the bus.

Kai sat alone, resting his forehead against the cool window. His dark brown hair, slightly tousled, fell over his sharp features, framing deep, contemplative eyes that seemed to always carry a distant weight. He watched the trees blur past, their tall forms shifting like silent sentinels. Though he was among his classmates, he had always been somewhat apart—not because of arrogance or shyness, but because he simply preferred to observe rather than partake.

A voice broke through his quiet bubble.

"Yo, Kai, still breathing?"

Liam, one of the few people who regularly talked to him, leaned over the aisle with a lazy grin.

Kai didn't look away from the window. "Barely."

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "Do you ever just… enjoy these trips? Or do you just sit there and act like some anime protagonist, staring at the scenery all dramatic-like?"

Kai exhaled through his nose, a faint smirk twitching at his lips.

Before Liam could say more, the bus lurched slightly, making a few students glance up. The driver muttered something under his breath, adjusting his grip on the wheel.

The mist outside was no longer thin wisps—it had thickened, swallowing the forest in an eerie white veil. The sunlight barely penetrated the fog, leaving only dull, ghostly patches of brightness.

The driver frowned. "Damn fog came outta nowhere…"

He flicked on the high beams, but the headlights barely cut through the dense mist.

Something felt off.

Kai straightened in his seat, his senses sharpening. The air had changed—thicker, heavier. The usual background noises of birds chirping and leaves rustling had vanished. The bus moved forward, but it felt as if it were pushing into something unseen, like trudging through invisible waters.

A low static hum filled the air.

It wasn't coming from the bus.

Kai's fingers curled against his seat as unease crept up his spine.

Then—

A sound.

A deep, guttural tearing noise, like metal being ripped apart by unseen hands.

The entire bus shuddered. The windows rattled violently, backpacks tumbled from overhead compartments, and a collective gasp of alarm rippled through the students. Someone shrieked. The driver cursed loudly, trying to regain control as the vehicle veered slightly.

The mist outside wasn't just thick—it was moving.

It coiled and twisted unnaturally, collapsing inward like a vortex. The headlights flickered, then went dark.

Kai's pulse pounded in his ears. His grip tightened on the seat in front of him. Every instinct in his body screamed that something was wrong.

Then—

The world snapped.

A pulse, like an invisible shockwave, rippled through the air.

The bus jerked violently, as if the ground beneath had suddenly vanished. Students were thrown against their seats, some screaming, some gasping. Kai barely had time to brace himself—

Then silence.

The bus was no longer moving.

The lights flickered once, then died completely, plunging them into a dim half-darkness. For a moment, nothing but the sound of ragged breathing filled the air. The oppressive fog that had once surrounded them was gone.

And beyond the shattered windows—

The world was no longer the same. 

A deafening silence settled over the bus.

Kai's breath was steady, but his mind was racing. The oppressive fog had lifted, revealing a landscape that did not belong to the world they knew. Beyond the broken windows, towering trees loomed like ancient sentinels, their thick trunks wrapped in vines and moss. The air was thick with humidity, carrying scents of damp earth, wild foliage, and something… primal.

Birds did not chirp here. The only sounds were the occasional rustling of unseen creatures and the distant echo of something heavy moving through the underbrush.

Kai stepped forward, his boots crunching softly against the moss-covered ground as he descended from the bus. His dark eyes flickered with analysis, drinking in every detail—the rich, vibrant greens of the jungle, the deep shadows cast by the massive trees, the unnatural stillness that hinted at an ecosystem ruled by apex predators.

A predator's domain.

Behind him, the others were beginning to stumble out of the bus. Fear, confusion, and panic played across their faces. Some clung to each other, others scanned the surroundings in disbelief.

Then—

"Where's Kai?"

A feminine voice, sharp with urgency.

Amidst the chaos, a pair of wide, frantic eyes darted across the crowd, scanning the figures pouring out of the bus. A girl with shoulder-length auburn hair, her breath unsteady, pushed past a few others. She was searching.

For him.

Her name was Ava.

Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms as she fought back the rising panic. The last thing she remembered was Kai sitting near the window, his usual brooding self. When everything collapsed into madness, she had lost sight of him. The thought that he might be injured—or worse—sent a shudder through her.

Her amber eyes locked onto his figure.

"Kai!"

She rushed forward, nearly tripping over a fallen branch in her haste. He turned at the sound of his name, catching the sheer relief on her face before she masked it behind something more neutral.

"You're okay," she exhaled. It wasn't a question—it was a quiet confirmation she needed for herself.

Kai studied her for a moment before offering a slight nod. "You too."

Ava's heart, which had been hammering wildly, settled just slightly. Of course he's fine. He was always so calm, so unshaken. If anyone could handle this insanity, it was him.

But not everyone shared his composure.

Liam staggered over, his face pale. "Dude, tell me you have some kind of theory here, because I'm two seconds away from losing my mind."

Before Kai could answer, a distant thump echoed through the jungle.

Then another.

The ground trembled.

Students froze, their breath caught in their throats.

A rhythmic, approaching thud-thud-thud, growing louder. Closer.

Then, from the dense foliage ahead, something emerged.

A beast of nightmares.

It was unlike anything most of them had ever seen, yet some recognized it from the pages of history books and dinosaur documentaries. But none of those lifeless images could ever compare to standing before it in reality.

The Carnotaurus.

It was massive, yet built for speed—its muscular form covered in thick, cracked scales the color of dried blood. Its powerful legs dug into the earth as it moved, its long tail swaying to keep balance. But what made it truly terrifying were its forward-facing, predatory eyes and the wicked, jagged teeth lining its powerful jaws.

And then there were its arms—tiny, almost comically useless, but no one was laughing.

The beast exhaled through flared nostrils, its breath a hot, heavy gust that carried the scent of raw meat. A fresh kill.

Then its gaze landed on them.

A low growl rumbled from its throat.

Ava's fingers curled into Kai's sleeve, barely realizing she had done so.

The Carnotaurus let out a sharp, guttural bark—a sound unlike the roar of a T-Rex, but no less terrifying. It wasn't just a warning.

It was a declaration.

Prey had entered its domain.

And it was hungry.

The students stood frozen in place, fear paralyzing their limbs. Some stumbled backward, some barely dared to breathe.

Kai's mind, however, was already working at full speed.

The creature wasn't lunging yet. That meant it was assessing them. Calculating. It wasn't mindless—it was a hunter. And a smart one at that.

He could feel Ava's grip tightening on his sleeve, her breath shallow.

"We need to move," Kai muttered, just loud enough for those near him to hear.

Liam swallowed hard. "Move where, dude? That thing's got legs bigger than my entire body—"

The Carnotaurus suddenly snapped its jaws, an ear-splitting sound that sent a fresh wave of terror through the group.

Kai narrowed his eyes. It wasn't just acting aggressively—it was testing them.

And if they stood still much longer, it would strike.

He exhaled sharply, shaking off Ava's grip before stepping forward.

"Kai—!" she started, her voice laced with both fear and frustration.

He ignored her.

Instead, he locked eyes with the Carnotaurus.

There was a moment of stillness. A wordless exchange between predator and potential prey.

Then—

Kai suddenly grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it.

It wasn't an attack—it was a distraction.

The stone sailed through the air, striking the ground a few feet away from the creature's feet with a sharp crack. Instantly, the Carnotaurus's head jerked toward the noise, its predatory instincts momentarily redirected.

"Now—RUN!" Kai ordered.

The paralysis shattered.

Ava was the first to react, yanking Liam's sleeve before sprinting. The others snapped out of their daze, adrenaline taking over as their survival instincts kicked in.

Chaos erupted.

Kai didn't run immediately. He kept his eyes on the beast for a second longer, gauging its reaction. It was agitated now, uncertain about where to focus its attack.

Good.

Then, with a sharp turn, he sprinted after the others, vanishing into the jungle.

The Carnotaurus let out a furious snarl.

Then it charged.

The hunt had begun.