Chapter 5

"Umphhh…!"

Laura kept struggling in fear until a whisper reached her ear.

"Quiet. Or I'll push you," threatened the person behind her, none other than Alvaro.

"Al?" Laura murmured as Alvaro finally removed his hand from her mouth.

"Look ahead," he whispered.

Laura turned her gaze forward and saw a wild animal heading toward the beach.

"A t-tiger?" she stammered.

Alvaro's sharp eyes stayed locked on the creature's every move. "Looks like it's searching for something… or maybe someone to devour."

Laura swallowed hard, her body trembling in fear. "W-we have to get out of here, Al! If it sees us, we're dead!" she whispered in panic.

"Be quiet," Alvaro ordered, his voice low but firm. "If you move now, you'll only draw its attention."

Laura held her breath, her hand instinctively gripping Alvaro's arm. They both stayed frozen in silence, the only sounds were the wind and their shallow breathing. The tiger crept slowly toward the beach, pausing now and then to sniff the air.

"What do we do now?" Laura asked hoarsely.

"We wait until it leaves," Alvaro replied, eyes still fixed on the animal. "And if it comes closer... I'll draw its attention."

Laura's eyes widened. "Distract it? Are you insane? It'll kill you!"

"I'd rather die than listen to your whining all day," Alvaro muttered with sarcasm.

Laura let out a quiet scoff, though fear still gripped her. "You're seriously the most annoying man I've ever met."

"And you're the loudest woman I've ever met," Alvaro shot back, still watching the tiger, which was now slowly heading toward the forest. He exhaled in relief and turned to Laura. "Come on, let's move before it comes back."

Laura nodded quickly, though her legs still felt weak. She let Alvaro take her hand as they began to carefully move away from the beach toward safer ground.

Alvaro led her through thick bushes near a cliff. He moved swiftly, but still ensured Laura could keep up safely. She tried her best to stay quiet, even though her leg still throbbed with pain.

After they had traveled a fair distance, Alvaro stopped behind a large boulder. He scanned the area, ensuring there were no signs of danger.

"We're safe here for now," he said, then gently helped Laura sit down.

Laura took a deep breath, her face still pale. "You really knew what to do, didn't you?" she said softly, half in awe.

Alvaro sat beside her with a long sigh. "It's not about knowing what to do. I just didn't have a choice," he said, glancing at her. "I don't want to die here. And you're not allowed to die either. That's it."

Laura stared at him for a moment, then gave a small smile. "I didn't expect you to care about me."

Alvaro scoffed. "Don't get the wrong idea. If you die, I'd have to deal with your corpse and that's a chore I'd rather avoid."

Laura let out a weak laugh. "You really are the most annoying guy ever. But somehow, I feel safe with you."

Alvaro didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed on the forest in the distance. "We need to find a more secure shelter. That tiger might still be nearby. And who knows what else is lurking in this jungle."

"But... I'm not sure I can walk far," Laura said, lowering her eyes to her bandaged leg.

"We'll rest here for a bit. We should eat before moving again," Alvaro said.

"Here, the bag."

They opened the bag and each grabbed a small item to eat.

Laura took a bag of chips, while Alvaro picked some bread. They ate in silence, accompanied only by the wind and rustling leaves. Laura chewed slowly, though anxiety still lingered.

"About earlier… I'm sorry for misunderstanding. And thank you for helping bring down my fever," Laura said quietly.

"Yeah," Alvaro replied shortly, still chewing his food.

"But... weren't there medicines? Why didn't you just give me one?"

"I didn't know which one to use. When I get a fever, I don't take meds either. So rather than risk giving you the wrong one, I used an alternative method," he said, still staring ahead.

Laura let out a long sigh and looked at him with slight irritation. "But… that 'alternative' really embarrassed me, you know?"

Alvaro paused mid-bite and looked at her. "Embarrassed? I should be the one embarrassed. If I hadn't thought logically, I might've let you freeze to death."

Laura went quiet, unable to argue. She knew he was right. Though his method was blunt and ungraceful, he had saved her life.

"Anyway, it was a minor thing," Alvaro continued as he stood up. "If you keep bringing it up, it'll just make everything more awkward."

Laura rolled her eyes, though secretly she agreed. "Alright. I'll drop it. But if I get a fever again, please find another way."

Alvaro snorted softly as he grabbed his bag. "Take better care of yourself, and I won't need to find another way."

Laura let out another sigh, realizing that this man was nearly impossible to have a normal conversation with. Still, beneath his cold demeanor, she knew Alvaro genuinely wanted to keep her safe.

"How far do you think we'll have to walk to get out of this place?" she asked, changing the subject.

Alvaro squinted at the forest, as if trying to read it. "I don't know. But we have to keep moving. Staying still will only put us in more danger."

Laura nodded slowly, though doubt still clouded her heart. She glanced at her injured leg, then at Alvaro. "I... I'm not sure I can keep up with you."

Alvaro let out a small grunt. "I'm not risking our safety just because you don't want to try."

His words hit hard. Laura stayed silent. Deep down, she knew he was right.

Once they finished eating, Alvaro stood and packed up.

"We'll move slowly. If you can't go on, say something. But don't stop too often."

Laura nodded, though her heart felt heavy. She knew the journey ahead would only grow more difficult. But in this situation, she had no choice but to rely on Alvaro.

"Alright," Laura said, managing to stand despite her limp. "I'm ready."

Alvaro nodded and helped her walk. They stepped into the dense, shadowy forest once more hoping to find a way out of this natural trap.

***