Walker of the Woods

Chapter 4: Seperation

Jacob's heart raced as he stumbled back to the campsite, his mind still reeling from the terrifying roar that had shattered the night. He burst into the clearing, breathless and wide-eyed, his gaze darting between his friends who were hastily packing up their tents and belongings.

"Did you hear that?!" Jacob exclaimed, his voice tinged with fear.

Anthony, his face grim, nodded curtly. "We all heard it. We need to get out of here, now."

Panic spread through the group like wildfire as they hurriedly gathered their gear. Yoslyn's hands trembled as she stuffed clothes into her backpack, her eyes scanning the darkness around them nervously. Gavin knelt beside her, his voice calm but strained as he helped her pack.

"We're going to get through this, Yoslyn," Gavin reassured her, though his own voice wavered slightly. "Just focus on getting ready."

Gavin, Yoslyn, Antonio, and Beth quickly piled into Gavin's red Dodge Charger, while Anthony and Lucy settled into Anthony's sturdy Ford F150. Jacob and Richard reluctantly squeezed into Jacob's car, their nerves palpable as they prepared to leave the camp behind.

The engines roared to life, piercing the night with their urgency as the group raced through the winding forest paths. They communicated through their phones, trying to maintain calm amidst the rising tension.

"Gavin, do you see anything?" Anthony's voice crackled over the speaker.

"Just keep moving," Gavin replied tersely, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond his headlights. "We're getting out of here."

Beth's voice trembled as she spoke. "What was that thing? Are we safe?"

Lucy's voice cut in, steady and reassuring. "We're sticking together. We'll figure this out."

In Gavin's car, Yoslyn glanced nervously at Gavin. "Do you think it's still out there?" she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.

Gavin shook his head, his grip tight on the steering wheel. "I don't know," he admitted quietly. "But we're not stopping until we're clear."

They sped towards the park's exit, the forest closing in around them like a maze of uncertainty. Suddenly, a deer darted across the road ahead, its presence a stark reminder of the wildness surrounding them.

"Honk your horn! Scare it off!" Anthony's urgent command echoed through the speaker.

Gavin slammed on the horn, the sharp sound piercing the stillness. The deer froze for a moment before bounding away—straight into the path of an unseen predator.

A massive creature lunged from the shadows, its claws tearing into the deer with ferocious speed. Gavin swerved to avoid the collision, but the sudden movement caused Anthony's truck to collide with Jacob's car. Metal screeched and glass shattered as the vehicles careened off the road, crashing into trees and tumbling down the embankment.

Gavin's car teetered on the edge of a cliff, the branches of a massive redwood tree catching it just before it could plummet to the forest floor below. Inside the car, Gavin and Yoslyn clung to each other, their hearts pounding with terror and relief.

"We're okay," Gavin gasped, his voice shaky as he stroked Yoslyn's hair. "We're okay."

Meanwhile, Jacob's car came to a rest further down the slope, the impact leaving Richard and Jacob shaken but miraculously unharmed.

Richard's face twisted with disbelief. "What the hell was that thing?"

Jacob struggled to catch his breath, his mind racing with the terrifying image of the creature. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice strained with fear. "But we need to find the others."