Echoes in the forest | Minsung

The Shadows Close In

The forest was a labyrinth of shadows, each tree twisting into a menacing figure as they ran. The sound of the river grew louder in Jisung's ears, a constant roar that mixed with the pounding of his heart. He could barely keep up with Chan and Lee Know as they pushed through the underbrush, the adrenaline of their narrow escape still coursing through his veins.

But the fear was starting to creep in, gnawing at the edges of his resolve. His breaths came in short, panicked gasps, and his legs felt like they were moving through water, heavy and sluggish. He was falling behind, the distance between him and the others widening with every step.

"Wait!" Jisung called out, his voice barely a whisper in the wind that whipped through the trees. But the river's roar swallowed his words, and Lee Know and Chan didn't seem to hear him. Panic surged in Jisung's chest as he stumbled over a root, his foot catching on the gnarled wood. He fell hard, the impact jarring his bones as he hit the ground.

"Lee Know!" Jisung tried again, his voice trembling with fear. He pushed himself up, dirt clinging to his palms as he tried to orient himself. The forest seemed to close in around him, the darkness deepening as the moon slipped behind a cloud.

He was alone.

For a moment, Jisung stood there, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. He could still hear the rustle of leaves ahead, the faint sound of Chan and Lee Know moving through the trees. But they were getting farther away, and with every second that passed, the forest grew quieter.

"Lee Know, wait!" Jisung called out again, his voice desperate. He took a step forward, pain lancing through his ankle as he put weight on it. He hissed, biting back a cry as he realized he must have twisted it when he fell.

The panic surged again, more potent this time. He couldn't afford to be hurt, not now. But the pain was real, and it was slowing him down. Every step was agony, the rough ground unforgiving beneath his feet.

And then, the forest went silent.

The realization struck him like a punch to the gut. The rustling ahead had stopped. The only sounds now were the river and his own ragged breathing. Jisung's heart leapt into his throat as he turned in circles, trying to catch a glimpse of Lee Know or Chan. But all he saw were shadows, the trees looming like silent predators.

"Chan? Lee Know?" His voice trembled as he called out, the words barely louder than a whisper. The fear was overwhelming now, a suffocating presence that threatened to choke him.

No answer came.

He was truly alone, and the realization settled like a lead weight in his chest. They hadn't heard him. They didn't know he was missing. And the men—those terrifying, faceless figures from the clearing—were still out there, somewhere in the dark.

Jisung forced himself to move, each step sending a jolt of pain through his ankle. He couldn't afford to stay here, couldn't let the fear paralyze him. He needed to find the others, needed to find a way out of this nightmare.

But the forest had other plans.

As he limped through the trees, the darkness seemed to thicken, the shadows growing longer and more twisted. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves sent a fresh wave of terror through him. He could feel the forest closing in, could almost sense the unseen eyes watching him from the shadows.

And then, he heard it—a low, ominous murmur of voices, close and getting closer.

Panic flared, white-hot and all-consuming. Jisung's breath hitched in his throat as he pressed himself against a tree, his heart pounding so hard he feared it might give him away. The voices were moving through the forest, methodical, searching.