Branches whipped at their faces, and the underbrush clawed at their legs as they fled deeper into the forest. The darkness was near absolute, the thick canopy overhead obscuring any hope of moonlight guiding their way. Mia's lungs burned with the effort, each breath ragged and sharp in her chest, but she couldn't stop—not now.
Behind them, she could hear the figure's pursuit, the soundless movement that somehow cut through the chaos of their escape. It was closing in, and every instinct screamed that it was only playing with them, letting them tire themselves out before it struck.
"Faster!" Jake urged, his voice strained, a mix of fear and desperation. He grabbed Mia's hand, pulling her along as they navigated through the labyrinth of trees. But even as they ran, Mia could feel the weight of the figure's presence pressing down on them, an unyielding force that seemed to seep into her very bones.
They broke through a line of dense pines into a small clearing, the sudden openness jarring after the claustrophobic forest. Mia skidded to a halt, her eyes darting around, searching for any path of escape. The clearing was surrounded by the same towering trees, their branches swaying ominously in the wind, and the only exit was the way they had come.
Jake turned to face the direction they had just fled, his eyes wild and frantic. "Where is it?" he whispered, the question hanging heavy in the air.
Mia swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the poker. The silence was unnerving, the stillness of the clearing at odds with the frenzy they had just experienced. She could feel her pulse pounding in her ears, each beat echoing her fear.
Then, from the shadows at the edge of the clearing, the figure emerged. It was even more terrifying up close, its form still blurred and undefined, as if reality itself was rejecting its existence. It moved with that same fluid grace, a gliding motion that made Mia's skin crawl.
"Stay back," Mia warned, her voice trembling as she raised the poker defensively. But the figure did not pause; it advanced steadily, the oppressive force of its presence growing with each step.
Jake stepped in front of her, his body tense, as if trying to shield her from whatever this thing was. "What do you want?" he shouted, his voice cracking with a mix of fear and defiance.
The figure stopped just a few feet away from them, and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of their labored breathing. Then, without a word, it raised a hand—dark and indistinct—toward them.
Mia felt a cold grip around her heart, a chill spreading through her veins. She tried to move, to fight, but it was like the air had solidified around her, trapping her in place. Jake seemed to be struggling too, his face contorted in pain as he fought against the invisible force holding them captive.
"Jake!" she cried out, panic surging anew. She tried to swing the poker, but it was like moving through water, every action slow and futile. The figure's hand reached out further, and she could feel the air around them tightening, pressing in on all sides.
And then, just as suddenly as it began, the pressure lifted. The figure lowered its hand, the shadows around it seeming to pulse and writhe before it began to retreat, sliding back into the darkness from which it came. It was as if it had made its decision and was now content to wait, to watch.
Mia collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath, her body shaking uncontrollably. Jake was beside her in an instant, his eyes wide and filled with a mix of terror and relief.
"We have to keep moving," he said urgently, pulling her to her feet. "It's not gone. It's just... waiting."
Mia nodded, her throat too tight to speak. They had been given a momentary reprieve, but she knew this was far from over. Whatever that figure was, it wasn't finished with them. Not yet.
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Next Chapter will be out soon.
Stay tuned. Bye!
