Unseen | Ghost x Soap

Chapter 64: Lost Signals

Ghost's POV:

We were just starting to pull away from the rest of the team when I felt it—the shift in the air, the creeping tension that settled into the space between us. It wasn't anything I could see, nothing tangible, but it was there. Lingering. This place was getting into my head.

The others had gone their separate ways, Price giving us a quick nod as he disappeared into the underbrush with Gaz. I should've felt more confident. We had a plan, we knew the terrain—at least, we thought we did. But the deeper we went into the valley, the more I realized how unpredictable this place was.

Soap was just ahead of me, moving with his usual speed, though I could tell something was gnawing at him. His steps were heavier than usual, more deliberate. He wasn't saying anything, but I could feel the tension radiating off him. He kept glancing back at me, and every time our eyes met, I gave him a short nod, just to let him know I was there. I always would be.

We'd been walking for about thirty minutes when it happened. A crackle of static in my earpiece, so faint at first that I thought it was nothing. I tapped it instinctively, trying to adjust the signal, but all I got was dead air. I slowed my pace, trying to focus, hoping it was just the interference from the trees.

"Price, you copy?" I said, keeping my voice low. "Gaz, anyone?"

Nothing. Just static.

I frowned, glancing up at Soap. He hadn't noticed yet, still moving forward like we had all the time in the world. I didn't want to worry him, not yet. "Soap, hold up a second."

He stopped and turned back, his brow furrowed. "What is it?"

"Comms are acting up," I muttered, tapping the earpiece again, hoping for something, anything. "Could be the valley's messing with the signal."

Soap's eyes narrowed, and I could see that flicker of doubt in his expression. "We're already cut off?"

I didn't want to admit it, but the truth was plain enough. "Could be temporary. We just need to get through this stretch and reconnect. Don't worry."

But I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was starting to. And, if I was honest with myself, so was I. This place was playing tricks on us. The deeper we went, the more it felt like the forest itself was swallowing us whole. Every direction looked the same—trees and shadows, shadows and trees, no markers, no landmarks.

We kept moving, both of us trying to push back the unease that was gnawing at the edges. But with every step, the silence got heavier. The wind barely stirred, the only sound the crunch of leaves under our boots. We were walking in circles, or at least, it felt like it.

It wasn't long before Soap's breathing got louder, sharper. His head was on a swivel, glancing around like he was searching for something familiar, something that would tell him we weren't lost.

"Ghost," he muttered, his voice strained. "We're going the wrong way."

I shook my head. "We're fine. Just stay close. We're sticking to the plan."

"No, we're not fine," Soap snapped, his voice louder now. "Look at this place. We're lost. We've been walking for half an hour, and we've got nothing. No comms. No contact. This is wrong."

I could hear the panic creeping into his voice, the way his words came out faster, tighter. I stepped closer to him, trying to keep my own voice calm. "Johnny, listen to me. We've trained for this. We've been through worse, you and me. We'll find the others. Just give it time."

He shook his head, his eyes darting around as if searching for something that wasn't there. "You don't get it, mate. We've got nothing to go on. No map, no signal, no way to get back. This place... it's all the same. We're just walking blind."

I could feel it then—the weight of the situation starting to sink in, pulling at me. But I couldn't show it. I couldn't let him see how much it was getting to me too. I had to keep him steady. That's what I did. I kept things under control.

"We're not lost," I said firmly, stepping up to him. "We've just got to keep moving. The team's out there. They'll be looking for us. We stick to the path, and we'll get through this. You and me. We always do."

Soap's eyes met mine, and for a second, I saw that flicker of doubt soften. But it was still there, lurking beneath the surface, threatening to break through. I could see the strain in his face, the way his jaw clenched tight as if he was trying to hold himself together.

"Ghost," he whispered, and this time, his voice wavered. "What if we don't find them? What if we're really—"

"We will," I cut him off, keeping my tone steady. "We've got this. Stay close to me, Johnny. I'm not letting anything happen to you."

I wanted to believe my own words, wanted to trust that we weren't as lost as it felt. But the silence around us was deafening, and with every minute that passed, the weight of it grew heavier. I could see it in the way Soap moved, his steps more erratic, his head snapping toward every sound like he was waiting for something to jump out at us.

"Let's keep moving," I said quietly, nodding toward the barely visible trail ahead. "We'll find our way."

Soap hesitated, glancing back the way we'd come. For a moment, I thought he might argue again, insist we'd missed something or gone too far. But then he nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly as he fell into step beside me.

We walked in silence, the air between us thick with tension. I could feel Soap's panic simmering just beneath the surface, and the more time passed, the more I could feel it creeping into my own chest. The forest around us was too quiet, too still. It felt like we were the only two people left in the world, wandering aimlessly through a place that had no end.

And with every step, I could feel the reality settling in—we were lost. Well and truly lost. But I couldn't let that show. Not yet.

"Ghost," Soap said again, his voice barely above a whisper. "What if we can't get out?"

I didn't answer right away, my eyes fixed on the path ahead. I couldn't afford to let him see the doubt creeping into my own thoughts. I had to keep it together. I had to be strong for him, even if I was just as terrified as he was.

"We will," I said, my voice hard but steady. "We always do."

But as we kept moving, the silence between us spoke louder than any words could.