YHS The Reunion : 9 Years Later..

ch 19:

"Even in the stillness of the morning, the. shadows of last night clung to us, reminding. me that the worst wasn't behind us-it was. only just beginning."

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FUNNEH'S POV ☆

The night dragged on slowly, the cabin creaking with every gust of wind. No one slept. Every small noise outside sent shivers down my spine, and I gripped the axe, keeping it close.

Morning came, but the sunlight didn't bring much comfort. The sky was still heavy with dark clouds, and the chill in the air remained. We hadn't spoken much since finding Evan. Everyone was still processing, still in shock.

Kyran was the first to stand up, stretching stiffly from where he had sat near the door. His face was pale, and his eyes hollowed from lack of sleep. "We should go," he said quietly. "If we wait too long, that thing might come back."

Felicia stood too, looking around at the rest of us. "Are we sure it's dead?"

I caught her gaze, still feeling the weight of the moment when the axe had struck. "It's dead. I made sure of it." The confidence in my voice didn't quite match the doubt simmering inside me, but I couldn't afford to show that now.

Valerie wrapped her arms around herself, her voice shaky. "What if there's more of them?"

Alec shook his head, glancing out the window. "We can't stay to find out. We should make for the town."

Everyone agreed in silent nods, the tension thick in the air. We gathered our few belongings, which wasn't much. My axe remained in my grip, a necessary weight now. I didn't feel safe without it.

We left the cabin, stepping into the eerie morning. The air was thick with a sense of dread, as if the forest itself knew what had happened the night before. There wasn't a single bird call or sound of wildlife. It was dead silent.

As we walked, Gold stayed close to me, her fingers brushing against mine for comfort. No one said much, and every few minutes, I found myself glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting the monster to lunge out of the trees at any moment.

We kept moving, following the small dirt path that led deeper into the woods. The town wasn't too far from here, just a few miles, but the journey felt endless.

Suddenly, Kyran stopped, eyes scanning the trees around us. "Wait. Do you hear that?"

We all paused, listening closely. At first, there was nothing, just the eerie quiet of the woods. But then, faintly, we heard something-footsteps. They were slow, dragging, almost too quiet to catch.

Panic flared in my chest. "Is it back?" Gold whispered, her voice trembling.

"I don't know," Alec replied, his eyes narrowed as he tried to pinpoint the source of the sound.

Without thinking, I took the lead, gripping the axe tightly as I moved cautiously toward the noise. My heart was racing, but I couldn't show fear. Not now.

As we pushed forward, the sound grew louder. But it wasn't the monster. It was... someone else. A figure appeared through the trees, staggering toward us.

I froze, the axe ready in my hands. But as the figure came closer, I recognized them. It was Senpai, his face pale and bloodied, his clothes torn. His steps were uneven, like he could barely hold himself up.

"Senpai!" Valerie shouted, running toward him.

He collapsed into her arms, barely conscious, his breaths shallow. "Help... it got me..." His voice was weak, a pained whisper.

Alec and Kyran rushed over, helping her, lower him to the ground. Blood soaked his shirt, and there were deep gashes along his side.

"Stay with us, Senpai," she urged, my voice tight with panic. "We're going to help you."

Gold knelt beside us, her hands trembling as she pressed a cloth to his wounds, trying to stop the bleeding. But it was bad-too bad.

Alec looked up at me, fear flashing in his eyes. "We need to get him to the town. Now."

I nodded, trying to keep my breathing steady. "Let's go."

We quickly formed a plan, Alec and Kyran taking turns supporting Senpai as we moved faster down the path, kyran got tired of holding senpai, so Alec picked him up bridal style and continued down the path. Every step felt like a race against time. The woods around us felt darker, the air heavier, as if something was watching us from the shadows.

And deep down, I knew the nightmare wasn't over yet.

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