Revenge of the Island

Episode 19: ?

The next episode opens on a heavy note as Wayne carefully lifts Raj’s hockey jumper off the branch, clutching it in his hands with a mix of hope and heartbreak. He stares at it, the memories of his best friend flooding back. He’d been holding onto the smallest glimmer of hope that Raj might still be okay, but seeing his friend’s jumper abandoned in the woods makes that hope feel fragile.

Damien and Caleb exchange a look, each feeling the weight of Wayne’s pain. Wayne’s face crumples, and tears begin to fall, something rare enough that the group is taken aback. Axel steps forward, placing a comforting hand on his back and murmuring softly, “It’s gonna be alright, Wayne.”

The group starts to head back to the cabin, moving in silence. But they don’t get far. Barely ten seconds pass before a scream, loud and piercing, tears through the forest.

“AHH, SHIT!” Julia yells, hands flying up to cover her ears from the sheer volume.

“What the hell was that?” Bowie stammers, looking around in alarm.

Wayne’s eyes go wide, his face turning pale. “Raj?” He drops the jumper and takes off in the direction of the scream without a second thought.

“Ughhh, can any of you go three seconds without making a dumb decision??” Damien mutters in exasperation before bolting after Wayne. One by one, the others follow, the tension escalating with every hurried step.

The forest grows darker as they go deeper, the dense canopy overhead casting ominous shadows across their path. The scream still lingers in their minds, haunting and unshakable.

Wayne leads the charge, his feet pounding through the underbrush, desperation and fear giving him speed. The others struggle to keep up, but they don’t dare let him out of their sight. They crash through bushes and duck under low-hanging branches, each feeling the adrenaline pushing them forward.

Finally, they come to a small clearing, panting and searching for any sign of what—or who—had made that scream. Wayne’s heart races as his eyes dart around the space, scanning for any trace of Raj.

But the clearing is empty. No Raj. No sign of anyone. Just eerie silence, broken only by the sound of their labored breaths.

“What… what the hell?” Bowie says, breaking the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.

Suddenly, a figure moves at the edge of the clearing, just barely visible in the shadows. Wayne’s heart skips a beat, his hope reigniting as he strains his eyes to see. The figure takes a step forward, and in the dim light, they can make out a familiar, unsettling sight: a mask.

“Oh, hell no,” Julia breathes, her voice filled with dread as they realize it’s not Raj. It’s something—or someone—else entirely, lurking in the shadows.

Axel steps forward, her stance defensive, but she doesn’t move closer. “Whoever you are, come out,” she says, her voice steady but tense.

The figure doesn’t respond. Instead, it turns and vanishes into the trees, leaving the group standing in stunned silence. They all stare, the weight of the unknown pressing down on them.

Wayne's hope starting to waver. The forest feels darker than ever, and for the first time in a while, the reality of just how dangerous their situation is begins to settle over them like a shadow.