The group moved cautiously, their footsteps muffled by damp soil and scattered leaves. The faint scent of decay lingered in the air, growing stronger with each step.
Athena walked ahead, her sharp eyes scanning the overgrown path. The distant cries of crows echoed above them, circling like black shadows in the sky.
When they reached the station, a chilling silence filled the air. The once orderly camp was now a scene of chaos.
Torn tents flapped in the wind, their fabric shredded like paper. Equipment lay scattered across the ground, wires tangled in muddy puddles.
The metallic scent of blood clung heavily to the air.
Darren gagged. "Oh God..." Stay updated with freewebnovel
Lisa clutched her arm, eyes wide with horror. "What happened here?"
Athena’s gaze settled on the twisted shapes lying across the camp. The ground was stained dark red, dried blood caking the earth.
Birds pecked at the mangled bodies, ripped clothes, torn flesh, lifeless faces twisted in agony.
"They were slaughtered," Athena muttered grimly.
"By what?" Marco whispered, his voice shaking.
"Not what... but how," Athena corrected. She knelt beside one of the bodies, a camera operator she vaguely remembered seeing before.
His body was slashed open from the chest to the waist, deep claw marks carved into his ribs. The cuts were jagged, unnatural. Not the work of ordinary animals.
Lisa pressed her hand to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. "This... this is insane..."
"We need to check the tents," Athena said firmly, forcing herself to stay calm. "There might be survivors."
They moved in pairs, cautiously inspecting the wreckage. Darren and Lisa checked the outer tents, while Athena and Marco headed toward the main one.
The largest tent was partially collapsed, its entrance ripped wide open. Dried blood smeared the canvas, and a strong stench of death hit them as they stepped inside.
The bodies were piled together, men and women, crew members they recognized.
Blood had pooled beneath them, and the walls bore streaks of red handprints, as if some had tried to crawl away.
Lisa stumbled back, gasping for breath. "No... no, no..."
Athena forced herself to move deeper inside. The air was thick with the stench of rot, and flies buzzed relentlessly.
But her sharp gaze locked onto something else, a flickering red light.
"A camera..." she muttered.
The broadcast camera still operated, its lens angled upward toward the tent’s ceiling. Athena knelt beside it, her fingers shaking slightly as she adjusted the controls.
"Is it still working?" Marco asked, standing guard at the entrance.
Athena nodded grimly. "It’s broadcasting live."
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Lisa stepped closer. "Who’s watching?"
"I don’t know," Athena admitted. "But if this camera’s still working... maybe someone can see us."
She adjusted the angle, turning the camera down toward her face. Her expression was firm, her voice steady.
"This is Athena Demerin, a participant of the survival program. If anyone can see this... we need help. The crew is gone."
"Most of the contestants are missing or dead. We’re stranded, and there’s something out here, something dangerous. Please, send help."
She stared into the lens for a moment longer before shifting the camera to show the gruesome scene behind her.
"Show them everything," Darren said quietly from the doorway. "Whoever’s out there... they need to know what we’re up against."
Athena silently panned the camera across the camp, capturing the bloodstained earth, the torn tents, the mutilated bodies. Then she turned it back on herself.
"Please," she said again, her voice softer. "We don’t have much time."
With that, she carefully ended the broadcast, her fingers trembling as she turned the camera off.
"Do you think anyone saw it?" Lisa asked weakly.
"I don’t know," Athena admitted. "But it’s the only chance we’ve got."
They regrouped outside the tent, keeping their voices low.
"We can’t stay here," Athena said firmly. "Whatever did this might still be close."
"But where do we go?" Marco asked. "We don’t even know if help’s coming."
Athena clenched her fists. "We can’t rely on hope. We need to move now, before night falls."
The group scavenged supplies from the wreckage, a few water bottles, protein bars, and an old map one of the crew had been using.
Athena packed everything they could carry before leading the others back into the forest.
The sun had begun to set, casting an orange glow through the trees. The air turned colder, and the distant howls of wolves drifted through the wind.
They walked in silence, tired and hungry. The rain had faded to a light drizzle, but the muddy path made every step feel heavy.
Marco stumbled once, nearly falling face-first into the mud. Athena reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Careful," she warned.
"Sorry," Marco muttered. "I... I just feel weak."
"We’re all tired," Darren said, his voice strained. "But we have to keep moving."
Hours passed, and darkness swallowed the forest. They finally stopped by a rocky overhang, their bodies too exhausted to continue.
Athena gathered sticks for a fire, her fingers stiff from the cold. Darren helped her light it, and soon, the small flame flickered weakly, providing some comfort.
"I’m scared," Lisa admitted quietly, hugging her knees.
"You’re not alone," Athena assured her. "We’ve made it this far. We can keep going."
Lisa gave a faint smile, but her eyes betrayed her fear.
Night fell, and the howls of wolves seemed closer than before. The wind whispered through the trees, and strange shadows flickered beyond the fire’s glow.
Athena stayed awake long after the others had drifted into restless sleep. Her eyes remained fixed on the dark horizon, her fingers never leaving the handle of her spear.
She knew this wasn’t over. The horrors they had faced were just the beginning.
In her heart, Athena felt a cold certainty, the enemy they had encountered wasn’t finished yet. And when they returned, they wouldn’t stop until every last one of them was dead.
As dawn broke, Athena’s eyes burned from exhaustion, but she refused to sleep. The fire had dimmed, leaving only faint embers glowing beneath the ash.
She glanced at her companions, Lisa curled tightly beneath a thin blanket, Darren’s face pale and drawn, and Marco’s shallow breaths echoing the strain of their journey.
A distant rustling in the trees made Athena tighten her grip on her spear. Shadows shifted between the branches, too large to be wolves. Her heart pounded.
"Wake up," she whispered urgently. "Something’s coming."
The others stirred, their eyes widening in fear as footsteps drew closer.