A few moments before Emily fell—
James observed her carefully. Her once clean silver hair was now dirty and tangled, and each step she took was unsteady, her body trembling slightly. Unlike her usual self, she was unusually quiet.
He moved closer.
"Everything will be alright," he said, trying to comfort her.
She slowly raised her head to look at him, her eyes red from crying.
"We could have helped her," she said.
"No, we couldn't. We never had a chance," James replied gently.
She shook her head. "No… if I had moved faster, maybe—maybe I could have saved her." Tears welled in her eyes.
Without thinking, he pulled her into an embrace.
"Hey… it wasn't your fault," he said softly, patting her head.
"There was nothing any of us could have done."
She buried her face in his chest, crying quietly.
"I'm sorry… for not listening to you," she muttered.
"It's alright. You were just trying to help."
They stood there in silence, her quiet sobs the only sound between them. Her tears slowly soaked into his shirt as he held her.
James' arms tightened slightly around her, almost unconsciously.
For a moment, his thoughts drifted—to how she used to be before all of this… and to the silent vow he had made to protect her.
Then—
The sobbing stopped,her fingers loosened slightly against his shirt
"Emily?"
He pulled back to check on her, and her body suddenly went limp.
"Emily!"
She collapsed backward, and he lunged forward, catching her before she hit the ground.
The group rushed toward James at the sound of his scream, finding Emily lying limp in his arms.
"What happened?" Jake asked, reaching them first.
"I don't know… we were talking, then she just collapsed," James replied, his eyes fixed on her pale face.
By then, Rachel and Van had caught up.
"Make way—give me some space," Rachel instructed as she knelt beside them. Gently, she lifted Emily's head onto her lap and began checking her pulse.
After a few seconds, she let out a quiet sigh.
"How is she? Is she okay?" James asked quickly, studying her expression.
"She's fine," Rachel said. "She just needs rest. Everything that's happened must have taken a toll on her."
James exhaled slightly, still watching Emily with worry.
Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder. "She'll be alright."
He nodded faintly.
Jake remained silent, his eyes scanning the surroundings, alert for any movement.
"We need to find somewhere safe for her to rest," Rachel said. "Honestly, we all do."
"Then we should hurry," Jake added, glancing at the darkening forest.
"Do you think there's a cave or something nearby?" Van asked, looking around nervously.
"We won't know until we move," Jake replied. He tapped James on the shoulder. "Cmon. We need to find somewhere safe for her."
James nodded. With Rachel's help, he lifted Emily onto his back.
"Alright. Lead the way."
Jake moved ahead, with James following closely behind, Rachel and Van stayed at the rear.
The group walked for several minutes. The forest grew darker with every step, the faint light filtering through the trees barely guiding their way forward, the cold wind cut through them, biting at their skin.
"We need to move faster," James said, feeling Emily tremble against his back.
"Wait—I see something," Jake said suddenly, pushing aside branches with his stick. "I think it's a cave. Does anyone still have their phone?"
"Yeah, I do." Van quickly pulled his phone from his pocket. Though there was no signal, it still worked.
Jake took it and switched on the flashlight, pointing it ahead.
"It's a cave. Let's go."
"Wait—what if something's inside?" Van protested.
The group hesitated, staring at the dark opening. Jake glanced back at Emily, then at Rachel, who was also starting to shiver.
"I'll check first," he said.
"That's dangerous," Van warned.
Jake shot him a look. "Then what do you suggest? We freeze out here?"
"He's right," James said. Carefully, he passed Emily to Rachel. "I'll go with him."
He looked at Van. "Protect them."
"I can handle it alone," Jake muttered, but James had already stepped toward the cave.
He paused at the entrance, staring into the darkness.
"You coming?"
Jake sighed. "Stubborn…"
Then he followed.
The two stepped into the cave, James casting one last glance back at Emily before moving deeper inside.
Jake led the way with his stick while James held the phone, its light cutting through the darkness.
The cave was wider than expected… and strangely warm.They moved forward carefully.
Crack.
Both of them froze, slowly James lowered the light. His foot had stepped on something, looking closely it was a bone.
Jake let out a breath. "Man… don't do that."
"Look," James said quietly, angling the light ahead.
Jake followed the beam and went still.Around the cave bone scattered everywhere,some still had flesh clinging to them. Dried blood stains marked the ground.
"Something lives here," James said, his voice low. "We should leave."
"And go where?" Jake shot back, tightening his grip on the stick. "Emily needs rest."
"We'll find another way," James assured him.
Jake hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright… might as well borrow this."
He bent down and picked up a large horn from the ground, about the size of a human hand. "Better than a stick."
James nodded and grabbed a large femur bone, testing its weight with a swing.
"This will do."
They both turned to head back—
ROAR!
The sound echoed from outside the cave, causing their bodies tensed.
Without a word, they rushed out. What they saw froze them for a split second.
Van stood in front, his hands trembling as he waved a stick at a massive creature.
Behind him, Rachel held Emily protectively.
The creature paused the moment it saw James and Jake emerge from the cave then let out another roar.
This was its territory.Under the dim light, its full form became clear.
A bear. But not normal.
Jagged spikes jutted from its back like blades.Its claws were long and razor-sharp, and fresh blood dripped from its mouth.
No one moved.
Then the bear stepped forward.
Van's grip tightened, his whole body shaking.
Jake clenched his teeth.
"Move!"
He rushed forward.James snapped out of his daze and followed.
They rushed to Van's side, forming a shaky line in front of him.
The beast loomed before them—its blood-stained fangs bared, breath heavy and hot.
For a moment… no one moved.
Then the bear charged.
Jake stepped forward instinctively, raising the horn like a spear.
"Stay back!"
He thrust forward, but the bear was faster.
Its massive claw slammed into him.
THUD!
Jake was sent crashing sideways, rolling across the ground.
"Jake!!" James shouted.
Van stumbled back, his legs giving out as he fell.
James tightened his grip on the femur, his eyes darting between Jake's fallen body and the advancing beast.
No time to think.
The bear lunged.
James swung the bone with all his strength—aiming for its head. The bear tilted slightly.
The attack missed.Its claws came down in response.
James dropped low—rolling under the strike, the wind of the attack brushing past him.
The ground scraped against his back as he barely escaped.
The bear roared, turning toward him—
"Hey!!"
Jake's voice cut through the chaos.Blood stained his lips, his clothes torn—but he was back on his feet.
He charged from behind, gripping the horn tightly.
"Over here!"
He drove the horn forward—aiming for the bear's neck—
The beast shifted at the last second.
Thud.
The horn pierced into its shoulder instead. Letting out a furious roar.
It turned violently—Swiping at Jake.
Jake jumped back just in time, abandoning the horn lodged in its body.
James scrambled to his feet, putting distance between himself and the beast.
The bear locked onto Jake— charging at him.
The bear's speed had dropped slightly because of the horn lodged in its shoulder—but it was still faster than Jake.
It closed the distance in seconds.
Its claw came down—
"Jake, behind you!" James shouted.
Too late.The claw tore across Jake's back.
"AAAHHH!"
He stumbled forward, pain exploding through his body.
The bear loomed over him.
James' eyes widened.
Think—His gaze darted wildly—then locked onto the femur in his hand.
The horn.Without hesitation, he drew his arm back and threw the bone with all his strength—
It spun through the air—
CRACK!
It struck the horn lodged in the bear's shoulder, driving it deeper into its flesh, the sudden impact made the beast stagger sideways, losing its balance.
Jake seized the moment, crawling away.
The bear recovered quickly.Its eyes turned—
Locking onto James, bloodshot and burning with rage.
"Shit…"
James stepped back instinctively.
The bear rose on its hind legs slamming its paws into the ground.
A sharp sound split the air.
The spikes on its back shot forward—like spears.
"Move, James! Move!" Jake shouted.
But James didn't move. His body froze—Too many thoughts running through his head.
The spikes closed in—
"MOVE!"
Van lunged forward, grabbing him and yanking him aside.
The spikes flew past—One pierced straight through Van's thigh.
"AH—!"
They both hit the ground hard. But before they could recover—
The bear was already there.It appeared in front of them, its massive shadow swallowing them whole.
Its claws swung down—
"JAMES!" "VAN!"
Jake and Rachel shouted at the same time.