Chapter 15: The Last Escape
Aarav's mind raced.
The snow-creatures — memories twisted into monsters — were closing in from all sides. Their hollow eyes, their broken smiles, were more terrifying than anything they had faced before.
Karan gripped his arm, trembling."What do we do now?" he whispered.
Aarav looked down at the satellite beacon in his hand — the small blinking device that was still sending their signal.He had one idea. A crazy, dangerous idea.
"We have to call down a rescue chopper," Aarav said, his voice tight, "and lure these things away."
"But... they'll kill us before help arrives!" Karan protested.
"Not if we're faster," Aarav said, loading the flare gun. "And not if we give them something else to chase."
Without waiting, Aarav fired the flare straight into the sky.
A burst of red light exploded above them, painting the snow a blood-like color. The creatures shrieked — an ear-splitting, unnatural noise — and for a moment, they recoiled, their bodies flickering like weak flames.
Aarav grabbed Karan's hand."RUN!"
They sprinted through the blizzard, lungs burning, hearts pounding. The distorted faces of their dead friends chased them — calling out in voices that were not their own.
Ahead, through the storm, a tiny glint of light appeared.
A helicopter!
It hovered low over the ice fields, its searchlight cutting through the white chaos. Aarav screamed, waving his arms like a madman. Karan did the same, desperation giving them new energy.
The pilot saw them.The helicopter began descending.
The snow-creatures shrieked louder, furious, sensing their prey slipping away. They moved faster now, almost flying across the ice.
A rope ladder dropped from the helicopter.
"Go!" Aarav shouted, pushing Karan upward.
Karan climbed desperately, hands numb and bleeding. Aarav waited below, firing the last of the flares into the charging horde, buying precious seconds.
One of the creatures lunged — its frozen hand brushing Aarav's jacket.
But with a final burst of strength, Aarav leapt onto the ladder.
The helicopter rose, the creatures below shrieking in rage as they were left behind in the endless, cursed snow.
Aarav collapsed into the cabin beside Karan. Both were panting, exhausted, but alive.
As the helicopter flew higher, they looked back down.
The snowfield below was moving — alive with shadows.
The nightmare wasn't gone.
It was just buried again… waiting for the next ones who would dare to disturb the ice.