My employer asked me sharply:
"So, here we are. Where do you think Marcus has disappeared to?"
I stood there, surveying the surroundings, trying to gather every detail that could help me determine the direction. Around us, the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Tall trees cast shadows over the path, their leaves whispering in the gentle breeze. The ground was covered in green grass and firm soil, laced with entangled roots.
I looked east, north, and west, but saw no trace suggesting the monster had dragged Marcus in any of those directions. Then, I turned my eyes south, where the view was clearer. The trees were less dense, and a pale light filtered through the branches.
I said to my employer, hesitantly:
"I think Marcus might be to the south."
He replied:
"Are you sure?"
I was a little unsure, but I answered with confidence:
"Yes, it's the only lead we've got."
He then turned to Reagan and said firmly:
"This time, make sure you don't fall asleep. Stay alert."
Reagan nodded silently.
We started walking south. The area was strangely quiet. Trees surrounded us from every direction, their shadows covering the ground. The air carried the scent of damp soil, hinting at nearby water—or maybe a cave.
Every step we took made a soft sound—fallen leaves under our feet. Occasionally, we heard the distant trickle of water, like a small stream weaving its way through the trees.
Suddenly, we spotted drops of blood on the rocky ground, glistening under the moonlight. I shivered, wondering: Is this Marcus's blood—or the monster's?
My employer said resolutely:
"We'll follow the blood. If Marcus is still alive, this may lead us to him."
---
As we followed the trail, the ground beneath us gradually shifted from soft grass to firmer soil mixed with dry leaves and twisted roots that occasionally slowed us down. The air grew heavier, filled with the scent of damp earth—and something else. Something strange I couldn't quite identify. It felt… unnatural.
The trees around us were spaced farther apart than before. Their high branches cast faint shadows, allowing bits of sunlight to filter through and bathe the ground in dim light. The birds had gone silent, as if sensing danger ahead.
Blood splattered across small rocks and leaves led us into an area that was colder and more humid. The air had clearly changed, but we saw no signs of anything—or anyone—definitive.
The trail of blood would suddenly stop, then resume again elsewhere, as if Marcus—or the creature—had moved erratically.
Silence engulfed the place, broken only by the soft whisper of the wind through the trees. Each step felt heavy, filled with anticipation and dread.
---
We continued in silence, cautiously following the blood trail. As we advanced, we noticed it led toward an area that looked different. The ground became more moist, with rocks scattered chaotically among dead grass. Suddenly, the trees bent and branched out unnaturally, as if clearing a path for something behind them.
And there, we saw something unexpected… A rocky opening between the hills, barely visible in the dark, its edges draped in dry branches. It was a cave.
We stopped in front of it. My employer spoke in a low, steady voice:
"Marcus might be in there."
Then added more seriously:
"We have to go in and check."
A wave of tension swelled in my chest. The cave looked terrifyingly dark, and the night's gloom only made it seem blacker and more mysterious. Reagan stood behind us, his face unreadable. He didn't look scared or hesitant—almost like none of this concerned him.
We stepped into the cave cautiously. There wasn't a single glimmer of light. I stretched my hands forward, trying to feel the terrain, afraid of falling into a hole, hitting a rock, or getting separated. I assumed my employer and Reagan were doing the same.
As we moved deeper, a faint light appeared ahead. We approached carefully and discovered that it came from a small crack in the cave ceiling, allowing moonlight to shine on a suspicious spot on the ground. There was blood.
But this time, it wasn't just drops. It was a pool—more than before. I froze, staring at it. It wasn't random. It looked like someone had bled while being slowly dragged… a lot of blood. A chill ran through my body. If all this was Marcus's, then his chances of survival were very slim.
My employer sighed and said:
"If only we had a flashlight or something…"
Suddenly, I remembered my phone. I felt stupid. I pulled it out quickly. The battery was critically low, but I had no other choice. A human life was worth more than a battery. I pressed the flashlight button, and the cave lit up just enough for us to see the ground around us.
Reagan, from behind, said with light sarcasm:
"You had a phone this whole time? Why didn't you use it earlier?"
I replied, avoiding eye contact:
"I… I forgot. Sorry."
My employer didn't turn around, but said:
"It's fine. What matters now is finding Marcus."
We continued moving, following the blood until we reached a fork—two paths, one to the right and one to the left. We stopped, uncertain. The blood trail ended here, as if whoever had been bleeding either wanted to hide the trail—or simply couldn't continue.
Reagan looked at both paths and said with sarcastic calm:
"Great. What could possibly be worse?"
I stared at the two tunnels… each one swallowed by darkness. There was no sign pointing us to the right direction.
And in that moment, absolute silence took over—as if the cave itself was waiting for our decision.