The forest was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal calls, but Lily's focus remained on the task at hand. She crouched low, her fingers brushing against a patch of iridescent moss that clung to the base of a tree. The moss glowed faintly, its surface slick with moisture, she carefully peeled it away from the bark.
"This should work," she muttered, turning to the quivering mass of slime beside her. AJ's form rippled slightly, his surface shifting in a way that seemed almost eager.
She pressed the moss against his surface, watching as it was absorbed almost instantly. His form thickened slightly, the edges becoming more defined. It wasn't much, but it was progress.
"Good," she said, forcing a smile. "Let's keep going."
They moved slowly through the dense underbrush, the forest stretching endlessly in every direction. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the faint hum of energy that seemed to permeate this transformed world. Lily's eyes darted from shadow to shadow, her hand resting on the makeshift knife she'd fashioned from a sharpened stone.
After what felt like hours, they came across a small stream, its crystal-clear water bubbling over smooth stones. Lily knelt at the edge, cupping the water in her hands and drinking. The cool liquid soothed her parched throat, and she splashed some on her face, washing away the grime and sweat. She glanced back at AJ, who had stopped a few feet away, his form quivering uncertainly.
"You can come closer," she said, gesturing to the stream. "I don't know if you need water, but... well, it's here if you want it."
AJ wobbled forward, his form stretching and contracting as he reached the edge of the stream. For a moment, he hesitated, his surface rippling as if testing the water. Then, slowly, he extended a tendril-like appendage, dipping it into the stream. The water seemed to absorb into him causing him to grow just a little bit.
"Huh," Lily said, raising an eyebrow. "Guess you do need water... or at least it helps."
The sound of rustling leaves snapped her out of her thoughts. Lily's head whipped around as she scanned the trees. The forest was still, the only movement coming from the gentle sway of branches in the breeze. But she could have sworn she'd heard something.
"AJ, we need to move. Now."
AJ pulled away from the stream. Lily stood, her knife in hand, and they moved quietly through the underbrush. The rustling sound came again, closer this time, and Lily's heart began to race. She didn't know what was out there, but she wasn't about to stick around to find out.
They hadn't gone far when the forest opened up into a small clearing. The ground was littered with broken branches and trampled grass, and in the center were the remnants of a fire, the charred wood still smouldering. Lily's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't natural. Someone—or something—had been here recently.
She crouched low, motioning for AJ to stay back. She observed the clearing, taking in the details. A discarded piece of cloth, a trail of footprints leading further into the forest. Whoever had been here was gone now, but they couldn't have gone far.
"We need to be careful," she murmured, more to herself than to AJ. "This place isn't safe."
AJ shifted, his form trembling slightly. Lily could almost feel his unease, which mirrored her own. They were in uncharted territory now, and the stakes were higher than ever.
---
From AJ's perspective, the world was a disorienting blur of shapes and colours, sounds muffled and distorted as if heard through water. The ground beneath him felt cool and damp, but the sensation was distant, almost dreamlike. His body—now a trembling mass of gelatinous slime—constantly shifted and reformed with every movement as he struggled to keep up.
"Let's go," Lily's voice cut through the haze.
He shifted to the right—his version of a nod—and followed her as best he could. His movements were slow and clumsy, his form stretching and contracting with each laboured effort. Frustration gnawed at him. He hated this—the helplessness, the inability to communicate properly, the way Lily had to constantly look out for him. He was supposed to be dependable. Now he was nothing more than a burden.
The forest around him was a blur of greens and browns, the towering trees like sentinels watching their every move. He could feel the vibrations of Lily's footsteps through the ground, the faint hum of energy that seemed to pulse through the earth. This new world was alive in a way the old one never had been, and it was both fascinating and terrifying.
The sound of rustling leaves reached him, distorted but unmistakable. Something was out there, moving through the underbrush. He couldn't see it clearly, but he could sense it—a faint tremor in the ground, a shift in the air. Lily's tension was palpable, her movements quick and deliberate as she led them away from the clearing.
They followed the trail of footprints cautiously, looking for any sign of danger. The path was faint but unmistakable—broken twigs, flattened grass, and the occasional snapped branch. Whoever had been here had left in a hurry.
Lily paused, holding up a hand to signal AJ to stop. She crouched low, her knife gripped tightly, observing the area ahead. The trail of footprints led to a thicket of tangled vines and thorny bushes, nearly impossible to navigate without making noise. Beyond it, the forest opened up slightly, revealing a faint glow—a campfire.
AJ's form trembled as he tried to focus on the scene ahead. The fire was small, its flames flickering weakly, casting long shadows across the ground. Around it, three figures sat huddled together, their faces obscured by the dim light. They were armed—one with a crude spear, another with a bow, and the third with a knife. Their voices were low and tense, and though AJ couldn't make out the words, the tone was unmistakable. They were on edge.
Lily glanced back at AJ and mouthed the words, "Stay here," before creeping forward, her movements quiet and deliberate. AJ hesitated for a moment, torn between obeying her and the instinct to protect her. But in his current state, he knew he'd only be a liability. He stayed put, his form quivering with frustration and fear.
As Lily inched closer to the camp, AJ could feel her tension rising. The men around the fire seemed to grow more agitated, their voices rising slightly. One of them stood abruptly, pacing back and forth while gesturing wildly with his spear. The others watched him warily, their hands never straying far from their weapons.
"We should've stayed at the camp," one of them muttered. "This place is crawling with those things."
"We didn't have a choice," another snapped. "You saw what happened to the others. We're better off out here."
Lily froze, her body tensing at the mention of "others." AJ could almost feel her mind racing, trying to piece together what they were talking about. Were they referring to their group? Had something happened to the rest of their team?
The third man, who hadn't spoken until now, stood slowly, his knife glinting in the firelight. "We need to keep moving," he said. "We can't stay here."
---
Victor crouched beside the river, his sharp eyes scanning the surrounding trees. Ethan sat nearby, his large frame hunched over as he sharpened a piece of wood into a crude spear. Walter was a few feet away, his thin form resting against a tree, eyes closed but expression alert.
"How's he doing?" Ethan asked quietly.
Victor glanced at Walter. "He's fine. Just needs rest."
Ethan nodded, his hands still working on the spear. "We should get moving soon. Really need to find shelter before dark."
Victor didn't respond immediately. He knew Ethan was right, but Walter needed time to recover. The old man had pushed himself too hard, and now he was paying the price. Victor's jaw tightened as he thought about the others—AJ, Lily, Maria, Sam. Were they out there somewhere, struggling to survive? Or were they already...
He pushed the thought aside. They couldn't afford to dwell on possibilities. They had to focus on the present, on staying alive.
Walter stirred, his eyes opening slowly. "We'll find them," he said quietly. "They're strong. They'll manage."
Victor nodded silently, though he wasn't entirely sure he believed it.