The raft drifted aimlessly on the ocean waves, like a symbol of their lives—uncertain, exhausted, and sinking into darkness. Two days had passed since Mr. Jackson's sacrifice. They were floating on two rafts, the sun blazing down on the sea, but their hearts were shrouded in shadow. No one spoke; only the sound of the waves and Neon's occasional soft cries broke the silence.
Grace held Neon close to her shoulder, but her eyes were red—whether from tears or fatigue, it was hard to tell. She was lost in memories of Mr. Jackson, as if his sacrifice had carved a deep wound in her heart. Every now and then, she'd whisper, "Why? Why did we have to leave him behind?" But there was no answer. Ryan knew guilt was building inside her—like they were all cowards, like they could have saved him.
Nora sat in one corner of their raft, still clutching the sword Ryan had returned to her. Her eyes held an emptiness, as if she were battling her own shadow. Since Mr. Jackson's death, she'd spoken less, only occasionally staring up at the sky.
Kaito clutched his wounded shoulder. The bleeding had stopped, but the pain hadn't. His face wore a hardened expression, as if he were trying to hide his emotions. But Ryan knew he was breaking inside. Mr. Jackson had been like a father figure to him—his strength, his guidance.
Ayaka, who was usually so lively, was now silent. Her gaze was distant, as if she were connecting her past to this present. The pistol was gone from her hand; the bullets had run out. But in her mind lingered uncertainty—were they truly alive, or just drifting?
As for Ryan, he could feel the effects of that spider's venom in his body. His hand burned intensely. On the first day, he thought it'd heal, but by the second, it had swollen, turning a deep red. The poison was spreading slowly, numbing his arm. But he hadn't told anyone. How could he? Everyone's mental state was so fragile that another piece of bad news would shatter them. He was the leader now, by Mr. Jackson's last wish. He had to stay strong, so his pain wouldn't touch them. Deep down, fear gnawed at him—what if it spread further, what if he became useless? The ocean was endless, but somewhere there had to be land. They pressed on with that hope.
For two days, they'd been adrift at sea. There wasn't much to eat—just that fried meat to stave off hunger. Fish occasionally appeared in the water, but they had no way to catch them.
Ryan's mind was fogged with memories—Mr. Jackson's final smile, his roar, the dinosaurs' screams. He couldn't sleep at night, only recalling his past. He'd lost his family, taken revenge, and now sacrificed himself for them. That peaceful smile of his pierced Ryan's heart—could he ever be like him? Could he lead the team?
...
On the morning of the third day, as the sun rose in the sky, a shadow appeared in the distance. "Land!" Kaito shouted first, his voice laced with hope. Everyone stood up, eyes wide with wonder.
Using his contact lenses to zoom in, Ryan confirmed it and said, "Yes, I see what looks like an island ahead. Let's head that way!" They had bamboo poles they used as makeshift oars. Despite their exhaustion, everyone paddled with renewed effort. The waves helped, slowly drawing them closer to shore. A smile broke on Grace's face for the first time. "We'll make it," she said softly.
But the joy didn't last long. As they neared the shore, Neon, cradled in Grace's arms, suddenly cried out. His tiny body trembled, eyes wide. "Chirik! Chirik!" It was like he was warning them of danger. Grace tried to calm him, but Neon wouldn't stop. Unease stirred in Ryan—something was wrong. He looked into the water, activating his lenses' night vision mode and zooming in. It was daylight, but he sensed itsomething rising from below. The water rippled, a shadow ascending toward the raft.
"Everyone! Jump! Jump into the water!" Ryan yelled, his voice shaking.
They stared in shock, but seeing the fear in his eyes, they understood. Kaito jumped first, then Nora, Grace with Neon in her arms. Ryan leaped last, but Ayaka... before she could, the water erupted. From the depths surged a massive creature—an ancient dinosaur that lived in the water! Its body was nearly ten meters long, covered in scales, with a wide mouth and teeth sharp as knives. It resembled a plesiosaur, but more terrifying—red eyes, roaring "Grrr!" It swallowed the raft whole, along with Ayaka, like a tiny snack. She didn't even have time to scream; only her shadow flashed in its maw.
They floated in the water, stunned. "Ayaka!" Grace screamed, terror in her eyes. Ryan's heart stopped—another loss? But then the creature's body began to shake. A light flared from within, like an explosion. "Boom!" It blasted apart, pieces scattering into the sea. And from inside emerged Ayaka—but she looked different. A dark aura surrounded her, her eyes glowing red, magical energy swirling in her hands. She was in her witch form! Like a dark witch, her hair billowing, her body shimmering with light.
Kaito, fear in his voice, said, "How is this possible? Didn't you say the witch only takes control on full moon nights? What's happening now?"
Ryan floated in the water, unable to comprehend how to stop her here in the sea. If she attacked them now...
...
She slowly descended into the water, then returned to normal. Fatigue etched her face, but she smiled. "I'm... okay," she said with relief.
They all stared in shock. "What... what happened?" Ryan asked, swimming closer to her.
Ayaka explained, "If she hadn't taken control just then, I'd have died. And so would she. So she took over my body with my permission."
Her words left them silent. Nora swam over and said, "Ayaka, I think the witch inside you isn't as bad as we thought."
She agreed with her.
But now wasn't the time for questions. They slowly swam toward shore and soon reached it, collapsing onto the sand in exhaustion. The sea breeze, the chirps of small birds—it felt like a new beginning. But the venom in Ryan's hand burned worse. He hid it, telling everyone, "Rest now. We'll figure things out later."
After a while, they stood up. The shore was green, thick with jungle. They hadn't gone far when a scream echoed—like a girl's cry. They froze. "Who?" Nora whispered.
Ryan advanced, sword in hand. The scream came from deeper in the jungle, as if someone was in trouble.
...
To be continued.