Chapter Text
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Tabitha and Jade:
Tabitha glanced nervously over her shoulder, her heart racing. Jade moved ahead, his eyes scanning the shadows with an intensity that bordered on obsession. The woods were eerily silent—too silent—and Tabitha couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them.
“They’re close,” Jade muttered, his voice low, barely audible over the rustling of the wind.
Tabitha’s hand tightened around the makeshift weapon she held, a rusted pipe she had scavenged earlier. She wasn’t entirely sure it would be much help if they ran into trouble, but it was something. “How close are we?”
Jade paused, his gaze flickering to the trees ahead. "We’re getting closer to the center," he said. "It’s all connected. The fractures, the creatures, the distortions in time—they’re all leading us there. But we have to be careful. We don’t know what’s waiting for us."
Tabitha nodded, her thoughts racing. “Have you figured out what happens when we get there?”
Jade shook his head. “No one has made it that far. At least, no one who lived to tell about it.” He glanced back at her, his expression hard to read. “But we don’t have a choice. We have to find the source of all of this, or it’s going to consume us.”
As they pressed on, the quiet forest seemed to grow heavier around them. Shadows flickered between the trees, but they were too fleeting to pin down. Tabitha’s pulse quickened. It was only a matter of time before they encountered something—or someone—that would try to stop them from reaching their goal.
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Sara and Elgin:
Sara and Elgin had been traveling together for hours, but the tension between them was palpable. There were no words—just the sound of their footsteps on the forest floor, and the occasional crack of a branch breaking underfoot. Their relationship, once built on camaraderie and mutual respect, had become strained. The fractures had begun to show their toll, both in the environment and in the people who had been trapped here too long.
“I don’t trust this place,” Sara muttered, breaking the silence. “The longer we stay, the more I feel like we’re being pulled in every direction. It’s like there’s no clear path anymore.”
Elgin glanced over at her, his expression unreadable. “I feel the same way. But we can’t turn back. Not now.”
“I know,” Sara replied, her voice sharp. “But it’s hard not to wonder if we're just walking deeper into the trap. The fractures are everywhere, and they're pulling us apart in ways I can’t explain.”
“None of us know what’s going to happen,” Elgin said, his tone softer now. “But we’re in this together. We have to trust that we’ll find a way out. Somehow.”
Sara met his gaze, her eyes searching his for reassurance. She found none. But she knew he was right. They couldn’t go back. Not now. They had to push forward.
The world around them seemed to blur, the edges of the forest darkening as the fractures tugged at reality. Sara’s thoughts spun wildly, but she forced herself to focus. She had to keep moving. The center—the source of everything—was their only hope.
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Kenny, Marielle, Randall, and Acosta:
The group of survivors trudged through the underbrush, their faces drawn and weary from the endless hours of travel. Kenny walked at the front, his hand resting on the rifle slung across his back. Marielle was beside him, her eyes flicking nervously between the trees. Randall and Acosta brought up the rear, their weapons ready, their senses heightened. The air was thick with the weight of impending danger.
“This place is like a maze,” Marielle muttered, her voice tight with frustration. “We’ve been walking in circles. We’re never going to find our way out.”
Kenny paused, his brow furrowed as he surveyed their surroundings. “No. We’re just not seeing it right. We’re too focused on finding an exit when we need to find the center.”
“The center?” Randall asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. “How do you even know where to look?”
Kenny turned to face him, his expression grim. “We don’t. But that’s where the answers are. If we’re going to survive this, we need to understand where everything’s coming from. The fractures, the creatures—everything. It all leads back there.”
Marielle shook her head, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she let out a sigh of resignation. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep going like this. We’re all running on empty.”
Acosta placed a hand on her shoulder, offering a brief but firm squeeze. “We’re in this together. We keep moving, keep fighting. That’s all we can do.”
Kenny looked back at the path ahead. “We’ll find the center. We have to.”
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As the groups pressed onward, each of them grappled with their own fears, doubts, and uncertainties. The fractures were closing in on them, pushing them further into the unknown. The creatures that had haunted them for so long were always just a step behind, lurking in the shadows, waiting for any moment of weakness to strike.
But despite the dangers, the groups were united in one thing: the need to find the source of the fractures. It was their only hope. If they could understand where the fractures came from and how they could be sealed, perhaps they could save themselves—and the world—from the encroaching chaos.
Each group continued their trek through the forest, their hearts heavy with the weight of their mission. They couldn’t turn back, and they couldn’t afford to fail. Not now. Not when they were so close.
Tabitha, Jim, and Jade:
Jim’s breath came in shallow gasps as he sprinted through the forest, his eyes darting to the shadows. The creatures could be anywhere. The only light was from the pale moon filtering through the treetops, casting ghostly shadows over the path. He didn’t know how much longer they could keep running.
“Keep moving!” Tabitha shouted, glancing back over her shoulder. “Don’t stop until we reach the clearing!”
Jade was in the lead, his face set in grim determination. He was faster than both of them, but he knew that wasn’t enough. The creatures were relentless, and they could never outrun them forever. He had been part of this forest long enough to know that escape was a fleeting illusion.
Jim’s mind raced as his eyes flicked to the trees around them. Every movement in the darkness sent his heart leaping into his throat. There was something watching them, something just out of sight. They had to keep moving. “Tabitha, Jade—where’s the clearing? We need to get there, now!”
“It’s ahead!” Jade called back. His voice carried over the roar of their feet crashing through the underbrush. “But we need to get there before they do!”
Suddenly, a spine-chilling screech split the air, sending a wave of panic through Jim’s chest. The creatures had found them.
“They’re here!” Jim shouted, pulling his rifle out of its holster. But even as his fingers grasped the weapon, he knew it wouldn’t be enough. They were up against something far more terrifying than mere beasts. The creatures weren’t just hunting them—they were herding them, playing with them.
Jade shoved through a thick thicket ahead, carving a path with a machete. “Come on!” he urged. “This way!”
As the three survivors barreled forward, the dark shapes in the woods began to materialize. Glowing eyes gleamed from the shadows, and the faint rustling of leaves turned into the unmistakable sound of claws scraping against bark. The creatures were closing in—fast.
“They’re faster than I remember,” Tabitha gasped, struggling to keep up.
“They’ve always been fast,” Jade grunted, looking over his shoulder at her. “We just didn’t know it.”
Jim glanced back just in time to see one of the creatures launch from the darkness. It was long, twisted, with limbs that stretched unnaturally, its mouth opening wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth. It was coming for them.
“Jade, get us out of here!” Jim shouted, panic seeping into his voice.
With a savage swing of his machete, Jade cleaved through a thick vine blocking their path, revealing a small clearing ahead. “There!” he yelled, pointing toward the open space. “Get to the clearing—NOW!”
The creatures were closing in on all sides now, the eerie, shrill sounds of their screeches filling the air. Jim’s heart raced as he pushed his legs harder, the adrenaline surging through him.
They broke into the clearing at full speed, but the creatures were right behind them, their haunting cries echoing through the trees.
Tabitha stumbled as she reached the edge of the clearing, her legs nearly giving out from the constant sprint. Jim grabbed her arm and yanked her forward. “Come on! Don’t stop now!”
Jade was already ahead, scanning the area for a way out. “There’s a cliff edge up ahead. If we can get there, we might have a chance.”
As they sprinted toward the cliff, the monsters were almost on them. One of the creatures lunged, its claws just inches from Jim’s back. He stumbled forward, barely staying on his feet, and then a blast of light split the air—a loud, explosive crack that rang through the clearing.
It wasn’t the sound of a gunshot. It was the sound of the creatures being repelled, at least for the moment.
Jim whipped his head around, heart pounding, to see Jade standing with his machete raised high. “Get down!” Jade shouted.
The creature faltered, its glowing eyes flashing in pain, but it wasn’t enough to stop it. Another creature emerged from the darkness, its screech deafening. They were trapped.
Without thinking, Jim pushed Tabitha ahead. “Go!” he shouted. “Cliff—NOW!”
Tabitha didn’t hesitate. She ran with everything she had left, her feet pounding the ground as she reached the cliff edge. Behind her, Jim and Jade weren’t far behind, but the creatures were faster than they had anticipated. One of the creatures screeched, its claws reaching out to grab Jim by the leg.
“Jade—help!” Jim yelled, struggling to free himself.
Jade was already there, slashing with his machete. He cut through the creature’s hand, but it didn’t stop it. The beast swung its claws again, this time catching Jim’s arm. He grunted in pain as the claws dug in, but Jade acted fast. He grabbed a thick branch nearby and swung it at the creature’s head with all his strength.
The creature recoiled with a screech, momentarily stunned. Jim pulled free, limping toward the cliff’s edge. Jade was right behind him.
The three survivors reached the cliff just as the creatures lunged again, their claws scraping against the rocky ground as they tried to follow.
Jade reached the edge first, grabbing Tabitha’s hand and pulling her close. “Jump! Do it now!”
Without looking back, they leaped into the air, the earth beneath them crumbling as the creatures screeched in frustration. They landed hard, the sharp rocks digging into their skin, but they were safe—for now.
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End of Chapter 9