Survive! || Fictional Characters × You

Chapter 16: Close Enough

In the dead of night, we found ourselves still perched precariously in the branches of an ancient oak tree. Our breaths came in shallow gasps, hearts pounding in our chests, as we clung to the safety that the tree provided.

"Hah! That was close enough." Lianne said in whisper that is enough for us to hear.

"I really though we wouldn't make it." I replied to her, they both chuckled softly.

"Nah! I thought you wouldn't make it. If you don't I will just shot myself." Alviana joked at me causing me to rolled my eyes to her.

We had narrowly escaped the clutches of the hunters, but the danger still loomed, our pursuers lurking in the shadows below. Silence enveloped the forest, broken only by the distant hooting of an owl and the rustling of leaves in the wind. We dared not move, our bodies frozen with fear, as we strained our ears for any sign of the hunters' approach.

"I'm afraid as hell. I might die bruh!" Lianne whispered and rolled her eyes. I huffed and looked down to the ground. Every creak of a branch, every whisper of the wind, sent shivers down our spines, amplifying the tension that hung heavy in the air.

"I'm thirsty." I uttered and winced.

Time seemed to stretch infinitely, each passing second a torturous reminder of the peril we faced. The moon cast an ethereal glow over the forest, illuminating their hiding place, while also exposing their vulnerability. Shadows danced beneath the tree, their movements taunting and sinister, as if beckoning the hunters ever closer.

"Look at those adorable grasses, it's moving even though there's no wind." Alviana said and pointed at the grass she saw above the ground.

My heart hammered in my chest. My mind racing with the possibilities of what awaited them if we were discovered. I could feel the weight of the darkness pressing down upon us, suffocating our hopes and replacing it with a paralyzing dread.

"What if they caught us?" I said without even thinking. They shrugged their shoulder as they don't want to answer negative questions that comes up from my mind.

I looked at Alviana, her eyes are wide with anticipation, clutched onto Lianne's trembling hand. Our fingers intertwined in a desperate show of solidarity. The branches beneath us groaned in protest, as if warning us of the danger coming to our position. Yet, we dared not move, for the hunters' senses were keen, and the slightest rustle could spell their doom.

"I could feel death." I mumbled and shook my heads for thinking negative thoughts.

Lianne's breath hitched in her throat, her eyes darting nervously from one shadow to another. The forest seemed to come alive, its ancient secrets whispering through the trees, as if conspiring with their pursuers. I am sure that her mind played tricks on her, every rustle of leaves transforming into the approach of the hunters, every distant sound magnified into a symphony of impending doom.

We clung to each other, our bodies trembling in unison, as the night wore on. The minutes stretched into hours, each passing moment an eternity of agonizing uncertainty. The darkness seemed to seep into our very souls, amplifying the fears and gnawing at our resolve.

Relief washed over Me, Alviana, and Lianne. We had survived the harrowing night, our bodies and minds exhausted from the constant state of alertness. But we knew that their respite would be short-lived, for the hunters would return with the cover of darkness, their thirst for blood insatiable.

With heavy hearts and weary bodies, we descended from their perch, our eyes scanning the forest for any sign of the hunters. The battle for survival was far from over, and they knew the coming night would bring even greater horrors. But in that moment, we held onto a sliver of hope, a glimmer of determination, ready to face whatever nightmares awaited them in the unforgiving darkness.

The wind once again howled through the dense forest, our panic-filled eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of our pursuers. A twig snapped in the distance, causing us to freeze. We knew that we couldn't stay hidden for much longer. The group of Hannibal, a notorious and ruthless gang, had been relentless in their pursuit. We had stumbled upon something we shouldn't have, something that had put our lives in grave danger.

"Another?" Lianne whispered in shock after looking down. She just found it out. As we crouched behind a cluster of trees, our minds raced, each of us contemplating our next move.

"We need to keep moving. They won't stop until they find us." I said without looking on their eyes. I can hear their heavy breaths, they are not ready to face near death again.

The forest seemed to close in around us, the towering trees casting eerie shadows that danced in the moonlight.

"The moon is beautiful yet dangerous." I said while looking at the moon. I can see it through the leaves of the tree where we are right now.

"We have to stay here for a while. We are not sure if they are just waiting for us to go out." Alviana said, I and Lianne nod as an agreement.

"It is not safe either. We can't stay here forever." Lianne added. We are sitting on the strong branches of the tree-making ourselves comfortable.