Amalia Martinez
Amalia trailed behind her boyfriend Jake and his two best friends, Blake and Max, as they made their way through a forest on the mountains, trying to find a sport to camp for the night.
The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor as the group trudged deeper into the trees.
Amalia's stomach rumbled with hunger, and she couldn't shake the chill that had settled into her bones.
"Are we almost there?" she called out, her voice tinged with exhaustion as she struggled to keep pace with the others.
"Just a little further," Jake replied, flashing her a reassuring smile before forging ahead.
But as the light began to fade and darkness descended upon the forest, Amalia's unease grew.
She wrapped her arms around herself, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as a sense of foreboding washed over her.
A rustling in the bushes nearby sent a shiver down her spine, and she scanned the trees anxiously, searching for any sign of danger.
But the woods remained silent, save for the occasional chirp of crickets in the distance.
"Guys, I think we should turn back," Amalia said, her voice trembling with fear as she stumbled over a fallen branch.
"Quit being such a downer, Amalia," Blake chided, rolling his eyes as he trudged ahead.
Amalia bit her lip, feeling a pang of frustration at their dismissive attitudes.
She wasn't cut out for this rugged outdoor adventure – she'd much rather be at home, curled up with a good book and a hot cup of coco.
"I'm serious, guys. I don't like this," she insisted, her voice cracking with emotion as she glanced nervously over her shoulder.
Jake sighed, exchanging a glance with his friends before turning back to Amalia with a reassuring smile.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, babe. We'll find a spot to camp for the night, and everything will be fine."
Amalia's sense of unease grew. She scanned the surrounding trees warily, her heart pounding in her chest as she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
A rustling in the underbrush made her jump. She ran towards Jake and clutched his arm tightly, her eyes wide with fear. "Did you hear that?"
Blake scoffed, rolling his eyes at her display of nerves. "Relax, Amalia. It's probably just a squirrel or something."
But Amalia couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled over her like a heavy blanket.
Her stomach twisted with hunger, but the thought of stopping to eat seemed impossible in the face of her growing fear.
She kept close to Jake, her grip on his arm tightening with each passing moment.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling of leaves.
Jake let out a hum and nodded his head, though Amalia could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "Positive. We're almost there."
Amalia's foot caught on a branch once again, this time she couldn't catch herself. Falling to the ground, she let out a cry of frustration.
The impact jarring her already frazzled nerves. She groaned, shooting a glare at Jake, her frustration boiling over.
"This is why I didn't want to come on this stupid camping trip, Jake. I can't see shit out here," she complained, her voice laced with irritation as she looked up at him.
Before Jake could respond, a scream pierced the night air, causing Amalia to jump to her feet in alarm. Her eyes widened as she saw Max doubled over in pain, an arrow protruding from his stomach.
Amara screamed, leaping into Jake's arms, her hands shaking as she held them to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes as she stared at Max's injured form.
Her mind raced with terror as she looked up at the hill looming above them, where a tall, dark figure stood watching them.
A cold shiver ran down Amalia's spine as she locked eyes with the shadowy figure, her instincts screaming at her to flee.
Jake had caught on to what Amara was looking at and immediately grabbed her wrist and pulled her away, his grip firm as he dragged her along behind him.
"What about Max and Blake?" Amara cried, trying to pull her wrist away from Jake's grasp.
But before Jake could respond, another arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself in Blake's chest with a sickening thud.
Amalia screamed, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched in horror as Blake fell to the ground, joining Max in his agony.
"Fuck, run Amalia" Jake screamed.
They ran through the woods, their footsteps pounding against the forest floor, each heartbeat echoing the terror that gripped them.
Amalia's breath came in ragged gasps, her lungs burning with exertion as they fled.
Tears welled in Amalia's eyes as she stumbled to a halt, her chest heaving with the effort of running.
Jake's hands cupped her face gently, his lips pressing against hers in a tender kiss before he pulled her away.
His eyes filled with love and fear as he looked down at the girl he thought he was going to marry.
"If anything happens to me, baby, I want you to run. Leave me. I love you too much to get you hurt for staying with me."
Amalia shook her head, her lip quivering as she let out a sob. "No, we need to stay together. I love you too much to let you go, Jake," she cried, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
"Shh, baby, we need to be quiet," he murmured, his arms enveloping her in a protective embrace as he placed a kiss on her head. "We need to run again, are you ready?"
Amalia nodded, her heart heavy with dread as she pulled away from Jake's embrace.
He kissed her once more before taking her hand, and together they resumed their desperate flight through the darkened woods.
Amalia ran slightly ahead, her hand still firmly clasped in Jake's. But then she felt him tug on her hand, and he let out a groan.
Turning around to see what was wrong. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw an arrow embedded in Jake's abdomen.
"Jake!" she cried, dropping to her knees beside him as his body slumped to the ground.
"You need to run," he coughed, blood pooling from his mouth. "Please, run. For me, please baby."
Tears streamed down Amalia's face as she leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead, her heart breaking at the sight of the man she loved.
With a final, agonized glance at Jake's still form, Amalia pulled herself to her feet and took off running once more, her sobs echoing through the silent woods as she fled from the nightmare that had become her reality.
