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His response is so curt that I look at him with shock, but his jaw is clenched and his face unreadable.
My throat tightens.
I’m mentally desperate to mend the crack in the floodgates, but the fractures have multiplied, spreading like a web of impending destruction and I know deep down that it’s only a matter of time before it completely crumbles.
Darian rinses my palms gently, and disappears into the tent for a moment, returning with an ointment and some bandages. His ministrations are quick but effective, and before I know it, both my palms are wrapped and no longer dripping blood.
“So, do you want to tell me what this was about?” He asks softly.
I withdraw my trembling hands from his and shake my head lightly, “You’ve already done enough for me and you won’t always be here. So no, I don’t want to talk about it.”
His frown deepens, but he doesn’t press any further, nor does he stop me as I push to my feet and walk to the tent to sleep.
As I lay awake, staring at the shadows above me, Darian’s distant murmuring carries in the silence of the night, accompanied by a soft huff from Val.
The choir of crickets chirping fills the air, becoming more deafening as the minutes drag on until eventually, sleep takes me under.
I wake slowly, my eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness as I glance to Darian’s undisturbed side of the tent.
A sense of unease settles in my gut at finding the space around me empty. The silence is deafening, not even the faintest sound reaching my ears outside of the increasingly frantic rhythm of my own heartbeat.
Something’s not right.
I gather my strength and push to my feet, swaying on uncooperative legs as my muscles protest the sudden movement, but it’s the adrenaline coursing through my veins driving me forward.
Approaching the tent flap with caution, the sound of the zipper fills the air with each notch as it echoes through the oppressive stillness around me. After what seems like an eternity of unease, I manage to create a small opening, and carefully peer outside. The logwhere Darian and I had spent time together sits vacant, and Val is nowhere to be seen.
With the tent flap lifted, I cautiously sneak out, remaining crouched as I assess my surroundings in the minimal light offered through the tree cover. A sensation in the pit of my stomach is urging me to run, but I don’t move.
I struggle to pinpoint where this panicked feeling is coming from.
Am I dreaming?
Giving myself an aggressively firm pinch, wincing at the pain, a shudder runs through my body and I cautiously make my way to the nearest tree, pressing my back against it for support. With my heart pounding, I focus on controlling my breath, taking slow and steady inhales as I strain to listen for any signs of danger.
Where are Darian and Val?
A sudden snap of a twig sounds out to my right, and I fight the urge to turn quickly. Instead, sliding my gaze in that direction to catch a glimpse of movement and two figures in the distance.
Another snap, this time further behind the figure, draws my attention, and I make out the silhouette of a third man heading in the direction of the tent. Recognizing the potential threats, I quickly shift into a crouch behind some low-hanging branches, cautious not to snag on any.
I watch intently as the first man points toward the tent and does a series of hand signals to the others. My heart thunders as he glances behind him to where the third man follows closely.
Dread and panic surge through my body, but I fight to maintain composure.
The men form a tight circle around the tent, while my eyes catch the movement of a fourth and fifth figure sneaking in from a slightly greater distance.
With a sinking feeling, I realize that it’s only a matter of time before they discover the tent empty and my mind races, searching for a plan to hide.
I need to get out of here.
Slowly glancing behind me with my heart pounding in my chest, I back away into the darkness with careful steps, avoiding any twigs or roots which could betray my position. As I increase the distance between myself and the men, I hear the sound of the tent zipper being ripped open, followed by the loud voices of the intruders.
As my attention is distracted from the path, I inadvertently place my weight on a root that gives way with a resounding crack. The noise triggers shouting in the distance, and without looking back I sprint deeper into the dark forest.
The thunderous sound of footsteps reverberates behind me, echoing my frantic heartbeat. Although they haven’t gained ground, my body is reaching its limits and desperation floods my thoughts as I search the surrounding darkness for any possible hiding spots or means of escape, but find none.
Running remains my sole option, and I surge forward with every ounce of lingering strength, knowing that I can’t sustain this pace indefinitely.
