Chapter 28

The forest swallowed us whole as we ventured deeper into its embrace. The tall trees cast long shadows across the narrow trail, their thick canopy blocking out the sun. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath our boots and the occasional rustle of the wind in the branches. Each of us moved in silence, the weight of our situation pressing down with every step.

Jake took the lead, his eyes sharp and focused as he navigated the winding path through the woods. Marcus stayed close behind him, ever watchful, while Caleb and I followed at the rear, keeping our distance but remaining within earshot.

The tension was palpable. Caleb’s words from earlier still echoed in my mind: “What if Jake betrayed us?” It seemed unthinkable, yet the gnawing doubt lingered, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was indeed wrong. Every move Jake made, every glance he threw over his shoulder, only fed into my paranoia. But until we had proof, until we knew for certain, all we could do was follow.

After what felt like hours of walking, Jake raised his hand, signaling for us to stop. We froze, listening for any sign of danger, but all I could hear was the faint whisper of the wind and the soft creaking of the trees.

“We’re getting close,” Jake murmured, his voice barely audible. “The town should be just beyond that ridge.”

I squinted through the thick brush, but I couldn’t see anything. “You sure about that?” I asked, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice.

Jake shot me a look, his jaw clenched. “I’ve been here before. Trust me.”

Trust. The word felt bitter on my tongue. I glanced at Caleb, who gave me a subtle nod, as if to remind me of our earlier conversation. We had to be careful, now more than ever.

As we pushed forward, the terrain grew steeper, the path narrowing into a rocky incline. It wasn’t an easy climb, especially with the weight of our gear slowing us down. But we pressed on, driven by the desperate need to reach safety.

When we finally crested the ridge, a small town came into view in the distance. Nestled in a valley, it looked almost idyllic—quaint houses with thatched roofs, narrow cobblestone streets, and a few scattered buildings that resembled shops or taverns. The sight should have brought relief, but instead, I felt a strange unease. The town was too quiet. Too still.

Jake crouched down, motioning for us to do the same. “We’ll make our way down slowly,” he instructed. “Keep your heads low and stay quiet. We don’t know who might be watching.”

We moved carefully down the hill, using the trees and rocks for cover. The closer we got to the town, the more the sense of foreboding grew. There were no signs of life—no movement, no voices, nothing. It was as if the town had been abandoned.

When we reached the outskirts, Jake gestured for us to gather around. “We’ll split up,” he said in a hushed tone. “Marcus, you check the northern side. Caleb, take the southern end. I’ll cover the center. We meet back here in fifteen minutes.”

“What about me?” I asked, feeling the need to be part of the plan.

Jake’s eyes flicked to mine, then away. “Stay here and keep watch.”

It was a dismissal, plain and simple. I felt the sting of it, but I bit my tongue and nodded. Caleb shot me a concerned glance before following Jake’s orders. Within moments, the three of them had disappeared into the town, leaving me alone.

I crouched behind a nearby tree, my heart pounding as I scanned the empty streets. The stillness of the place unnerved me. It felt wrong. Every instinct screamed that we shouldn’t be here.

Minutes passed. My mind raced with possibilities. What if Caleb was right? What if Jake was leading us into a trap? I hated the idea, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed possible. After all, Jake had been the one to suggest this town as a refuge. He was the one with the plan.

Fifteen minutes came and went. Then twenty. Still, no sign of them.

I gripped my knife tighter, my knuckles white as I waited. Something was off. I knew it. And just as I was about to go looking for them, a rustling sound came from behind me.

I spun around, my knife raised, ready for an attack.

“Whoa, easy.” Caleb emerged from the shadows, his hands raised in surrender. “It’s just me.”

I exhaled sharply, lowering the blade. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“Sorry,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “But we’ve got a problem.”

My stomach tightened. “What is it?”

“I didn’t see anyone,” Caleb said, his voice low. “Not a single soul. No people, no animals, nothing. It’s like the whole town’s been wiped clean.”

I frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. Where would everyone go?”

“I don’t know,” Caleb admitted. “But something about this place doesn’t sit right with me. It feels… off.”

Before I could respond, Marcus and Jake appeared, both looking grim. Jake walked over, his expression unreadable.

“We didn’t find anyone either,” he said. “The place is deserted.”

“Then why are we still here?” I asked, feeling the panic rising in my chest. “We need to leave. Now.”

Jake’s jaw tightened. “We can’t just leave without gathering more information. There might be supplies here, or clues as to what happened.”

“Or it could be a trap,” Caleb cut in, his tone sharp. “You’ve been leading us around, saying you know what’s best, but how do we know you’re not the one leading us into danger?”

Jake’s eyes flashed with anger. “You think I’m working against us?”

“I think you’re hiding something,” Caleb shot back. “You always have.”

The tension between them crackled in the air, and for a moment, I thought a fight would break out. But instead, Jake took a step back, his expression hardening.

“You don’t have to trust me,” he said coldly. “But if you want to survive, you’ll listen to me.”

Caleb opened his mouth to argue, but before he could say anything, a loud crash echoed through the town, followed by the sound of shattering glass. We all froze, instinctively lowering ourselves to the ground.

“What was that?” I whispered, my heart hammering in my chest.

Jake’s face was pale, his eyes wide with alarm. “Someone’s here.”

We stayed low, creeping toward the source of the noise. As we moved, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and every instinct screamed that we needed to run.

When we finally reached the building where the sound had come from, I peered through a cracked window. Inside, the room was in disarray—tables overturned, chairs smashed, and broken glass scattered across the floor.

But there, in the center of the chaos, stood a figure. A man, tall and broad-shouldered, with a hood pulled low over his face. He was rummaging through the wreckage, clearly searching for something.

Jake motioned for us to stay quiet, but my foot slipped on a loose stone, sending a small rock skittering across the ground.

The man’s head snapped up, his eyes locking onto us.

Before we could react, he bolted, disappearing into the shadows.

“After him!” Jake hissed, and we sprang into action, chasing after the mysterious figure.

But as we ran, I couldn’t help but wonder: who was that man? And what was he searching for?

More importantly, how did he know we were here?

The answers were out there, hidden in the shadows of this strange, empty town. But finding them might cost us more than we bargained for.