Night in the Jungle
The jungle was alive, though not in the comforting way one might expect. Every branch and vine seemed to reach for the small group trudging through the dense foliage. Wade led the way, his machete slashing through the thick underbrush with a practiced rhythm, his movements deliberate and focused. Behind him, Dave followed with less grace, his frustration palpable in every heavy step. Joon trailed after Dave, occasionally tripping over roots and muttering curses under his breath. Alice moved just behind him, her footing sure, her eyes darting to every shadow. Joseph brought up the rear, silent and watchful, the weight of responsibility pressing heavily on his shoulders.
The oppressive heat clung to them, the air thick with the smell of damp earth and decaying vegetation. Somewhere in the distance, the faint roar of water grew louder, a beacon in the darkness.
The Waterfall Basin
The forest suddenly gave way to a wide basin, the sound of the waterfall now thunderous. The search party hesitated at the edge of the clearing. The moonlight, fractured through the canopy above, created ghostly reflections on the shallow water pooled below the falls.
“This is it,” Dave said, his voice taut with tension. He gestured vaguely toward the center of the clearing. “We were right here. And then... Mandy was gone.”
Joon stepped closer, adjusting his glasses. “What were you doing, exactly, when she disappeared?” His tone was clinical, but there was an edge of awkwardness to the question.
Dave spun to face him, his irritation boiling over. “You want every little detail, Joon? You want a play-by-play? How many orgasms? How loud she moaned? What positions we tried? You timid freak!”
Joon flinched but stood his ground, folding his arms. “Every detail matters. I’ve watched CSI, okay? I know what I’m doing.”
Before the argument could escalate, Joseph stepped between them, his hand on Dave’s chest. “Easy,” he said, his tone firm but calm. “He’s just trying to help.”
Dave backed off with a growl, kicking at a loose rock, while Joon muttered something under his breath.
Alice, meanwhile, was scanning the area, her flashlight sweeping the ground. The beam stopped abruptly. “Is this—” She crouched, her voice catching. “Is this blood in the sand?”
The Discovery
Wade was at her side in an instant, dropping to one knee to examine the dark stains. He ran a calloused hand over the ground, his brow furrowed. “I can’t tell,” he admitted.
Joon leaned in, squinting at the irregular splatter. “It’s blood,” he said, his voice low. “But look at the pattern—it’s weird.”
Joseph turned to Dave. “Can you show us exactly where you were sitting?”
Dave hesitated, his jaw tightening, but he complied. He dropped to the ground, recreating his position. The others watched in silence, the tension palpable.
Joseph’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the area. Something had caught his attention. Without a word, he straightened and began wading into the shallow water, his movements deliberate.
“Joe?” Alice’s voice was hesitant, almost fearful. “What is it?”
Joseph didn’t answer. He reached the opposite bank and crouched, running his fingers over the damp earth. The grooves in the dirt were shallow but unmistakable. Tracks. Not human, not even close. He stood, stepping back to get a better view, the shape of the prints more discernible from a distance. His stomach churned.
When he returned, his movements were slower, his gaze darting to the shadows on the periphery of the clearing.
The Analysis
“What is it, Joseph?” Alice pressed, her voice sharper now.
Joseph’s jaw tightened. He gestured toward the bloodstains and the oval-shaped pattern around Dave’s original position. “The blood isn’t his,” he began, his tone measured, almost detached. “It’s Mandy’s. And look at this—splatter on either side of him, in a kind of arc.”
Alice’s brow furrowed. “And the blood across his chest?”
Joseph nodded grimly. “If you line it up, it looks like... a bite mark.”
Wade scoffed, crossing his arms. “A bite mark? Seriously? There’s nothing in this jungle big enough to—”
Alice interrupted, her voice rising. “Then explain how something could grab her and disappear so fast Dave didn’t even see it!”
“I don’t know,” Joseph admitted, his voice heavy with unease.
Joon stepped forward, his tone less confident now. “What about the other side? What did you find?”
Joseph hesitated before answering. “Tracks.”
The group fell silent, the word hanging in the air like a specter.
“Tracks of what?” Alice pressed, her voice a mix of fear and curiosity.
Joseph shook his head. “Something big. Something I’ve never seen before.”
Wade threw up his hands, exasperated. “This is bullshit. You’re trying to scare everyone. I know this jungle. I’ve been in and out of these woods my whole damn life, and there’s nothing out here but jaguars and snakes.”
He turned, his machete slicing the air for emphasis. “We’re going east. To find Mandy. Not some—some giant biting thing.”
Without waiting for a response, Wade strode off into the forest, the tension thick enough to cut with a blade. One by one, the others followed, though Joseph lingered, his eyes scanning the basin one last time.
The tracks. The blood. The bite marks.
Something wasn’t right. And whatever it was, it was out there, watching. Waiting.
