When they stumbled back into the campsite, they were relieved to find the ladies huddled together, their faces etched with fear. "Thank God you're here," Amina exclaimed, her voice trembling with relief. Chichi's eyes were wide with terror as she added, "It's been hell. We thought you guys were gone for good." She paused, her breath shuddering. "A sudden, horrible sound woke us up, and when we realized you weren't here... we were terrified." Bisola nodded in agreement, her eyes darting nervously around the darkness beyond the tent. The men's faces reflected their own fear and confusion, and for a moment, they just stood there, grateful to be reunited but unsure what dangers lurked in the darkness around them.
The gravity of their situation hit them like a ton of bricks. "John is gone," Rotimi announced, still catching his breath. The ladies' eyes widened in horror. "What!" they exclaimed in unison. "Where has he gone?" Amina demanded, her confusion laced with an undercurrent of panic. "Tell me, where?" she pressed, her voice rising in urgency as she grasped the guys' arms, one by one, as if sheer willpower could conjure up an answer. The guys were still reeling from the shock, struggling to catch their breath, when Mike finally spoke up. "We were all seated here, chatting away, when he excused himself to relieve himself. The next thing we knew, he let out a blood-curdling scream. We rushed in to find out what was wrong, and that's when we saw it – trees with eyes, speaking in unison with voices that sent shivers down our spines." TJ chimed in, his voice barely above a whisper. "They just kept repeating, 'We can see. You can't hide…' and a whole lot more."
For a moment, an unsettling silence enveloped them, each lost in their own thoughts – wondering what was happening, what would come next, and what they should do. The stillness was palpable, as if time itself had paused. Then, Bisola's soft voice shattered the silence: "What do we do now?" Before they could even begin to formulate a plan, a grotesque creature materialized before them. It had a human body, an animal head with a twisted horn, a long tail, and razor-sharp fingernails. The creature flashed into view and vanished just as quickly, leaving the group stunned. "Did you see that?" "Yes!" "Where did it go?" The questions and gasps tumbled out in rapid succession as the creature continued to appear and disappear, each time sparking fresh terror. It vanished and reappeared four more times, each flash more fleeting than the last. But on its fifth reappearance, it wasn't alone. Six more creatures, identical in their twisted forms, emerged alongside it, their eyes fixed menacingly on the group.
Before they could even process the horror unfolding before them, the creatures swooped in, their long fingers wrapping around the group like vice grips. In an instant, they were lifted off the ground, and everything went dark. When their vision returned, they found themselves in a vast, dimly lit cave. The air was damp and musty, and the only light came from flickering torches set into the walls, casting eerie shadows. The group stumbled, disoriented, their eyes adjusting slowly to the new surroundings. They looked around, taking in the rough stone walls and the eerie silence. "Where are we?" Amina whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of dripping water somewhere in the distance. The creatures stood watchfully around them, their eyes glowing in the dim light, offering no answers. "I think we're in a cave," Mike said, his voice laced with unease, the words barely above a whisper. His tone was shattered, his words tumbling out as he struggled to free himself, but it was no use. "Ish!" he let out a loud, anguished cry, which caught the attention of one of the creatures. It turned to them, its face creasing into a wicked, toothy grin.