Page 51

Last time didn’t go very well, but…

Before I leave, I consider grabbing some of the bioluminescent mushrooms to light my way, but the memory of the last time I tried to handle them comes flooding back—more specifically how quickly I lost them the last time things went to shit. Yeah, not going through that again.

Instead, I glance over to Kroaicho's pile of “treasures”. He once called freedom a type of treasure, but clearly doesn’t value it for me. Not enough to let me go.

I’m just another addition to the pile.

“Treasures,” I scoff. “More like a hoarder's nest of random shiny junk.”

There has to be something useful in there, right?

I rifle through the pile, tossing aside strange objects—polished stones, oddly shaped bones, bits of metal that look like they might have once been part of some ancient machinery. Then, my hand closes around something smooth and cold—a roll of rough twine. I hold it up to the faint light, my brow furrowing. Where the hell did Kroaicho find twine? On an alien planet?

Shaking off the question, I tie a bundle of mushrooms together using the twine, making sure the stems are tightly secured. The soft glow from the mushrooms gives me just enough light to navigate without attracting too much attention. Satisfied with my makeshift lantern, I sling the bundle over my shoulder and make for the cave's exit.

This time, I take a different route, one Kroaicho hasn't shown me. If I can avoid running into the big beast, all the better. The path ahead is narrow, the air thick with the scent of damp soil and moss. My footsteps echo as I venture deeper into the labyrinth of caves, each turn feeling like a step further away from my already fragile sanity.

Time stretches on, the silence punctuated only by the sound of my own breathing and the faint, otherworldly hum of the glowing fungi scattered across the walls. I walk for what feels like hours, every twist and turn looking more unfamiliar than the last.

That's when I hear it—a soft rustling sound, like something scraping against the stone. My heart skips a beat, and I freeze, holding my breath. The sound grows louder, and more distinct. It's coming from behind me.

I whip around, the glow from the mushrooms casting long shadows across the cave floor. For a moment, there's nothing. Then, from the darkness, a shape emerges—a creature, hunched and grotesque, skittering toward me on spindly legs. Its body is a sickly blend of insect and reptile, its carapace glistening with an oily sheen in the dim light. Multi-jointed limbs click against the stone as it moves, mandibles snapping in rhythmic intervals, while beady black eyes focus intently on me.

"Shit."

The creature lets out a high-pitched chitter, its segmented body undulating as it moves closer. Panic surges through me, but I force myself to stay calm. I've faced worse things in these caves. I can handle this.

Without thinking, I grab a nearby rock and hurl it at the creature. It clatters off its hard shell harmlessly, but the creature pauses, hissing in frustration. I take the opportunity to dash past it, skirting around its side as it lunges in my direction.

My heart races as I dart down another tunnel, the creature hot on my heels. I glance over my shoulder, my pulse hammering in my ears.Think, Olivia, think.

Ahead, I spot a narrow crevice in the cave wall—just wide enough for me to squeeze through but too tight for the creature. Without hesitation, I dive toward it, scraping my arms and legs against the rough stone as I force my way through.

The creature slams into the crevice behind me, its mandibles clacking furiously as it tries to reach me. I wince as I feel its sharp claws swipe at my back, narrowly missing. With one final heave, I pull myself through the other side, tumbling onto the cave floor in a heap.

But before I can even catch my breath, I feel a sharp, searing pain shoot up my leg. I cry out, twisting around just in time to see one of the creature's barbed stingers embedded in my calf.

"Fuck!" I scream, yanking the stinger out, but it's too late. A burning sensation spreads from the wound, and I feel my muscles start to stiffen.

I scramble to my feet, adrenaline surging through my veins as I stumble away from the crevice. Behind me, the creature lets out another chittering screech, but it can't follow. At least I've managed to trap it. But the sting… my leg throbs with a fiery intensity, and I can feel the venom working its way through my system, making me lightheaded.

No, no, no, not now.

I force myself to keep moving, limping through the tunnel as fast as I can. The cave seems to spin around me, my vision blurring at the edges. I clutch the wall for support, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

After a few more agonizing steps, I collapse against the stone, my head swimming. I try to steady my breathing, but the venom makes it hard to focus. My limbs feel heavy, and sluggish, like I'm sinking into quicksand.

I can't stay here.I push myself up, my legs trembling beneath me. I've come too far to give up now. But as I take another step forward, the realization hits me like a punch to the gut.

I'm lost. Again.

Panic rises in my chest, but I bite it back, refusing to let it take hold. I look around frantically, trying to get my bearings, but everything looks the same—dark, damp, and endless. The tunnels stretch on in every direction, twisting and turning with no rhyme or reason.

Which way did I come from?

I can't remember. My mind is a fog of pain and confusion, and I don't know which way is up anymore.

Then I hear it—a soft, distant chittering sound. My blood runs cold.