The air in the cave was thick with tension as Astrid and Twig crouched behind the jagged rocks, their hearts racing in their chests. The darkness felt oppressive, but the real terror lay just beyond their hiding place. Astrid could hear the distant echoes of the cave, each sound amplified in her ears, making her hyper-aware of every little noise.
"We have to be quiet," Twig whispered urgently, his eyes darting around for any sign of movement. Astrid nodded, her breath shallow as she strained to listen.
Suddenly, they heard a loud crash—a rock tumbling down the side of the cave. Astrid's heart dropped as she recognized Scott's voice, followed by a pained yelp. "Scott!" she gasped, instinctively reaching out for her brother, but Twig pulled her back firmly.
"Stay here! Don't move!" Twig hissed, his grip tightening on her arm. Astrid could see the worry etched on his face, but before she could protest, Scott's cries faded into the darkness.
As they peered out from their hiding spot, they caught sight of Juniper, her face a mix of determination and fear as she tried to join them. "Guys, wait!" she called, her voice echoing softly against the cave walls.
But before she could reach them, a dark figure stepped out from the shadows, the same bad man who had haunted their memories for so long. A chilling grin spread across his face as he caught Juniper by the neck, lifting her off the ground with ease.
"No!" Twig shouted, his voice cracking with desperation.
Astrid squeezed her eyes shut, the sight overwhelming her. She felt her heart hammering in her chest, the fear paralyzing. They were supposed to be strong, to protect each other. But all they could do was hide and watch as the man tightened his grip on Juniper.
"Help!" Juniper gasped, her face turning red as she struggled against his hold. Astrid felt tears streaming down her cheeks as she wanted to scream, wanted to fight, but she was frozen in place, caught in a web of terror.
Then came a sound that would haunt her forever—a piercing scream from Juniper, echoing through the cave. It was a cry filled with anguish, a sound that shattered the fragile hope within Astrid. She and Twig exchanged horrified looks, knowing they had to act, but feeling utterly helpless.
And then, just as quickly as it had begun, the sound abruptly cut off, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. The man, still grinning, turned his gaze toward Astrid and Twig, and the world around them spun with a mixture of fear and despair.
"Now, who's next?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice.
Twig, fueled by anger and desperation, gritted his teeth. "You won't get away with this!" he shouted, stepping out from behind the rocks, ready to confront the man.
"Astrid, stay back!" Twig warned, but she could see the determination in his eyes, the need to protect her, even at the cost of his own safety.
But before Astrid could respond, the cave trembled as a loud rumble echoed through the space, the ground beneath them shifting. Rocks began to fall, and she could feel the walls closing in. In a moment of sheer panic, she realized the cave was collapsing.
"Twig!" she cried out, reaching for him as debris rained down. But the rocks fell faster than she could react, trapping him in a pile of rubble.
"Astrid, go! Get out of here!" he shouted, his voice filled with urgency.
"No! I can't leave you!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face as she fought against the overwhelming instinct to flee.
But it was too late. The cave's darkness swallowed Twig, and the last image Astrid had of him was the look of determination in his eyes, a silent promise to protect her, even as the shadows closed in around them.
