Screams from the Abyss

Uncharted Paths

Alex's boots crunched on the forest floor, each step careful and measured. The trees loomed overhead, their branches twisting in ways that defied nature. It had been weeks since the military test began, since he'd lost sight of Jaden in the chaos of that first day. Or had it been months? Time felt fluid here, reality bending like the warped trunks around him.

He paused, wiping sweat from his brow with a grimy sleeve. His once-pristine uniform was now a patchwork of tears and makeshift repairs. Alex unscrewed his canteen, taking a measured sip of water that tasted faintly of copper. Resources were scarce, and he'd learned the hard way to ration everything.

A rustle in the underbrush sent him spinning, muscles tensing. His hand went to the crude spear strapped to his back – a branch sharpened on a rock, but it had saved his life more than once. Alex waited, breath held, as a creature emerged from the foliage.

It might have been a deer once. Now, its legs were too long, body sleek and ir