The wind hit them like a wall as they stepped out into the storm, the cold gnawing at their skin instantly. Alex's breath came out in ragged bursts, visible in the frigid air. He glanced back at the cabin—its silhouette now obscured by the thick snow, the door swinging wildly behind them as if it were being pulled by unseen hands.
Emma's face was a mask of fear and determination as she trudged beside him, her eyes still flickering back toward the cabin every few seconds. She had already lost so much, and Alex could see the uncertainty weighing her down with each step.
"We have to keep moving," Alex said through gritted teeth, pulling her forward. "We can't stop."
"I know," Emma replied, her voice strained, but her steps faltered as she looked back. "But Noah... I can't leave him like that. He's not gone. He can't be."
Alex didn't have an answer for her. What could he say? That Noah was lost to something they didn't understand? That the land itself was working against them, turning their own flesh into something... alien? There was nothing to say, nothing that would make the truth less unbearable.
But the truth was, they couldn't save him. Not like this. Not with whatever it was that had taken hold of him. The only chance they had now was to survive.
They moved through the storm for hours, the wind and snow blurring everything around them. The landscape was a frozen wasteland, a world swallowed by the dark. The trees, once familiar, were now just vague shapes, gnarled and twisted by the cold. The path was obscured, and Alex had no idea where they were heading, but they had to keep moving. If they stayed still for too long, the land would find them, just as it had found Noah.
They made it to a ridge, but the view didn't offer any comfort. The snow stretched out endlessly, a white void with no sign of safety. They were still deep in the heart of the wilderness. There was no one to turn to, no help to seek. And worse still, every gust of wind seemed to bring with it that same oppressive presence, the weight of the land's hunger.
Suddenly, Alex felt it—something wasn't right. The air had shifted, becoming thicker, colder, heavier. The sound of the storm was quieter now, as though the wind itself was holding its breath. The very ground beneath his feet felt... wrong.
"Do you feel that?" Emma's voice broke through his thoughts, her words barely audible over the wind.
Alex nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. "It's like it's watching us. Waiting."
Before he could react, a sharp crack echoed through the air, and something—someone—stepped into their path. It was a figure, cloaked in shadow, its movements fluid and unnatural. As it emerged from the swirling snow, Alex could make out the details. The same hollow eyes, the same twisted, hollow face as the creature from the cabin.
"No…" Emma whispered, stepping back. "Not again."
The figure moved toward them with unsettling speed, its limbs jerking unnaturally, as though it didn't quite belong in this world. It raised its hand, fingers twitching as if beckoning them closer.
"Run!" Alex shouted, grabbing Emma's arm and pulling her with him. He didn't look back, but he could hear the footsteps following them, gaining on them.
The figure was faster than they were. It was already too close, its breath heavy and labored. Alex's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline fueling his every step. He had to find a way out, a way to escape this madness. But no matter how fast they ran, no matter how far they pushed themselves, the figure stayed on their heels, closing the distance.
The storm around them intensified, the wind tearing at their clothes and freezing their exposed skin. The snow whipped against their faces like needles, stinging their eyes and making it hard to see.
"Alex, what do we do?!" Emma's voice was desperate.
"I don't know," Alex gasped, his body beginning to slow. He was exhausted, his legs heavy with the weight of the cold and the endless running. The figure was getting closer, its movements becoming more erratic, like it was toying with them.
They reached a narrow gap between two jagged rocks—an old, forgotten path—when Alex had an idea. The ridge they were on offered little shelter, but the rocks might provide a moment's respite. It was a chance, their only chance to buy some time.
"We can hide there," Alex said, pulling Emma toward the gap. The snow was deep, and the rocks were slick with ice, but it was the best they could do.
They scrambled into the narrow passage, their breath ragged, their bodies cold and stiff. The figure slowed as it reached the entrance of the gap, but it didn't stop. Instead, it reached out with its long, twisted fingers, scraping against the rock with a sound that made Alex's skin crawl.
"Is it... is it going to follow us in here?" Emma whispered, her voice trembling.
Alex didn't answer. He was too focused on the creature. It was waiting outside, its presence an oppressive weight, pressing against them even in the silence.
The storm raged, but the wind was muffled here, and for a moment, Alex thought they might be safe.
Then, he heard it—a sound that didn't belong. The figure outside began to chant in a low, guttural voice, its words unintelligible but laden with something ancient and dark.
"I don't think it's going to give up," Alex said softly, his voice barely audible over the storm. He could feel the land pulling at them, tugging at their very souls. It was as though the land itself was alive, and it was hungry.
Emma pressed herself against the rock wall, her face pale. "What is it? Why is it doing this? Why is this happening to us?"
"I don't know," Alex admitted, his heart heavy with the weight of uncertainty. "But we can't stay here. It's waiting for us to make a mistake."
The figure's voice grew louder, more insistent. It was no longer just a chant—it was a call, a command, as if the land itself was summoning them.
"We have to fight," Alex said, his voice growing more certain, though he didn't know how. He had no weapons, no plan. Just fear and the will to survive.
But before he could say another word, a shape appeared at the mouth of the gap, the snow swirling around it like a storm's eye.
A sharp scream broke the silence, cutting through the howling wind.
Emma's face went pale as she grabbed Alex's arm, her grip tightening. "Alex, look!"
At the entrance of the gap, standing amidst the swirling snow, was Noah. His body was bent unnaturally, his eyes completely white, devoid of any sign of life. His limbs twisted and jerked, as if controlled by something beyond his will.
He was no longer the brother Emma had known.
"Noah…" Emma whispered, her voice breaking. Tears filled her eyes as she reached out toward him, but Alex grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
"He's gone, Emma," Alex said, his voice low, a mix of sorrow and determination. "The land took him. And now it's coming for us."
Noah's head snapped in their direction, his body jerking violently as if the land had reached out to pull him further into its fold.
The land's hunger had no mercy. It had taken their friends, their families, and now it was coming for them.
But they still had one choice left.