"GINA!" Zarinna called out, her voice trembling slightly as she panted, long legs straining to match her friend's pace. "Wait for me!"

"You alright?" Gina's voice floated back, warm and teasing, her lips curved in that effortless smile that somehow made Zarinna feel both guilty and comforted.

"Yeah..." Zarinna breathed, her chest heaving, "How... how can you walk so fast uphill?" Her gaze flicked around nervously. The grassy, open grounds of their camp were behind them; now, jagged rocks and tangled roots clawed at the forest floor beneath her boots. The hiking she had dreaded so much had begun, and she had no choice but to force herself to keep moving, step by painful step.

"Huh, fast?" Gina quirked an eyebrow. "Not fast, Rinna. You're just... slow."

Zarinna scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"Come on, then. Let's sit a bit," Gina said, waving her over toward a patch of flattened earth beside the path.

"Thanks..." Zarinna murmured, settling down. Relief washed over her; she had feared being paired with Mylene, her usual camp partner, who could be relentless. Ma'am Mel's decision to switch partners had spared her. She shook off the thought—best not dwell on it.

"Ah," Gina sighed, stretching her arms, "How are we ever going to find those flags if we keep moving like this?"

Zarinna's mind wandered to the Principal's instructions. This wasn't just a hike; it was a scavenger hunt—a challenge layered over an uphill trek. Somewhere in these woods, small flags waited to be discovered. Somewhere. How did anyone manage to hide them in such a dense forest? Zarinna grimaced, imagining the hours of effort required.

"Sorry for being a burden," she murmured.

"Oh, don't worry, Rinna," Gina replied with a gentle smile. "Come on, let's keep moving. We have to find at least two of those flags. And I'm not washing giant pots, utensils, or whatever else as punishment for missing them."

Zarinna couldn't suppress a laugh. That threat alone fueled her forward. With renewed determination, they rose and continued along the path.

Minutes later, the two were surrounded by a symphony of green: towering trees, dense bushes, delicate grasses brushing their ankles. A turn to the left revealed a tall shrub snagging a flash of white.

"Gina!" Zarinna's voice rang with excitement. "Look!"

Gina followed her outstretched finger and beamed. "It's a flag!" She dashed to the shrub, plucking the fabric triumphantly.

"Yes!" They squealed together, hearts soaring with the joy of small victories, the thought of avoiding dish duty that evening an added delight.

"Rinna," Gina said after a few steps, pointing to a massive tree cloaked in wild vines, "See that tree over there?"

"Yeah... why?"

"Let's split paths—me on the right, you on the left. Twenty, maybe thirty steps, then we regroup. Who knows? Flags could be anywhere. Better safe than scrubbing pots tonight." Gina's eyes sparkled with playful determination.

Zarinna nodded, excitement tingling in her chest. Sleep after a warm dinner sounded divine after this grueling trek.

"Alright," she said, narrowing her gaze at the left path. "See you in a bit."

They parted ways, and Zarinna exhaled, steadying herself before venturing deeper into the forest. Ten steps... twenty... still no flag. Another ten steps. Nothing. Frustration gnawed at her as she scanned the dense foliage.

Then—a flash of white. Her eyes squinted through the morning haze.

"Why didn't I bring my glasses?" she muttered, hurrying forward. "Who brings glasses hiking, anyway?" Her lips pressed tight. "Great... now I'm talking to myself."

Relief erupted when she spotted the fabric clinging to a branch, victorious yet unsteady. She stepped forward—but the soil crumbled beneath her foot.

"Ah!" Panic flared as she fell, sharp pain shooting up her legs. She gasped, sitting up, brushing dirt from her jeans to reveal crimson stains. She sucked in a breath and whispered, "Help me, Lord..."

Grim determination took hold. Clutching the white fabric, she limped back to the tree, each step a mix of triumph and exhaustion. But the forest's paths twisted and unfamiliar. Anxiety prickled at her skin like static.

"Shouldn't I have arrived at the tree by now?" she murmured, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. Sweat dotted her brow, trickling into her eyes, stinging with every blink. The undergrowth around her seemed to close in, each twisted branch and shadowed hollow pressing against her senses, unfamiliar and menacing.

Her chest tightened. Every step felt heavier, every rustle of leaves louder than it should be. Memories she had long buried stirred at the edges of her mind, flickering like dark shapes in the corner of her vision. She told herself she could resist, that she would not give them power—not this time.

But her breaths came shorter now, shallow and uneven. The forest, once only a backdrop, felt like a cage. Her stomach knotted, her hands trembling against her sides. The hairs on her arms stood on end, prickling with an invisible warning she couldn't ignore.

She pressed forward, forcing herself to take another step, and then another. Her surroundings grew increasingly unfamiliar, the trees twisting in ways that seemed almost unnatural. Her heart slammed against her ribs, each beat echoing in her ears, loud and relentless.

"Lord..." Her voice was barely a whisper, trembling. Her knees shook as a wave of panic washed over her. "I need You..."

Then she saw it. A large boulder loomed ahead, dark and jagged, rising from the earth like a sentinel. She froze, breath catching in her throat. Her body refused to move, every muscle locked in place. The world seemed to tilt, the ground unsteady beneath her feet.

Her stomach dropped, nausea twisting her insides. Her hands clenched and unclenched, fingers digging into her palms. The shadows beneath the boulder seemed alive, curling and crawling toward her.

She shut her eyes tightly, willing herself not to remember, to block it out. But the memory clawed its way forward, unbidden and merciless, and her chest constricted with raw, electric fear. The past was no longer distant—it was here, looming in the shape of that boulder, demanding she face it.

"No, please! Please, Uncle, let me go!" A tear slipped down her cheek. Her body tensed instinctively as his hand pressed against her hips, a cold, suffocating force.

"It will only take a minute, Zarinna," the man whispered, his breath hot against her neck. Disgust and fear coiled in her chest like a living thing. Was this the same man her mother was supposed to marry?

"No! Get away from me!" she screamed, pushing with every ounce of strength, scrambling backward.

"Get back here, young lady! I'm not done with you yet!" His hands seized her shoulders, dragging her closer.

"No!" she spat, fury mingling with terror. "Let go of me, you pervert!" She kicked, struck out, wriggled desperately, but his grip was relentless. Every shred of respect she had once held for him evaporated, replaced by raw hatred and disgust. She knew now what he truly was.

"My mother will never marry you when she finds out about this!" she shouted, twisting and breaking free momentarily. But his arm snaked around her waist, yanking her back toward him.

"Well, let's give her something to find out, then," he hissed with a sinister laugh. Panic flooded her chest, her heart hammering. Where were they? She struggled violently, clawing at him, kicking, shrieking—but the world narrowed to the pressure of his hands and the hard, unyielding ground beneath her.

A cold rock pressed against her back. She realized too late that she was lying atop a boulder, the man looming over her, shadowing her entire field of vision.

"Get your hands off me!" she screamed, thrashing wildly. "Help!" Her voice echoed back, swallowed by the empty space around her. Disgust and fear wracked her body like a storm, her skin crawling. She reached blindly for anything—anything that could save her.

God! Her mind screamed. God help me!

She hadn't prayed in years, not since she was a child, but now, trembling and desperate, God was all she could call on. She poured every ounce of her soul into her cry.

Her palm struck something solid—a fragment of the boulder that had crumbled beneath her. Hope surged through her trembling arms. With every bit of strength she could muster, she lifted it, her heart lurching in tandem with her hands, and swung with all her might. The impact landed with a sickening thud, and the man collapsed beside her, blood spilling across the rock.

GINA GLANCED sideways for the nth time, worry creeping into her bones with every passing second.

"Where is she?" she questioned, biting her lower lip in apprehension. Unable to stay in one place, she hurried toward the left side of the tree, eyes scanning for any sign of Zarinna. Regret gripped her like iron. I shouldn't have let her be alone, she whispered to herself. Gina knew how disoriented Zarinna could get outdoors. What if she got lost? What if... oh God, no. She pushed the terrible thought aside. God's Spirit is within her. She won't be harmed. She tried to console herself, though her heart pounded like a drum in her chest.

She stopped after taking thirty steps, yet still, there was no sign of Zarinna.

"Zarinna?!" she called, her voice cracking. "Rinna, where are you? This is not funny!"

Only silence answered her.

Gina pressed her palm to her chest, unsure of what to do next. Her eyes swept over the forest floor, probing every shadow and twisted root for a clue. And then she saw it—a piece of cloth, half-buried along the side of the path. Her stomach dropped as she lifted it to her face. It was Zarinna's jeans, streaked with blood. Panic engulfed her entirely.

Almost without thinking, she spun around and ran toward the clear path, her lungs burning. She needed to find someone—anyone. If anything happened to Zarinna because of her, she knew she would never forgive herself.

"Help!" she called, her voice raw, echoing through the trees. "Anyone!"

She came to a sudden halt as two men appeared, walking toward her from the opposite direction.

"David! Sir Sepnayen!" she gasped, bending over with her hands on her knees, trying to steady her racing heart.

"What's wrong, Ma'am Gacusan?" the older man asked, concern etched into his features.

"Where is Zarinna, Gina?" David demanded, his eyes narrowing as he sought an explanation.

Gina straightened, gripping the bloodied fabric tightly. "I... I can't find her. We split up earlier and... and—" Her voice trembled as she held the strip of cloth up. "I saw this on the path. It's Rinna's jeans."

David's gaze snapped to the fabric. Without a word, he dashed into the trees, sprinting even as Gina tried to call after him.

Gina and Maurice exchanged a quick, panicked glance, and in a single, wordless decision, they followed him, their footsteps pounding the forest floor as fear and urgency propelled them forward.