The thrill of exploring Paradise Island had only lasted for a while, that was until a scream echoed in the forest, making both Nick and Danny to ditch their plans and take off running.

A scream like that could only mean one thing, trouble. This was the reason why the guys ran with so much speed back to the house. Thankfully they had been heading back when they heard it, and the trail back had been more visible the closer they got.

The screams came from somewhere around the house. They searched until they found the source. Stacey stood at the end of the Jacuzzi, her face pale and body frozen in place.

When they moved closer to inspect what had gotten her like this, the sight infront of them was horrific.

" She's dead," Stacey said in between sobs.

" What the----- " Nick couldn't even form the right words, let alone finish the sentence.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the once beautiful Clara, now slaughtered and left for dead in the Jacuzzi...

On the other side of the Island, Max and Austin finally arrived. Thankfully they were able to find the groups rented boat on time.

" Anything? " Max asked as he approached Austin, who had stood close to the rented boat.

" No." He shook his head." I've tried everyone I know, but no answer." He said, sounding disappointed.

" Shit," Max cursed under his breath.

This was the last thing he needed. It made him even more anxious to think about where Kate could be at that very moment.

" We should move," Austin suggested as he looked around.

He didn't want it to get too dark before they found the place, where the group stayed at.

" You're right. Look Austin, I have to ask again, are you sure about this?" Max wanted Austin to be certain about his decision.

He knew that whatever they faced ahead, would possibly be dangerous. His gut feeling leaned toward things turning life threatening, but he held himself back from letting Austin know that.

Austin gave a nod and said, " I'm here now, there's no more turning back. Like I said before, I have my reasons, besides, I care about Kate alot."

" Okay," Max accepted his answer.

He soon motioned for Austin to head first to their boat to fetch whatever they would need, before they set out on foot.

He sighed heavily as he took out the poem from his back pocket. Emotions overtook him as the last imagine of Kate saying goodbye to him, played in mind.

' That can't be your last goodbye. We've just reunited, I can't lose my friend again.' He thought. ' No, I can't have such thoughts. I'll find her soon.'

" Hey man, are you coming?!" Austin called out, interrupting Max's thoughts.

Max cleared his throat and put the poem back in his pocket. " Yeah, I'm coming!"

Deep down, he knew that he would not leave without his friend. He hoped that danger had not encountered the group yet though he had strong doubts.

Back at the house, silence had taken over with not one person attempting to say anything. Nick, Danny and Stacey were sat quietly in the living room, with each one lost in their own thoughts.

The silence began taking its toll on Stacey. Tears had not stop falling and they now clouded her vision. She kept on glancing at the direction of her friends, who looked out of it. It would be obvious to a stranger walking in, that something had happened.

She suddenly shot up from the couch, now gaining their attention. "I can't do this, I can't sit here and pretend as if my friend wasn't just murdered!" She sobbed.

" We aren't pretending - we just..." Danny lost his words, not being able to get the image of a now dead Clara out of his mind.

All he could do was shake his head in disbelief.

Without a word, Nick rose to his feet and walked over to Stacey so he could offer comfort. Stacey didn't need a cue, and threw her arms around him. She sobbed even more and Nick let her. He felt sorry for her at that moment, knowing that someone she cared about was no more.

Stacey on the other hand, despite the hurt and mourning, gladly took advantage of that moment. She knew that time was limited and wasn't sure when she would be close to Nick like this ever again.

For a moment, it felt right to be in his arms, with no one there to disturb them.

" That means Kate was right all along." Danny thought out loud.

Nick moved away from Stacey, who tried to hide her disappointment.

" She did see someone."

" Yeah, but she wasn't sure," Stacey argued.

" She was scared and emotional, but that doesn't mean she would make up stuff like that. I know my girl." Nick said or more like defended her.

" Nick ----"

" Someone is dead, I think it should be pretty clear that we were never alone in the first place." Nick cut her off.

He didn't mean to sound harsh but he wanted to make it clear, that Kate would not be undermined in his presence.

Stacey opened and closed her mouth but words didn't come out. It was clear as day that he would not hear any kind of negative thought towards Kate. In all honesty, Stacey was taken aback by his change in atgitude. This troubled her, even in the midst of all she felt.

It was like the moment she had with him, was all part of her imagination.

Danny, who had been watching decided to not say anything.

The door burst open, making all of them to jump to their feet. They let out sighs of relief when Maddy appeared.

" I can't seem to find him anywhere, it's like he vanished into thin air,"Maddie sounded exasperated as she complained.

She threw herself on the couch, letting out a heavy sigh. The silence in the room captured her attention and now she glanced up to everyone.

She felt something off in the room, even noticing Stacey's red puffy eyes.

They all avoided eye contact with her, which made her to perk up now.

" Why are you all so quiet, have you seen him?" She asked.

" No," both Danny and Nick answered.

" Okay, why are you - guys, whats going on? Why do you look so down?"

" Something happened to Clara," Nick finally said.

" Clara, is she okay?" She leaned forward now, not expecting these types of news.

" No, " admitted Danny.

"Okay, will someone explain to me-"

" She's dead!" Stacey blurted out, making everyone to tense up.

" W-what?"

"Someone killed her in the jacuzzi." Stacey took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

Instead of saying something, Maddie shot to her feet and hurried to the back door, wanting to confirm with her own eyes.

It didn't take long before a scream broke out, not even surprising the rest. Instead, they sat back down in defeat.

.........

" Kate, I've changed my mind. I can take it next----" Anna stopped mid- sentence when she saw no sign of Kate.

" Kate?!" Anna called out, looking around.

She frowned when she didn't hear a response.

' Where could she be?' She wondered as she walked around, in search of her friend.

Minutes passed with her searching and calling out to her friend, but with no response back. She began to worry now about her missing friend, along with guilt creeping in for leaving Kate alone in the middke of a forest.

' What was I thinking? I shouldn't have left her alone. Gosh, if only i turned back sooner.' She scolded herself as she continued walking.

Unknowingly, she approached the same place her friend had been not too long ago. She pulled to a stop when she felt like she'd stepped onto something. She moved back to inspect what it could be and that's when her heart sank. Before her was a bit of redness on the grass and next to it was a bracelet.

She picked it up and looked it over, realisation hit her then, the bracelet she held belonged did not be long to her friend but someone else.

Clara.

Everything felt wrong at that moment. She suddenly didn't feel safe as she stood there all alone, in the middle of the forest.

'Oh my gosh Kate!' Her friend came to mind.

She couldn't imagine how her friend felt, being in the same place all alone as she waited.

' I really need to find Kate and get out of this place.' Unfortunately the thought came to mind rather too late, when she turned around to see a stranger, standing not too far from her.

The man stood tall and intimidating, as he stared at her. His whole vibe in combat boots, black pants, navy shirt and black jacket, unsettled her greatly.

What made it even worse was the realisation of how much he resembled her friend.

Everything clicked so fast in mind of who stood before her.

As if he read her mind, he started to approached her. Anna took steps back as she tried to plot her next move.

" Y-you're him aren't you?" She stuttered. " You're Dr Brown."

Those words pulled him to a stop, but not Anna, who almost tripped on her feet.

Thankfully she found her balance in time.

The man tilted his head to the side, as if she peaked his interest, despite no emotion expressed in his eyes.

" Kate."

If possible, the man tensed up.

" Where is Kate?"

It took a minute or so before he answered, and when he did, her blood ran cold.

" Home." One word and the sight of blood on his hands, was enough to set her off.

She took off running without a word, her mind set on getting away, while the man himself chased after her.

He might have been older but even then, he was fast. He failed after her like a predator chasing after his prey. Anna only increased her speed, her reflexes kicking in overdrive, once or twice she glanced over her shoulder, trying to see how close he was.

Her fear almost blinded her, that she nearly tripped over feet, but she held herself up.

The man didn't give up and had a determined look, to capture her. She pushed her legs more, her own determination taking over.

She couldn't get caught and be at the mercy of that man, no.

The tree branches played their part of being in the way, and she tried her out most best to remove anything in sight.

The worst came at the moment she needed all the luck in the world, when she mistakenly glanced over her shoulder again. This resulted to her not noticing the ditch/hole ahead.

She fell right in, with her scream echoing around her. Her fall was hard, instantly placing her in an unconscious state.

The man who had witnessed it all, now stood above, looking down at her. He watched her for a while before he he turned and walked away.

.............

" Mmm." A low moan slipped past Kate's lips as she came to consciousness.

Her brows scrunched together as she moved her head side to side.

She tried to clear her head despite how much it hurt. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked a couple of times, trying to clear her vision. When she was officially awake, she learned by a glance around that she was in a foreign place.

It didn't sit well with her to be be laying like that, in a strange place.

Panic began to set it when pain shot in both her ankles and wrists. She realised that something restricted her movements, something prickly.

She discovered that she had been tired by parts of a wire fence around those areas. It dug into her skin each time she tried to move, causing her whimpers.

Deciding to stop moving, she looked around, inspecting her surroundings.  She noticed something similar to a physicians table, not too far from where she lay. Shuffling sound with metals clunking earned her attention, her eyes shot forward and widened in shock when she was met with someone's back.figure stood in front of her.

She shook her head once or twice, trying push into the last memory, before she lost consciousness and found herself here. Her efforts were rewarded when remembered that she'd seen someone someone back by the basement window. The person before her might have been the same guy.

Her panic worded when the stranger or her kidnapped suddenly stopped his movements, he turned around to face her. She couldn't see half of his face, which was hidden by his worn out cap and hoodie.

" Who are you?" She asked with her now hoarse voice.

He stopped in his tracks but didn't answer.

" Please, can you hear me?" Her heart beat faster now.

" Shh...." He cooed, continuing to move closer again.

Her eyes grew so big when she noticed what he held in one of his hands.

A syringe.

" W-what are you-aah!" her words faltered when the syringe was injected into her arm.

She winced the longer the syringe was in her body.

Once he was sure that the drug was gone, he removed the syringe and placed it aside.

His fingers gently brushed her hair away from her face, shushing her while the drug took its effect.

She felt her body get heavier as time passed, exhaustion like never before took its place. Her body demanded rest while her mind screamed for an escape.

" Mine." He murmured as he leaned into her.

He sniffed her scent which caused his heart to race.

'Finally, you are with me, where you belong.'

He kissed her forehead and said against her skin, " rest now Amy."

**********************************