{Trigger warning: contains mention and depiction of blood, gore and graphic scenes.}

We reached the location or that's what Rafael told us. All I could see at the time was a thicket of grass in front of me. It was almost as tall as me; my face barely showed up above the sea of grass and I was 170cm tall. Rafael had already done this so-called ritual and Sofia and Mateo were too young to participate in it. That left us with Aimé, Luis, Kye, and me. We all decided to spread out a meter each in all directions, check out the place, and come back where we started in under 5 minutes and if anyone didn't arrive back on time, others(meaning from the four of us only) would go look for them. So, we all spread out and started searching for the cave.

All I knew from their description was that it was a rugged old cave made of stone and brownish-black in color. I opened my compass to walk in a straight line from our vantage point. It didn't lead me to anything nor could I see anything large enough in sight; I may have covered more than a meter and 5 minutes were already up so I walked back. While being with the whole group I hadn't noticed but the whole mountain was dead silent. Until the peak, we could still hear some birds chirping but now it was eerily quiet. I thought it was because of me suddenly being alone in the thicket of grass by myself and it heading towards twilight so, I just concentrated on getting back.

That's when I saw something or someone leap across me at lightning speed; it didn't attack me it just moved right in front of me and I for the life of me couldn't figure out what it was. By now we had to switch on our flashlights and I had reached our initial marked position. Luis, Kye, and Aimé were eagerly waiting for my arrival.

Aimé: Where were you? Five minutes- that's all we had!

Avril: Sorry, sorry... I just, I just saw something in the grass while coming back. It leaped like a dog in front of me but it could've been human too I couldn't make that out really - it was too dark and very fast.

Luis: Haha, there are no animals except for some raccoons or deer. Are you trying to scare us so that we go back home?

Avril: I don't joke in such situations, Luis. It's already close to complete nightfall and the only adult we have in the middle of this forest is Rafael. We don't have any reception in the village and none of the people will get here in time if anything happens. Also, has any of you thought of bringing any weapon even if there are no animals, it could well be a serial killer or a psycho.

Aimé: yes, I think we should head back to Refael and then decide if we should head any further or not.

Luis: Sorry Av,

yes, we should do that.

...

Rafael: Hey, back so soon huh? So did you find it?

Aimé: Yeah, I did find it. However, I didn't look inside since the time was up and it was a bit far away. Also, Avril saw something in the bushes.

I explained the whole thing again and all Sofia could do was laugh in the meantime. Mateo was a bit serious but Rafael wasn't taking any of it seriously.

Rafael: Well, I had done a thorough research for any changes in the species of this biome and nothing out of the ordinary popped up. Rest assured we four guys would be enough to handle a serial killer or two right? Haha. Anyways, we can't just go back to the village in this dark. We would only end up getting lost. Our best safe point from all those things you just mentioned and any climatic conditions is taking refuge in the cave itself.

So, let's just be more alert and head towards the cave.

He was kind of right but I still just wanted to stay at this hill instead of diving head-first into the sea of the unknown beneath us.
Still, we started walking with all our flashlights on, which was kind of one of the many mistakes we made that night.

...

We walked and walked for almost another ten minutes and had now reached the entrance of the cave. I thought it would be a small cave but it was large enough to provide cover for more than at least twenty humans. At the time none of us knew that we had directly led ourselves inside a sensitive zone.

...

Mateo: Hey, guys! Do you see that?! Those eyes shining in the distance!

Rafael: Where?

Luis: Yes, I can see that and they're more than just one pair of eyes.

Sofia: Oh my god, oh my god, what are those?! Are they wild animals? Is it a cheetah or a lion or what!?

Aimé: Calm down Sofia. There's no use panicking now. We should've just listened to Avril and stayed back on the hill.

Avril: Guys, I think now is a good time to bring out any of your weapons and we should switch off these flashlights too.

Sofia: My god! They're coming closer and closer so fast. Are we gonna die? What am I gonna do now!?

Kye: I have some pepper spray and a taser.

Mateo: I have two knives.

Aimé: I have a knife and an axe.

Rafael: I don't have anything except for an axe.

Luis: I have a smoke bomb...

Sofia: I just brought an insect repellent! Didn't you guys say this was completely safe!?

Avril: I have knives, axes, a nightstick, and a gun. Except for the gun you are free to take whatever you want.

The 4 pair of eyes were only a meter away now and had surrounded us from all sides. We could only run into the cave but that would mean a certified death with no room to escape or fight back.

It was a pack of wolves.

I rapidly climbed on top of the cave to get a good vantage point and shoot them. I had only found three bullets with the gun which I wasn't sure worked. Nevertheless I started shooting at them, and though my shots were accurate they were barely hurt. Kye sprayed their eyes with the pepper and then tased them from behind, followed by Luis, Rafael, Mateo, and Aimé knifing and axing at them. All of them were fighting their best and the bullet had made enough damage for them to be near them without being absolutely torn apart. However, there was still that one wolf who had only a few knife cuts and axe wounds. Tasing only temporarily paralyzed it.

The wolves didn't seem to care for themselves. It seemed like they were afraid and trying to protect something. Maybe their pups? The only place they would keep their pups unguarded was the cave. Once I realized that, I quickly threw the smoke bomb down and signaled everyone to move out from the opening I had created while the smoke was still thick. The wolves had been heavily damaged too with knife cuts, hits, pepper spray, and electric shocks but it wasn't enough. We were like tiny spiciness attacking a humongous whale.

Avril: Don't look back everyone just run straight to the village and call for help. We can't all die here.

Aimé: GET DOWN NOW AVRIL! Faster!

Avril: I am

That's when the only wolf that hadn't been shot leaped towards Aimé. He hadn't even seen it coming and there was no time to tell him. So I pushed him out instead. Rafael and Luis saw us and came back along with the axes. I was hitting the wolf with all my might but it just wouldn't let go of my arm. It had pierced deep into my muscles and I could feel its teeth almost scraping my bones. And the only way it would let go seemed to be after tearing my arm apart.

Even when Rafael and Aimé were tasing it and knifing it, there wasn't much luck. It only loosened its grip a bit.

By now I was too tired of punching it, I was about to fall unconscious or maybe I even did. I heard my mom screaming at me: Don't you dare give up like always! After all I have done for you, you can't simply stay alive? Get up and fight like I have always told you to.

I don't know what came over me after that but I used every ounce of my strength to push open its jaws from my arm and then pull them wide enough to kill it.

Yes, I had been training and practicing and working out a lot in my life due to the different sports I had played and my dad's free gym membership I had but I knew I never had enough strength in my hands to break a raging wolf's jaw. But I did. The smoke was almost clearing away and the other wolves were trying their best to get up and attack us now.

Aimé was close to an emotional breakdown and I was only half alive. Still, they all helped me to run far enough until we were relatively safe and out of the wolves' sight.

I met Kye there, she had stayed back and told Mateo and Sofia to bring back some help. She started weeping after seeing me, and everyone else was too, I only noticed that now.

Avril: in a faint voice heyyy guys I am not dying just yet.

Ohh, now I see why y'all started crying. The wound doesn't look too good na.

Kye could you give me my first-aid kit? It has some threads, needles, and antiseptic in it.

Kye: let me do it.

Avril: You're not stable enough Kye, you can't stop quivering. Pass me a clean knife and a lighter too

Aimé: what are you going to do with that now!?

Avril: Just see.

I stitched the wound myself and then heated the knife with the lighter. This whole process caused me the most agonizing pain I had ever felt in my whole life.

Avril: Listen Aimé, when this is heated enough swiftly, place it on my gaping wound. These few stitches won't last me till the city hospital. Press it in firm and accurately without slipping up.

Aimé: I, I can't- do this.

I could no longer think straight or keep myself awake for any longer. I had to hurry up. So before he did anything, I just took the burning knife out of his hands and pressed it against my wounds.

Avril: AAAAAAAHHHHHHH F*CK. Oooowww ow ow.

Aimé: I was about to do it. Does it hurt a lot?
Avril: Its whatever. Let's-let's just get out of this forest now.

My pace was way slower now but I still had to walk awhile till we reached the village with Aimé supporting me upright. when suddenly, my insides churned and I felt an excruciating pain in my guts.

Kye: Your nose is bleeding Avril!!

Avril: What's- what's the date today?

Luis: It's the 4th of August why!?

Avril: hah... I knew it.

I'm sorry guys... I can't make it.

I threw up some blood and fell completely unconscious. I can't recall anything in the slightest that happened thereafter.