They reached the third cave they see and still nothing, they can't find Chester or Gally anywhere.
"Stay close to me, you don't want to be the one ended up dying."
Aiden speak as he glances at Tia. Xian and Red were Infront of them. Aiden was in charge of their back.
"Do you think we could still save them?"
Whispering, Aiden voice reaches Tia as she stops in her track. Feeling guilty that everything happened because of her.
"I don't know."
She replied in a low voice. They walk in silence as Aiden seem to realize the topic is making her sad. Suddenly, a scream was heard, and everyone was on alert.
"It's here."
Red whispered as they walk to the sound. It's scary and suffocating but for the sake of her friends, she wanted it to be wrong. The vision. She wanted it to disappear. "Chester, please don't die." Tia thoughts as they keep walking, deeper to the cave. The smell of that place is unexplainable. It stings so bad it hurts their eyes.
"What the heck is this place?!"
Kyran groaned in disgust as he looks around him. Searching for something. Tia remembered. This is it. Her heart began to feel heavy as she can't help but to feel remorse all over again. It's really happening. Enzo who was standing beside her notice her discomfort and held out his hand for Tia's to take. She did, and she was thankful for him.
"You came."
A voice was heard but there's nobody there. Everyone was on alert as they realize they were being watched.
"Who are you?!"
Kyran yelled back at the voice, but they just laugh in return. Laughter suddenly filled the caves as Tia covered her ears. It was so loud for them.
"What you seek is what you lost."
The voice replies as they continue to laugh. What does it mean by that? Tia was confused. She doesn't understand the meaning of it.
"Where's our friends?! Give them back to us!"
Kyran, again. Yelled at the voice. For a moment, it was silent.
"Friends?"
Laughter roared the caves as the ground started to grumble.
"Which one?"
A voice, the creature from before suddenly appears Infront of them in a blink of an eye. Smiling so widely. Terror. It was terrifying that it could do that, and they don't even realize it.
"WHICH ONE?!"
It screams and that made everyone to flinched in fear. Laughter again filled the place. "The boy and the girl!" Kyran replied with a shaky voice. The creatures continue to laugh and didn't respond to Kyran. It disappears again and suddenly stood behind Xian caressing his neck.
"Choose."
It whispered and Xian was quick on his feet. He blows the creature hands off him as his eyes filled with anger. Flames covering his body as the creature stare at him in amusement.
"Choose."
It spoke again and point at Tia. She was confused. What does it mean by that? Choose what? "Help me!" Gally, she was crying on the other side of the wall. Her feet were tied to a wall, and she was dangling in the air. Blood stream down on her face as she was crying. Tia shuddered in fear with that sight, Gally cries filled the place as the creature continue to smile.
"Tia."
Gally cried out for her name as she sobs lightly. It was heartbreaking to see her like that. Still, Tia was relieved to see she's alive.
"It's okay, we're going to get you out."
Tia called out to Gally but that only made it worse. The laughter filled the place once again but this time, along with screaming and shrieking.
"Choose."
The creature spoke again. "Choose what?! You stupid ugly being!!!" Kyran yelled as his eyes filled with rage.
Enzo tried to calm him down since he was scared that it might anger the creature and all of them will die a meaningless death.
"Ugh, it hurts."
A voice on the other side of Gally was heard. Tia turned her head and see Chester, leaning against a wall. She can't help but feel relieved. He's okay. He's alright. Tia was about to run towards him but stop when the creature suddenly stands Infront of her.
"CHOOSE."
It spoke again. Tia eyes went big as she now realizes what it meant by that. No. It can't be.
"No, please. Let them go."
Tia begged the creature and it just smile seeing Tia like that. It suddenly disappears and stood next to Chester, stomping on his foot crushing it. Chester screamed in pain as everyone was shocked to see that.
"STOP! Please stop!"
Tia screams as Tammy held her. She was stunned to see the creature doing that in front of them. The creature is now behind Gally is it pierce something in her hand and making her cries in agony. Tia can't do it. She can't choose between them. She wanted to save both of them.
"That creature is bad news. What now? Chester seems to be in a lot of pain. Gally seems scared too... It's just cruel to choose between them."
Kyran said as his friends eyes darkened in dismay. Tia knows, they wanted to save their friend Chester since they've been together since they were young. But Gally, she didn't deserve any of this too.
Why is this happening?
"We're going to save them both. First if all, we will attack the creature together, at the same time. I notice this when he's next to me earlier, its movement has a limit. It could only move four times continuously. It can't move for mere 10 seconds after that. And that is when we attack. For now, it has move another 3 time. One more and that's it. Wait for my signal and we attack. Rebel I need you to keep an eye on Gally and cut her off from the... Rope. And Red, catch her from falling off. Tammy, I need you to take care of Chester. Tia, make sure you stay close to Tammy no matter what happens. Aiden and I will attack from the front. Enzo from the left, Kyran from the right."
Xian whispered his plan to everyone as they all nodded in response. Everyone is waiting for the creature to move one more time before attacking it.
"NOW!"
Xian yelled as everything seem to be going in a slow motion. The creature was no longer smiling, in that ten seconds.
It's either to kill or be killed.
Tammy and Tia rushed towards Chester and noticed how bad his condition was. He was bleeding through his stomach. Both his legs were crushed, he was coughing blood. No. It look just like the vision Tia saw.
"It's okay, you're going to be fine."
Tia held Chester hand as it was already cold. Tears started to fall from his eyes as he smiles looking at Tia. Tammy tried her best to fix Chester up and was able to stop the bleeding from getting worse, but she can't fully fix him since it also needed time and in that ten seconds, she doesn’t know if she could do it.
"You came."
Chester voice was low as he was smiling, tears covering his face as he squeezes Tia's hand with his remaining strength.
"We all did, we're not going to leave you here. You need to stay with me."
Tia broke down as she noticed how bad Chester look. It's okay, it's going to be alright. Don't cry. Please don't cry. Not now. Tia, you have to be strong for his sake. Don't cry. Tia keeps chanting the word all over in her head as she held Chester hand.
"You will be fine, look at me. I promised you we're going home, right? Chester, please. Don't give up."
Xian suddenly showed up next to them as his clothes filled with blood stain. He was holding to both Tia's and Chester hand as he told him to not give up. Rebel and Red had caught up to them with Gally unconscious in their arms. Rebel eyes was filled with agony. Enzo and Kyran too, seeing their friend like that. It's too much.
"I love you all."
Chester smiled again as he held out his hand for his other friends. Aiden stood there watching them, it was new to him. Their relationship with each other, he was jealous of it. A roar was heard from a distance, and everyone panicked.
"Let's get you out first, come on Chester. I'll carry you even if I have too."
Xian added as he reaches out to Chester, but he stops him making everyone confused.
"I can't."
Chester, smiled as he told them that the only thing keeping him alive are the wood pierced through his stomach. Nobody realizes that's until he mentioned it. Tammy was shocked too since she didn't see that thing in his stomach.
"I don't care! I'll carry that wood too if I have too!"
Xian argued but the roaring kept coming closer to them.
"You guys go first! Bring Gally with you!"
Aiden told Red and Tammy to go outside first and they did what he told them. Aiden decided to wait for the others since they seem vulnerable and somehow, he was worried about them.
"It's okay, I'll be fine. Just go."
Chester assured them but that only make his friends to glare at him.
"For God sake! Just shut up! Stop talking! You like it or not, we're going to get you out!"
Enzo snapped as he is now crouching next to Chester ready to help Xian carrying him. They move him a bit and he started winching in pain. Tia stared at him in horror. His bones are sticking out from his stomach.
"What the hell!"
Kyran was surprised to see that too.
"Leave now before they get here."
Chester groaned in pain as he told them to go.
"Just leave me alone!!"
He yelled as tears started to fall from his eyes. As if, saying that he doesn't want to be left alone. He was terrified. He doesn't want to die.
"It's okay, please just listen to me this time. There's nothing you can do about it. But please, live. At least for me."
Chester held Tia's hand as she stares at him in pain. His friends were watching him suffer and they can't do anything about it.
"Guys, they're coming."
Aiden spoke as he manages to create a fire wall to separate them from the creatures that's coming for them.
"I can't hold it for long."
He added hoping that everyone would make their decision already. Although, he did feel guilty. But they can't do anything else about it. Xian was hesitant. He doesn't know what to do. He can't decide. He can't leave his friend here.
"Let's go."
Enzo pulled Xian but he won't budge. "Fuck! Come on! Do you really want all of us to die a meaningless death here? Do you think Chester would like that?!" He snapped as Chester give him a slight chuckle. "We'll meet again someday, brother." Enzo said as he gave Chester a warming smile, forcing himself to smile. It was hard to do that.
Kyran was already crying as he held Chester hand.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
He cried out those words over and over again.
"You look so ugly when you cry."
Chester mentioned as Kyran slightly smile. "Let's go Tia." Enzo mentioned as he pulled Tia's hand, but she doesn't want to let go. "I'm sorry." Tia cried as Chester touch her cheek.
"It's okay, I could finally sleep now. That's a reward."
Chester tried to joke as he slowly started to feeling numb all over his body.
"I can't move my body; you guys should go. Xian. Go."
Chester said as he glances at Xian who was silent a moment ago. He looks so hurt.
"I can't lose you too."
Xian finally spoke. "It's going to be alright; I'll say hi to your sister for you." Chester assured Xian and he sighs in defeat. Closing his eyes for the last time.
"Tell her I miss her, that I love her. So much."
Xian added as Chester just chuckled. "Aye captain! Roger that." After he said that Xian stood up and pulled Tia's hand. She knows his friends made their decision, but it's too much for her.
"Just run as fast as you can. No matter what you see, no matter what you hear. Do not stop."
Xian spoke as he cupped Tia's cheek. Tia was confused what he meant by that but before she should ask, someone pulled her hand and they started running away from that place, from Chester.
Although it hurts, she knows it had to be done. Chester had made his decision. Just run. Don't look back. Keep running.
"Goodbye, my friend."
Tia heard Chester call out for the last time before a crash was heard at his direction.
He's gone.
He's really gone now.
Tia don't know how long they run but she couldn't stop.
Keep running.
Don't stop.
Don't cry.
"It's going to be alright."