Evelyn’s mind raced as she kept her rifle steady, her eyes scanning the masked figures surrounding them. The tension in the air was thick, suffocating. She knew their options were limited. There was no way out without a fight, but the odds were stacked against them. They were outnumbered, and the cabin behind them could hide more dangers.
"We don’t want any trouble," Evelyn repeated, her voice firmer now. "Let us go, and we’ll forget this ever happened."
The hunter who had spoken earlier stepped closer, his dark eyes peering from behind the mask. "You should’ve thought of that before you came here."
The group was surrounded, but Evelyn’s mind was sharp. She glanced at her companions. Claire stood ready, her expression tight with determination. Ben’s grip on his weapon was steady, but there was a flicker of fear in his eyes. Sarah and Thomas were close by, their weapons aimed at the closest hunters, but Evelyn could see their hands shaking.
She needed to buy them time. 
"Who are you people?" Evelyn demanded, keeping her voice steady. "What do you want with us?"
The hunter gave a low, mirthless laugh. "We don’t need you to understand. All we need is for you to stay where you are."
Evelyn’s finger hovered over the trigger of her rifle, but before she could make a move, the man who had led them here, his face still masked, stepped forward. He raised his hands in the air, signaling to the hunters.
“Enough,” he said, his voice low but authoritative. The hunters hesitated, their eyes darting to the man. "They’re not worth killing, not yet."
Evelyn’s heart skipped a beat. What was he saying? Had he been working with them all along? The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. The man who had promised to lead them to safety had just betrayed them.
“Why?” she asked, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Why would you do this?"
The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned his attention to the hunters, nodding once. "They’re not a threat," he muttered, but there was no conviction in his voice. "At least, not yet. Get them inside."
The hunters moved, closing in on the group. Claire’s eyes flashed with anger, but Evelyn placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling her to stay calm. They had no choice now but to comply.
Evelyn kept her rifle raised, but she knew they couldn’t fight their way out of this. Not without risking everything. “If you hurt us,” she said, her voice low and dangerous, “you’ll regret it.”
The masked man glanced at her, but there was no fear in his eyes. Just a cold, calculating look. “You’ll see,” he said cryptically. “You’ll understand soon enough.”
They were pushed into the cabin, the heavy wooden door creaking as it shut behind them. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the smell of mildew. The cabin was barren, save for a few old crates and a rusted stove in the corner. Evelyn could feel the oppressive weight of the situation closing in on them.
“Why are we here?” Ben’s voice broke the silence, his words sharp with anger. “You said we were safe. You lied to us.”
The man didn’t respond right away. Instead, he walked to the center of the room, pulling off his mask. Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat. She knew that face, she recognized it from her past, but she couldn’t place where. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.
"I should’ve known," she muttered under her breath. "It’s you."
The man’s lips curled into a smile, but it wasn’t warm. It was cold, calculating. “You never did have a good memory, did you?”
Evelyn’s stomach churned. “No. It can’t be you.” But there was no denying it. The man who had led them here was someone from her past, someone she thought she’d never see again.
“I’m surprised you remember me,” the man said, his tone almost mocking. “It’s been a long time. But I remember you.”
The pieces clicked together in Evelyn’s mind. The man in front of her had once been part of a group she had trusted. A group she had worked with, fought beside. But somewhere along the way, he had changed. And now, here he was, playing the role of the enemy.
“I never thought I’d see you again,” she said, her voice quiet but filled with contempt. “What do you want from us?”
He chuckled, a low sound that sent chills down her spine. “What do I want? I want everything. Everything that’s coming, everything that you’ve already seen.”
Claire stepped forward, her voice hard. “You’ve been working with them all along, haven’t you?”
The man didn’t deny it. Instead, he looked at her with a slight tilt of his head, as if considering her words. "I didn’t choose this, but I’m in it now. And you? You’re all just pawns. All of you. Don’t you see that?”
Evelyn’s heart raced. What was he saying? “What are you talking about?”
He stepped closer, his eyes glinting with something dangerous. “You’re all part of a bigger plan, one you can’t even begin to understand. I’m just one small piece. And you,” he said, pointing directly at her, “you’re part of it too.”
Evelyn felt a chill run down her spine. What plan? What had they stumbled into?
“You don’t get it,” the man continued, his voice growing colder. “You’re all going to help me finish what was started.”
The door to the cabin creaked open, and a new figure stepped inside. Another hunter, this one with an air of authority, his face partially obscured by a mask. The man turned toward the newcomer and nodded, as if signaling something.
"Everything is in place," the new figure said, his voice gravelly. “We move forward tonight.”
Evelyn’s pulse quickened. Everything was happening too fast, too suddenly. Whatever the man’s plan was, they were right in the middle of it.
As the group exchanged wary glances, Evelyn knew that their fight for survival had just taken a dark turn. They weren’t just fighting to escape. They were fighting to uncover a web of lies and betrayals that stretched further than they could have ever imagined.