Evolution: Harbinger of Chaos

The bus tipped, its massive weight dragging it off the narrow road.

Daniel's world spun as he was flung across the aisle, the screams of his classmates blending into the deafening roar of the beast outside.

"Hold on!" someone shouted, their voice barely audible over the chaos.

With a sickening crunch, the bus came to a halt. The force of the impact slammed Daniel against the window. The glass shattered, spraying shards around him—

"Ha!" Daniel woke with a start, his body trembling and his head pounding.

Groaning, he sat upright, pain radiating from his ribs and shoulders. His hands instinctively patted over his body, searching for injuries. There were no gaping wounds—just scratches, bruises, and the lingering ache of being thrown around.

He inhaled sharply, the forest air cold and sharp. Around him, towering trees loomed like silent sentinels, their dense canopies casting shifting patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. The earthy scent of pine mixed with the decaying sweetness of fallen leaves.

"Where…?" Daniel's voice cracked, and his breath hitched. The realization of where he was—or rather, where he wasn't—dawned on him.

The bus was gone.

His classmates were gone.

"No… no, this isn't happening…" he whispered.

He shut his eyes tightly and inhaled shakily. "Calm down. You need to calm down."

Daniel tried to steady his nerves, but his thoughts raced uncontrollably. The bus tipped. We crashed. There was a… a reindeer. Then what? Where is everyone?

The memory of the beast's glowing red eyes and the deafening roar flashed through his mind, and he shivered.

"Ethan!" he screamed, his voice cracking with desperation. "Miss Dahlia! Mister Rowen! Anyone!"

Only his echo answered, bouncing eerily between the trees.

Daniel spun around, scanning his surroundings. All he saw were more trees, the same in every direction. There was no path, no signs of life—just the endless forest.

"HELP ME!" he cried again, his voice growing hoarse.

Panic surged as he tried to stand, but his knees buckled beneath him, and he collapsed back onto the ground.

"Where are they? Where is everyone?!" Daniel's breathing quickened, each shallow gasp tearing at his chest.

He curled into himself, folding his knees to his chest as tears streamed down his face.

Is this a nightmare? Am I still asleep?

His trembling hand clenched into a fist. In a desperate attempt to ground himself, he slammed it against his cheek. Pain shot through him, and the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth as his lip split.

It was real.

The pain, the forest, the silence—it was all real.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he forced a shaky laugh through his sobs. "It's fine… I'll wake up eventually."

~~~

Time passed—how much, Daniel couldn't tell.

The two suns still hung motionless in the sky, their light filtering through the branches above. The eerie stillness of the forest weighed on him, each passing moment chipping away at his resolve.

His back ached from leaning against the tree, and his eyes were swollen from crying.

"They'll find me," he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "Someone will find me."

But doubt gnawed at him. What if they weren't looking? What if the crash had destroyed the bus completely, or worse, the reindeer had attacked the others?

What if I'm the only one left?

Daniel bit down on his trembling lip.

"No," he whispered. "No, I can't stay here."

Shaking, he reached for his backpack, fumbling with the zipper. He pulled out its contents: snacks, a water bottle, a folded map, sunscreen, and a few random items he'd hastily packed that morning.

He unfolded the map, tracing the road they'd taken to the forest. The Altinca Mountain range was marked clearly, with a winding path through the forest leading to Baron Thomas' castle.

But it was useless.

Without any landmarks or a clear direction, the map was little more than a mockery of his situation.

Still, the thought of staying put gnawed at him even more than the fear of getting lost.

If I can find the road… maybe I'll run into someone. Maybe I'll find help.

He steeled himself, zipping up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. His legs trembled as he stood, but he forced himself to move.

~~~

Daniel trudged through the forest, his steps uneven as he pushed past overgrown bushes and ducked under low-hanging branches.

The trees stretched endlessly, their roots twisting like serpents across the ground. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and the occasional rustle of leaves made him jump.

It's all the same.

Every direction looked identical. The forest seemed to fold in on itself, each step leading him deeper into its clutches.

He checked the map again, hoping for some inspiration, but it still told him nothing.

His legs ached, and his breath came in ragged gasps. He took a small sip from his water bottle, trying to ration it. The cool liquid eased his parched throat, but the knot of fear in his stomach remained.

Just as he began to question whether he was making any progress, he froze.

Ahead of him, standing amidst the dense trees, was the black reindeer.

Its massive body was motionless, the sharp antlers casting jagged shadows. Its crimson eyes burned like embers, fixed directly on him.

Daniel's blood ran cold.

"It's here," he whispered, his voice trembling.

The beast didn't move, but its presence alone was suffocating. Daniel took a shaky step back, his legs threatening to give out beneath him.

Suddenly, the reindeer lifted its massive head, the muscles in its body rippling beneath its dark fur.

In a flash, it charged.

Daniel barely had time to react. He threw himself to the ground, the beast's antlers grazing his side as it barreled past him. The sheer force of its movement sent him tumbling into the dirt.

He gasped for air, his ribs aching as he scrambled to his feet. His eyes darted to the beast, now thrashing against a tree where its antler had lodged deep in the trunk.

The ground trembled with each strike of its hooves, the sound echoing through the forest like a drumbeat.

Daniel's body trembled as he stared, the realization dawning on him with horrifying clarity.

"It's trying to kill me," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the beast's roars.

His legs refused to move, paralyzed by fear as the reindeer tried to free its antler with a sickening crack.

Its glowing eyes turned toward him again, filled with unrelenting malice.