Page 22 of Immersed
They walked toward the edge of the clearing, Levi positioning himself between Zoe and the darker sections of forest. His eyes scanned constantly, searching for any unnatural movement. Each step felt like walking through molasses, his legs heavy with dread.
There—a shadow shifting independently of the breeze-rustled branches.
He’s watching. Waiting for her to be alone.
The stranger was out there, just like before. Bile rose in Levi’s throat. He swallowed it down, tasting acid.
“This looks like a good spot,” Levi said, gesturing to a cluster of bushes. His voice sounded distant to his own ears. “I’ll find my own place over there. Don’t go too far, okay?”
Zoe nodded, still looking confused by his protectiveness. “I’ll be quick.”
Once she disappeared behind the foliage, Levi moved toward where he spotted the watcher. He had to force himself to take each step, every instinct screaming at him to run back to the fire, to safety, to the illusion of protection the others provided.
But he couldn’t let Zoe die again. Couldn’t watch that face torn apart, her organs arranged like a twisted art installation.
The phone can reach emergency services. The bear spray will give me a few seconds. I just need to survive long enough to get help.
He stepped on twigs, creating noise. Rustled branches. Made himself a target. His legs threatened to give out with each step, muscles turning to water.
Follow me. Not her.
He plunged deeper into the forest, away from camp, away from Zoe. The satellite phone pressed against his thigh through his pocket. Bear spray clutched in his sweating palm. His breathing came in ragged gasps that he struggled to control.
I can’t do this. I can’t face him again.
I have to.
The forest seemed to hold its breath around him. No birds. No insects. Just the sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Levi stopped in a small clearing, moonlight filtering through the canopy. He turned slowly, facing the direction he came from. His legs wavered beneath him, threatening to buckle.
The stranger’s presence pressed against him like a physical weight before he even appeared. The air grew colder, thicker, charged with malevolent attention.
“I know you’re there,” he called softly.
A branch snapped. Leaves rustled. Then the stranger stepped into the clearing, his features twisted into a curious smile.
“You called me,” the stranger said, head tilting in that unsettling way. “How interesting.”
Levi’s fingers tightened around the bear spray, thumb flicking off the safety cap. The canister nearly slipped from his sweat-slick palm. He had to readjust his grip, pulse hammering so hard he thought it might burst from his chest.
“Let’s try something different this time.”
8
Status Effect: Bleeding
Thestranger’seyeswidenedas Levi raised the bear spray, his flawless features shifting from curiosity to surprise. Levi’s thumb depressed the trigger before his courage could fail him. The canister erupted with a violent hiss, releasing a cloud of capsaicin into the stranger’s face.
A sound—half scream, half laugh—tore from the stranger’s throat as he staggered backward. His hands flew to his eyes, clawing at the burning sensation. Levi stood frozen, shocked that the spray had actually worked. The stranger’s composure shattered as he doubled over, gasping and spitting.
It hurt him. He can be hurt.
For one glorious moment, power surged through Levi’s veins. His chest expanded with wild, desperate hope.
“You—” the stranger choked, blinking through streaming eyes. His voice rasped with pain, but underneath lay something else—a note of delight, as if this unexpected resistance was entertaining.
Levi didn’t wait to hear more. He pivoted and ran, crashing through the underbrush. Branches whipped his face, leaving stingingwelts across his cheeks. His feet pounded against the forest floor, every step deliberate and loud.
