Chapter 7 Rogue-like #2
As everyone ate, Levi mentioned, “I thought I heard something large moving through the underbrush earlier.” He paused, swallowing hard. “Are bears common here?”
Owen immediately launched into statistics. “Black bears occupy approximately sixty percent of this region’s forest area, with documented encounters increasing twelve percent annually.”
“That’s why I brought this,” Zoe produced a canister of bear spray from her pack. “Standard protocol in bear country.”
“Can I see that?” Levi asked, extending his visibly unsteady hand. “I’ve never actually used one before.”
Zoe passed it over. “Aim low—the spray rises. And never test it upwind.
Levi examined it carefully, noting the safety mechanism and the simple trigger design. His thumb accidentally brushed against the safety cap, nearly dislodging it. He quickly readjusted his grip, heartbeat thundering. When he returned it, he watched Zoe tuck it into her jacket’s outer pocket.
Step one complete.
“We should prepare for tonight’s meteor shower,” Levi suggested as twilight approached. He rehearsed the sentence in his head twice before speaking to avoid stuttering. “Maybe set up a viewing area over there?” He pointed to a clearing twenty yards away.
“Excellent idea,” Elliot said immediately. “I brought extra blankets. We could share—I mean, everyone could share.”
As the others gathered blankets and migrated toward the spot, Levi hung back. “I’ll grab some extra layers from my tent.”
Just breathe. In and out. You can do this.
Instead, he made a beeline for Jasper’s backpack.
His hands shook so badly that the zipper caught halfway, and he had to tug it free, the sound seeming impossibly loud in the quiet camp.
Buried beneath a tangle of unwashed clothes lay the revolver, exactly where he spotted Jasper stashing it earlier.
Levi’s hands trembled as he picked up the gun. The metal was cold, heavier than he expected. He almost dropped it twice while checking that it was loaded. Six bullets. He carefully replaced everything, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.
Now I know where everything is. This time, I’ll be ready.
Darkness settled over the forest as stars emerged one by one.
The group migrated to their viewing spot, arranging blankets in a semicircle facing the eastern sky.
Levi positioned himself strategically, ensuring clear sightlines to the forest edge while appearing casual.
His leg bounced nervously, a rhythmic motion he couldn’t seem to control.
Elliot spread his blanket next to Levi’s. “Best view in the house,” he said with a grin, settling close enough that their shoulders touched.
The first meteor streaked across the night sky, drawing collective gasps.
“Did you see that?” Maddie squealed.
Elliot shifted closer to Levi, their thighs now touching. “Cold?” he asked, already shrugging off his expensive North Face jacket.
“A little,” Levi admitted, his teeth chattering—partly from cold, mostly from nerves. He allowed Elliot to drape the jacket over his shoulders. The weight settled around him, comforting despite the circumstances.
“It looks good on you,” Elliot said softly, leaning in so his breath tickled Levi’s ear. “Better than it does on me.”
As another meteor blazed overhead, drawing everyone’s attention skyward, Levi slipped his hand into his own pocket, confirming the phone was still there. The device felt warm from his body heat, solid and reassuring.
Twenty-five minutes until Zoe needs the bathroom. Fifteen minutes until we head back to camp.
Levi calculated each step, mentally rehearsing his movements while feigning interest in the celestial display. His gaze periodically drifted to the tree line, searching for movement. Each shadow made his heart skip a beat.
He’s killed one of the girls in camp both times. If I can draw him away from Zoe and Maddie, away from everyone, maybe that will disrupt the program. And I might survive long enough to call for help.
The plan felt thin, desperate, but it was better than watching everyone die again.
“You seem tense,” Elliot observed quietly, his hand finding Levi’s under the jacket. “Everything okay?”
The touch was warm, gentle, and for a moment Levi almost forgot this wasn’t real. “Just... taking it all in,” he managed.
“The stars?”
“Everything.”
The group eventually drifted back toward camp, Owen droning about meteor composition while Jasper debated whether they could contain consciousness. Levi hung back with Elliot, who seemed content to walk in comfortable silence.
The campfire crackled, casting long shadows that danced across their faces. Levi’s fingers tapped against his thigh, counting seconds. His nerves hummed with anticipation, every sense heightened. Sweat trickled down his back despite the cool night air.
Right on cue, Zoe stood up. “Nature calls,” she announced, reaching for her flashlight.
Levi sprang to his feet too quickly, nearly losing his balance. “I’ll walk with you. Heard there are bears around.” The words tumbled out too quickly, drawing curious glances. He could feel moisture gathering at his temples.
“Oh,” Zoe blinked, surprised. She grabbed her bear spray and handed it to him. “Sure, thanks.”
Step two.
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.”