Kevin's grip on Lucia's arm was like iron as they crashed through the jungle foliage. Branches whipped at their faces, but neither dared to slow down. As they ran, Lucia's mind betrayed her, flashing back to another time she'd felt this terrified...
[ FLASHBACK ]
Lucia stood behind the closed door, pressing her ear against the wood.
"You're going to make us pay for your mistakes?? What about Lucia?
"What did she do to deserve this?"
Her mother's voice was raw with anger.
"You realize if it wasn't for the police we would've been dead right?"
Her father's reply came strained:
"It's not like that, Betty. Just trust me. I promise I'll make things right again."
"Alfred, you're pathetic!"
"Where were you when we needed you most? Counting your stolen money?"
The door burst open as Betty stormed out, nearly colliding with Lucia.
"What are you—"
She cut herself off when she saw Lucia's tear-filled eyes.
For a long moment, mother and daughter just stared at each other before Betty walked away without another word.
Alfred appeared in the doorway, his face drawn.
"Dad..."
Lucia whispered,
"why is mom crying? When will the people outside leave?"
Her father carefully knelt and touched her shoulder, his usual warm expression returning like flipping a switch.
"Don't worry Lucia. I promise I will protect you."
[FLASHBACK ENDS]
"Don't worry Lucia. I promise I will protect you."
The memory echoed painfully in her mind as Kevin's voice overlapped with her father's.
She blinked, suddenly back in the present, her legs pumping through the dense undergrowth.
"Focus!" Kevin hissed, his fingers digging harder into her arm as they leaped over a fallen log.
"We can't stop now!"
Somewhere behind them, a branch snapped.
The jungle suddenly gave way to a yawning ravine. Before them swayed a wooden bridge so dilapidated that each gust of wind made the ropes groan in protest.
Kevin skidded to a halt, his boots kicking up dirt.
"I don't think this is safe!"
Lucia didn't pause, already activating her ODR device. The screen's green dot pulsed closer with terrifying speed.
"We have no other choice," she said, voice tight.
Kevin fumbled with his crossbow, hands shaking so badly the arrow clattered against the frame.
"Shit! I don't know how to use this!"
In a fluid motion, Lucia snatched the weapon from him. The arrow clicked into place with practiced ease.
"My dad and I used to go hunting when I was little," she murmured,
more to herself than Kevin.
Then the trees parted.
Inigo emerged onto the clearing, his boots crushing leaves methodically as he advanced toward the bridge.
The digital [3] on his armband glowed maliciously in the light.
"Quick!" Lucia hissed, not taking her eyes off Inigo. "Grab your smoke bomb! On my signal—"
She glanced sideways. Kevin stood paralyzed, trembling like a leaf in a storm.
"I'm sorry..." His whisper broke.
"I-I can't..."
Lucia's jaw tightened. She turned her attention back to the crossbow's sights, lining up Inigo's chest in her viewfinder.
"Then don't make promises you can't keep."
Her finger found the trigger.
"Well, well," Inigo grinned, stopping just before the bridge.
"I was right not to trust you."
His eyes locked onto Kevin's.
"The eyes, Kevin... they never lie." He chuckled darkly.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ME!" Lucia screamed, tightening her grip on the crossbow.
Kevin yelled desperately, "Fred... no... we thought we were on this together!"
Inigo casually showed his glowing [3] armband.
" As you can see here, this is my strategy," he said proudly.
"And it works great." His smile sent chills down their spines.
Then his dark eyes turned to Lucia. She was shaking badly.
"But the question is..." he taunted,
"do you have what it takes to shoot?"
Lucia's mind flashed to her past - another trigger, another moment of panic. Before she could think, her finger pulled.
WHOOSH!
The arrow flew straight at Inigo. His eyes widened in surprise as he barely rolled away in time.
BOOOOM!
The arrow exploded on impact, sending dirt flying everywhere.
Lucia gasped. "What...?"
Kevin stared in shock. "Are arrows supposed to do that?!"
Behind a tree, Inigo caught his breath.
"If I'd been one second slower... that explosion would have hit me!"
His confident smirk faltered for the first time.
Inigo's hand flew to his empty pouch.
"Shit! They took my crossbow!" His fingers found only his survival knife.
"This is all I have left..."
"Now's our chance!" Kevin shouted,
already moving. "Let's go!"
Lucia hesitated for just a second before following. The old bridge groaned dangerously under their footsteps, ropes creaking with each panicked stride.
As they ran, Lucia felt her ODR device vibrate against her wrist.
She risked a glance back - and froze for a heartbeat. Between the trees, barely visible in the shadows,
Inigo stood watching them.
That same terrifying smile stretched across his face.
Kevin checked his own ODR, voice breathless.
"No dots north! Let's keep running until we find somewhere safe!"
Lucia's breathing grew ragged as they ran. Suddenly, the jungle blurred around her, replaced by another memory...
[ FLASHBACK: Four Years Earlier ]
The front door clicked open. Lucia shuffled in, her uniform dirtied and hair disheveled.
"Lucia!" Her mother Betty gasped, dropping the dishcloth.
"Who did this to you?"
Behind her stood Miss Amanda, lips pressed into a thin line.
"Your daughter has been severely bullied, ma'am.
For her safety, I recommend keeping her home for a month or two."
Betty nodded silently, hands trembling as she accepted the crumpled paper the teacher handed her.
The cruel message screamed in bold letters: "Get the fuck out of our class you thief!"
Below it, someone had drawn a crude pig with Lucia's name on it.
Lucia collapsed onto the sofa, small shoulders shaking. Her mother sat beside her, smoothing her hair.
"Mom..." Lucia's voice was barely audible. "When is dad coming back?"
"Soon, dear. He's on a business trip." Betty's smile didn't reach her eyes.
A pause. Then the question that had been burning in Lucia's chest:
"Is... is dad a criminal?"
"Oh dear, of course not!" Betty pulled her close.
"They're the ones lying to you!"
Lucia suddenly wrenched away, tears spilling over.
"Then why do we get death threats every day?!"
Her mother looked away.
Without another word, Lucia stormed to her room, slamming the door so hard the picture frames rattled.
[ FLASHBACK ENDS]
"Hey Kevin," Lucia slowed to a stop, wiping sweat from her brow.
"I think we ran far enough. Let's rest—"
"Are you crazy?!"
Kevin grabbed her wrist, yanking her forward.
"We can't stop here!"
His fingernails dug into her skin as he practically dragged her through the undergrowth.
"Ow!" Lucia yanked her hand free, rubbing her wrist.
"I said we should stop! What the hell is wrong with you?"
Kevin's breathing steadied. His eyes focused strangely as he murmured,
"Sorry... Julia."
Lucia froze. "Huh? Who's Julia?"
Kevin blinked rapidly, as if waking from a dream. "Did I just...?"
He turned away, then back, his expression twisting with guilt.
"It's just... you remind me of her."
He extended his hands. "C'mon, let's go."
"No." Lucia stood firm.
Then - like a switch flipping - Kevin's face transformed. His gentle eyes turned wild.
SMACK!
The slap sent Lucia crashing to the ground, leaves crunching beneath her.
"HOW DARE YOU, JULIA!"
Kevin screamed, spit flying from his lips.
"Weren't you my biggest fan? Said you'd do anything for me?"
He began clawing at his own hair, pacing like a caged animal. "THEN WHY DID YOU CALL THE POLICEEEEE?"
Lucia slowly pushed herself up, one hand secretly reaching for her crossbow. "Kevin...?" she said carefully. "Who was this Julia?" Her fingers inched toward the weapon strap.
Kevin didn't seem to hear. He kept muttering to himself, tears mixing with sweat on his reddened face.
"All those letters... all those promises... You were supposed to LOVE ME!"
Julia," Kevin spat,
"She was my biggest fan. Worshipped me." His bloodshot eyes twitched.
"But that night... she RUINED MY CAREER!"
Lucia's fingers scraped against the tree bark as she gasped, "Then that means—"
"Yes!" Kevin screamed, spittle flying. His face contorted like a nightmare come alive.
"I... assaulted her."
Lucia's gasp was cut short as Kevin slammed her against the tree.
Her vision blurred at the edges as she fumbled for her weapon.
"She deserved it,"
Kevin purred, running his tongue across his teeth.
His free hand touching Lucia's hair as tears streamed down her face.
"That beautiful face... that body... it made me lustful." His grin widened.
"But you... you're even better,
I want to hear you scream like her."
[ FLASHBACK: Three Years Earlier ]
The shouts of protesters outside their home had become white noise to Lucia.
"Mom, I'm home!" she called, dropping her schoolbag.
The living room was dark. Betty sat motionless on the sofa, a glinting pistol in her lap.
"Mom?" Lucia's voice cracked.
Betty jerked up. "You weren't supposed to be here!"
"What are you—"
"IT'S ALL IN RUINS!" Betty screamed, clutching the gun. "My modeling career! Our life!"
Lucia's tears fell freely now. "Mom...?"
Betty's hands shook as she raised the weapon. "Day after day... death threats... lawsuits... protests...
I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
She pressed the cold barrel against her head.
"Your dad never cared about us."
A single tear traced Betty's cheek as Lucia collapsed to her knees.
"Mom, please—"
"Remember this, Lucia." Betty's voice turned eerily calm.
"All of this... is your father's fault."
BANG
[ FLASHBACK ENDS ]
The gunshot echo from her memory jolted Lucia back to the present. Kevin's manic face filled her vision, his breath hot against her skin.
Kevin's lips came closer, his breath hot and sour.
Lucia didn't hesitate—she bit down with all her strength, teeth sinking deep into flesh.
"FUUUUUCK! YOU BITCH!"
Kevin reeled back, clutching his bleeding mouth.
Lucia spat his blood onto the jungle floor. In one fluid motion, she whipped out her
pepper spray and—PSSHT!—a direct hit to his face.
"AGHHHHHH!" Kevin collapsed,
clawing at his eyes like a madman. "MY EYES !"
The crossbow was in her hands now. Lucia aimed the shaking weapon at his heaving chest.
Through his tears and snot, Kevin suddenly transformed—his face crumpled into pathetic desperation.
"I'm...immm sorry Julia!" He crawled forward on his knees.
"Please! Give me another chance! I swear I won't do it again!"
His bloodied hands clasped together in prayer.
"PLEASE! I HAVE A KID!!!"
The crossbow wavered.
[ FLASHBACK ]
"PLEASE! I HAVE A KID!"
The bank manager cowered behind his desk. Lucia stood over her father,
Her baseball cap pulled low, her father's pistol heavy in her hands.
BANG!
[ FLASHBACK ENDS ]
Lucia blinked. The jungle came back into focus.
Kevin still groveled before her, but now she saw him clearly—not as a monster, but as a broken, pathetic man.
Lucia's voice was cold, trembling with fury.
"All of you men are the same."
Kevin sobbed, dragging himself backward through the dirt, his hands slipping in the mud.
His face was a mess of tears, snot, and blood from his bitten lip.
"Pathetic creatures who do as they like…"
Lucia's finger tightened on the trigger.
"You betray people's trust, break their hearts, use them as tools… and move on like NOTHING HAPPENED!"
Kevin whimpered, shaking his head. "N-no, I—"*
BOOOOOOM!
The explosive arrow detonated in a blaze of fire and fury.
The shockwave whipped through the trees, sending Lucia's golden hair streaming backward like a banner of war.
Lucia lowered the crossbow, her breath steadying. The wind carried away the last traces of his existence.
"As of today…" she whispered,
"all men on this island are my enemies."