In a single file line, the group trekked silently under the understory through dense ferns, shrubs and tall grass that covered the damp decaying forest floor. Their steps were calculating and cautious as the group walked over fallen decayed logs, tangled roots, mossy rocks and twigs. The shrubs brushed lightly against their pants, and arms creating a soft sound of rustling that mixed with the bird calls and the damp sound of wet grass bended under their feet.

Jaded, Tao leaned forward and pressed his head in the space between Kris's shoulder blades ignoring the dank sensation of the older's sweat against his forehead. It was rather welcoming in this intense heat. He kept his eyes plastered to the ground so he wouldn't trip and stumble as he walked sluggishly along the uneven forest floor. 

No one knew exactly how long they had been walking since witnessing the herd of-what Kris and KyungSoo had pointed out as-Triceratops, but seeing as the sun was no longer hanging above the tree line like it had been earlier, he could only guess that it was probably a couple of hours.

"Hey, you alright there, JongIn?" Tao heard LuHan question in a whisper of concern before he bumped into Kris whom had stopped walking, clearly concerned about the younger as well. Tao raised his head in curiosity to see that everyone too had paused their movements to see what was going on. 

Just ahead, stood LuHan and JongIn. The older had a hand on the younger's arm whom was slouched against a fallen tree in exhaustion. JongIn's breathing was obviously labored, his skin as well as his clothes were slick with sweat. The perspiration in his hair made his platinum blond strands look an ugly piss pale yellow. JongIn shifted his gaze towards the older and gave a nod as he reached up and rubbed the thin layer of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Yeah Hyung, I'm-I'm okay. Just tired..." Lifting his head back and gazing up at the soupçon of blue sky he manage to see through the dense emergent stratum of trees, he then added as an after thought, "..and hot."

"Well, I guess that means we can stop and rest for a while." JongDae replied, shrugging off the backpack and groaning in relief as he rotated his shoulders to console some of the tension that had built up in them.  "Good thing too because I have to pee." He muttered looking to find a place that was close enough to the group yet still be private enough to use the bathroom. After a minute of searching, he bounded behind a near-by bush. 

Tao absentmindedly noted the soft russling noise close-by. Figuring it was just one of the others going off to use the bathroom as well.

"Over here, Tao." Kris replied moving over to a nearby tree and dropping his tired frame onto the large elevated root near its base. Tao hadn't even realized that the older had unlaced their fingers until a light breeze began to cool the comforting feeling of warmth from his clammy hand. Rubbing his hand on his jeans, Tao hurried over to the leader and slid right next to him, nuzzling into his side.

A bug happened to zoom passed in front of Tao making him yelp in fright and press himself hard into Kris's side with a whimper. The sudden impact nearly causing the older to lose his balance on the the root. He felt Kris's chuckle reverberate through the older's ribcage. "It's just a bug, TaoZi."

KyungSoo backtracked to stand alongside JongIn before dropping his backpack to the ground and ping it to distribute bottles of water and what little food he had scavenged from the plane. It's not much for nutritional value, but it'll help them for now. "We'll have to conserve, but here, put something in your system."

"Thanks, Hyung." JongIn smiled earning a nod from KyungSoo.

"I honestly don't think it's really safe to be sitting out in the open like this." LuHan advised glancing around with uneasiness. "Never know what could come bolting out of these bushes."

Stepping through the bush he was behind, JongDae heaved a sigh and took a seat on a boulder. "It's only for a minute Hyung. We'll start moving and looking for shelter soon." He nodded to KyungSoo before tussling with his mini bag of Honey Twist the younger gave him.

"Yeah, but-"

"Just rest for a second LuHan, we all need it." Kris urged earning a defeated sigh from LuHan.

Silence soon fell between the six men as the air filled with the gentle rustle and rattle of the chip bags as well as the annoying crunch of plastic water bottles. Every once in awhile there would be the startling sound of bird-like chirps, buzzing of insects or the rustling and scampering of what they hoped were just small creatures in the underbrush.

Everyone back home must be devastated when they found they found out the group never returned to Incheon Airport. Their families and friends or even the fans must have begged the government to send military out to search for the missing plane and passengers. Perhaps they figured they were all dead and felt there was no need.

The thought left a nasty aftertaste in their mouths. Help is coming...

JongDae ran his left hand through his hair and slowly got up placing his crumpling trash into his backpack. "Think we should start moving again, Hyung?" 

Scratching at the stubble on his chin, Kris glanced up towards the tree line in consideration. "Yeah. Who knows how long we have until sundown." While everyone stood and gathered their things, Kris had to nudged Tao to move from underneath his side which only got him a groan of resistance. "Hey, we've gotta get moving. Come on, up-" 

There was an uncharacteristic call near-by forcing the group to still. "What was that?" LuHan inquired in mild panic. His heart was already pounding in his chest and the hairs on his arms stood.

Everyone was quiet as they listened to the sound of cautious crunching footsteps drawing close. The sound was then followed by cackling off to the far right were a cluster of dense cycads stood feet high. 

Then a long silence.

Prickling, icy fingers crawled down their backs and over their skin, raising goosebumps and causing them to shudder despite the warm humid air. Silence was never good.  

his lips in anticipation, JongDae shuffled closer to LuHan. The sudden feeling of being watched had his heart thudded heavily against his ribcage and his hands trembling. He wanted to run. Everything within him told him to do so. "I'm scared."

"...S-should we start moving?" KyungSoo whispered, the pitch of his voice lowering considerably. He adjusted his backpack on his back and gripped it tight. He made the notion to take a step-

"Hyungdeul..." JongIn started, his voice rising at the last syllable while panic kept his vocal chords tight. "There's something in the bushes..."

Tao gave a low whine as LuHan flickered his widened eyes in JongIn's direction. His chest rose and fell quickly with ragged and frightened breaths as his fight-or-flight response began to kick in. "What? Where?"

JongIn tilted his head forward slightly afraid the movement would set the animal to attack. "Right there." His words were so quiet, it was unclear how anyone managed to hear them especially coming from almost unmoving lips. 

The vegetation was dense in that part of the area so it took them a few seconds, but they all eventually spotted it. 

Amidst the ferns, it lay welly hidden. The top of it's dark colored head was the only thing visible. There was something unsettling about the way it just stood there its large terrible, lifeless yellow eyes watching them coldly. Not blinking. Not moving. Just waiting there for it's time to strike.

"." Tao heard Kris growl lowly in Mandarin as the grip on his hand tightened. He glanced at the Leader to see the older still had his eyes on the partially hidden creature that was watching them, his jaw clenching. It was the first time he had ever witnessed fear on DuiZhang's face. And that's was one of the most crushing looks Kris could have, especially because Tao couldn't help- 

Tao noticed movement in the underbrush near KyungSoo from the corner of his eye. When he looked, he choked on air as a second creature came rushing through the large undergrowth, it's mouth wide. It made no noise as it charged towards them. He tried to cry out, to warn KyungSoo and the others. But he couldn't form the words. He just stood there completely frozen.

A scream of warning from LuHan and a jerk on his arm from Kris was what pulled him from his frozen state. He felt their hand lose connection as everyone exploded into a sprint, prompting the first creature to attack with a deafening roar. 

JongIn tripped over something, it could have been a rock or a root - nothing was clear in the chaos and confusion - and came tumbling down on his stomach. He had no time to collect himself before KyungSoo gripped him by the wrist and yanked him back onto his feet and pushing him to run. "Go! Go! Go! Don't stop!"

The group ducked and dodged through the thick foliage. Reflexively weaving and swaying through the branches and roots that seemed to come out of nowhere, taunting them as they jumped over them. Behind them, they could hear the creatures feet thud against the ground, the bushes rustling violently in their wake. 

Trepidation began to pour into their veins. They had no idea where they were going to go or even what to do. The animals already had the advantage in the vastness of the forest and the exhaustion that was creeping up on them really quick was only causing it to increase. They needed to figure out something soon because there was no way in hell they could keep running.

KyungSoo threw a glance behind him to see the creatures tear through the undergrowth. Their snarls and growls more menacing and frantic as they began to gain. Not paying attention, he stubbed his foot into a hidden rock sending him tumbling harshly on his hands and knees. He hissed as agony shot through his right knee yet he still managed to scurry to his feet; refusing to allow the minor set back to keep him from running. It did, however, slow him down.

Tao could feel himself slowing down. His legs screamed in agony from the building exhaustion and his lungs burned from the lack of air entering them. But he had to keep running. JongIn tapped him on the arm, urging him to keep sprinting and so he pushed vitally, running on the balls of his feet giving him the speed to run faster.

LuHan, whom had managed to stay ahead, spotted a large tree standing proudly before them twenty feet ahead. Making a split-second decision, he ran for it. It wasn't much, but it would help them for now. Hopefully. "Up here! Up the tree!" He called out as he pushed off the trunk of the tree and grabbed for the lowest branch, grunting as he used every ounce of waning strength to pull himself up.

With a burst of renewed energy, Tao jumped at the tree and began to scramble up like a monkey with JongIn following close behind. Grabbing ahold of Liana vines and digging their shoes into the branches. Hand, foot, hand, foot, they continued this pattern pushing himself upwards to where LuHan waited with a helping hand.

Tao sat there staring at his lap, panting and close to tears at what was going on. He should've just stayed back at the wreckage. 

"Come on Hyung, come on!" Tao heard JongDae urge as he reached down to help the injured Leader. He turned around in time to see Kris's face scrunched in agony as he had to use his injured arm to pull himself up the tree. The older's arms shook with struggle before his fingers began to slack from being in too much pain. He was quick to lean over the side of the tree and grip Kris firmly around his good arm before helping the weary male up. "T-Thanks..." Kris gasped wincing at the pain radiating from his arm.

Painful gasps of air racked against their throats as they tried to catch their breath. Their hearts felt ready to explode from the relief while their legs shook and twitched from all the running. They could no longer hear the creatures so they figured they had either given up on the chase or lost them. Good. LuHan leaned his back against one of the branches. His chest and sides burned but the relief over-powered every-

LuHan shot up, glancing around frantically when he realized they were a person short. "Wait," he panted, "wait a minute, where's-where's KyungSoo?"

"H-he was just-just behind me!" JongDae spewed breathlessly.

JongIn felt his heart slam against his ribcage and his stomach churn and shrink at the revelation. Not KyungSoo Hyung. In an instant, he was up on his feet and swatting twigs out his face. "KyungSoo Hyung! KyungSoo Hyung! Where are you?!" JongIn shouted through the forest as he glanced around frantically at neighboring trees. Hoping maybe KyungSoo had climbed another. "D.O Hyung!"
 
"KyungSoo! KyungSoo-yah!" LuHan and JongDae joined in, hands cupped around their mouths trying to propel their voices further into the immense jungle. "KyungSoo! Kyung-!"

The jungle bush erupted in that of the echo of an ungodly scream. The sound ripping through the air like gun fire, sending their hearts speed racing and and throats tight with fear. No one said a word as more screams filled the air. No, it couldn't...

"KyungSoo Hyung!" JongIn shot forward, ready to propel himself out of the tree and towards the scream. JongDae caught him in his arms before pulling the younger into his chest, struggling to keep the lashing JongIn at bay. "No! We can't let him die! We have to help him!"

JongDae's lips trembling and his eyes slowly burning with guilty tears because he knew they couldn't help the younger. Not unless they all wanted to die. "We can't!"

"Yes, we can! We can!" The anguish and desperation in JongIn's voice made JongDae wince in guilt and start to shed tears. "Hyung, let go! KyungSoo Hyung!"

LuHan leaned towards the pair, trying to assure the flailing JongIn. His eyes were already wet with tears as emotions gripped and tugged at his heart. "Calm down JongIn, we'll get him just-"

JongIn turned to LuHan with pleading eyes, "No, we can't wait! He needs-"

Another piercing scream ripped through the air before it was cut short. Leaving nothing, but silence and the tropic sounds. 

"....Hyung..." Tao whimpered brokenly, his voice small.

"K-Kyung-" Jongin choked. He felt his body give out on him causing him to grow slack against JongDae, whom had now released him to curl into a ball. Trembling hands grabbed ahold of his head and pulled at his hair as he began to hyperventilate, the extra oxygen made him dizzy before a loud, sorrowful cry ripped from his throat. Letting out his frustration, his guilt, his pain and rage into his hands. It hurt. This was his fault. If he hadn't fell, KyungSoo wouldn't have gotten separated and would still be here.

A teary-eyed Tao inched closer to the younger and pulled him into a consoling hug. A hug meant for them both as the two cried together. He wished someone would tap him on the shoulder and tell him that this was all just a prank. That this was really a hidden camera show and that everything was going to be okay.

But no one said a word. 

Instead, Kris cradled his wounded arm as he stared blankly at a neighboring branch, his adam's apple bobbed as his eyes and cheeks were stained florid from the tears he was beginning to shed. His normally styled to perfection golden brown hair was tangled and splayed messily in all directions. LuHan's teary eyes were wide and crazed. He was shaking and looked as though he too was going to have a mental breakdown at any moment. JongDae sat with his face buried in between his knees, his shoulders trembling as he let out muffled sobs.

KyungSoo was dead. And all because of them.

They just allowed him to die.

JongIn's mind began to swirl with memories of KyungSoo. He shouldn't have died. Not like this, not this young. He could only imagine the fear his Hyung was in. Being all alone with those things surrounding him. He shivered at the screams of terror and pain his memory continued to echo and he couldn't handle it. It made him sick to his stomach. "Oh God..." JongIn mumbled before pulling away from Tao and leaning over the side of the tree to vomit.