Branches scratched against Ethan Carter's face as he stumbled through the dense undergrowth, each ragged breath tearing through his lungs.
His blood-soaked shirt clung to his body, and every step sent shockwaves of pain through his injured shoulder and back. His vision wavered, dark spots dancing at the edges of his sight, but he forced himself to keep moving.
'I can't stop. Not now…'
Somewhere behind him, the distant sound of search teams echoed through the night, footsteps, breaking branches, faint voices calling to one another. They were closing in.
Ethan gritted his teeth, wiping sweat from his brow with a trembling hand. His legs burned from exhaustion, and the blood loss was making it harder to think straight. Just when he thought he couldn't push any further, a shadow emerged from the trees ahead.
"Who's there?!" Ethan's instincts flared, and he staggered to a halt, fists clenching despite his weakness.
