Time: 4:00 PM

The discovery of the journal and the old map stirred something within the group. Ignatius paced back and forth, holding the crinkled map up to the dim light, squinting at the intricate lines and symbols. “There’s something on this map that we missed,” he muttered, tracing his finger over a faint trail marked in red.

Ava leaned against the wall, her mind racing. She stared at the screen of her recording device, heart heavy with worry. She had brought all her tech along, not just because it was part of her work as a YouTuber, but because documenting everything helped her feel in control. Now, it felt like a lifeline—if they went missing, at least the world would see what had happened.

Rai, always fascinated with cutting-edge technology, tapped on the side of his AR glasses, adjusting the holographic interface projected before his eyes. “I can send the drone to check it out first,” he offered, trying to sound confident, though a knot of doubt twisted inside him. The drone had been a gift from his father, a well-known engineer, meant to give Rai an edge in his research. He never expected it to be used for something like this, and uncertainty gnawed at him.

Dionna sat by the window, hugging her knees tightly, her face pale. “I don’t want to go back out there,” she said softly, her voice cracking. “Samera is missing… What if we’re next? I don’t want to disappear.” Her wide eyes shimmered with unshed tears, reflecting the fear that gripped them all.

Zaire hesitated, glancing at Dionna before looking down at the map. “Maybe Dionna’s right,” he said quietly, though his tone was heavy with uncertainty. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with. What if it’s something we can’t fight? Something we can’t understand?” His voice trailed off, the weight of their situation pressing down on him.

Ava bit her lip, her hand trembling slightly as she adjusted the settings on her livestream. She couldn’t blame Dionna or Zaire for being scared—she was terrified too. But turning back felt like giving up. “We have to try,” she said, though the conviction in her voice faltered. “If we don't, we'll never know what happened to Samera.” Her heart raced as she fought against the creeping dread. “We’re not going to make the same mistake twice. This time, we record everything. We go live the entire time. People need to know what’s happening here, in case we don’t come back.”

She pulled out her recording device, hesitating momentarily before tapping into her gallery. “I took some photos while I was out there,” she said, her voice steady but edged with anxiety. The flickering bulb overhead cast long shadows, deepening the lines of worry etched on her friends’ faces. “Maybe they can help us understand what’s going on.”

The group gathered around, curiosity piqued. Ava flicked through the images, her heart racing as she replayed the memory of that eerie encounter. A chill ran down her spine as she paused on a shot of the strange animals she had seen, their eyes glinting like shards of glass. “Look at this one,” she said, her breath hitching. “What are these? They don’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before.”

Dionna leaned closer, her breath catching in her throat. “That’s... unsettling,” she whispered, a shiver running down her spine.

Zaire squinted at the next photo, where a faint outline of something unusual lurked in the shadows. “This could be a clue,” he said, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. “If we can find what this is related to, it might lead us to Samera.”

Ignatius folded the map carefully, his expression unreadable. “We need to be smart about this. If we’re going to follow the same path Samera took, we have to be prepared. No more guessing.”

Zaire frowned, shifting uneasily. “But prepared for what?” he asked, his voice tight. “We don’t even know what we’re walking into.”

Rai tried to put on a brave face as he adjusted the settings on the drone. The high-tech device hummed quietly, its sensors picking up data from all angles. "This drone will cover us," he said, his tone brimming with determination. "It’s equipped with real-time tracking, heat signatures, and environmental readings. If something's out there, we'll see it before it sees us." But inside, he felt a gnawing fear.

Dionna shuddered, standing up from her spot by the window. “I still don’t like this,” she admitted, her eyes darting toward the door. “I’d rather go home. But… I’m not leaving without Samera.”

A heavy silence hung in the room as the group exchanged glances. They were all afraid, each feeling the crushing weight of uncertainty pressing down on them. But something deeper drove them forward—a mix of loyalty, curiosity, and the undeniable need to know the truth.

“We don’t have all the answers,” Ignatius said, breaking the silence. His voice was steady, but his expression was grim. “But we can’t let fear stop us. If we do, we lose Samera. We lose everything.”

Zaire rubbed the back of his neck, looking conflicted. “I don’t know, man,” he muttered. “Part of me says we should bail, but… the other part…” He trailed off, glancing at Dionna, who nodded silently in agreement. The pull to leave was strong, but the idea of abandoning Samera felt worse.

Ava moved toward the center of the room, determination flickering in her eyes despite the anxiety gnawing at her. “We have everything in place,” she said softly, her voice filled with resolve. “We go live. We record every second. If something happens to us, at least people will know.”

She tapped her wristwatch, activating her camera and connecting it to a satellite network, ensuring an uninterrupted feed. The livestream blinked to life, a constant reminder that the world would be watching, even if they weren’t there to finish the story.

Rai adjusted his AR glasses, which now displayed a multi-angle, real-time feed from the drone and their devices. His voice cracked slightly as he said, “This is the best tech we’ve got. It’s going to give us an edge. But… we need to stay together. No more splitting up.”

Dionna’s hands trembled as she picked up her backpack. “I’m scared,” she whispered, tears brimming. “But I won’t leave without knowing. Not after everything that’s happened.”