I ran until I couldn’t breathe. Until my feet weren’t feet anymore, just dragging stones. Until my heart stopped hurting from fear… and started hurting from exhaustion.

Then, I saw it.

The curtain of plants. Long, green, tangled like wet hair.

Behind it was the cave of stories.

We used to come here at night, when the moons shone. We’d tell tales. The little ones would laugh.

Now there were no moons. And the laughter… was broken.

I approached. Pushed the plants aside with my head.

“Shhh…” I told the children.

We entered, one by one.

The smallest still slept against my chest. The others walked like their feet had turned to mud.

Inside, the cave was the same. Cold. Damp. Smelled of moss.

But also… it was safe.

No one could see it from outside. Not even if they knew it was there.

I laid them down carefully.

One of them, the one with big ears, tugged on my arm.

“Goom… what was that?”

His voice was small. Broken.

The other asked too: “What did they want?”

I didn’t know what to say.

I felt like the words had shattered inside me.

My hands still shook. I still felt like the creatures could come running and… and… and what?

I didn’t know.

They were bigger than us. Stronger.

And… they killed.

I swallowed.

“I don’t know,” I said at last. “But they’re not here now. And we’re together. We’ll stay here tonight, okay?”

The little ones nodded.

I searched in the dark. At the back, near the curved stone, was the treasure hollow.

We had dug it with the other kids long ago.

I pulled out some dry blankets. Soft cloths, bits of bark to play with. All covered in dust and memories.

“Take these,” I said. “For the cold.”

I didn’t light a fire. I didn’t want to.

I was afraid the light would call something.

We huddled together.

The smallest still slept. The other two, one on each side, wrapped themselves in the blankets. Their eyes didn’t close at first.

But little by little…

The trembling faded. Their breathing slowed.

And they slept.

I didn’t. I couldn’t.

The air was so silent it felt dead.

Outside, the creatures could still be out there. Could be close. Could be looking for us.

The slime didn’t vibrate. It was… still.

But I felt it.

Inside. Near my heart.

“What was all that…?” I whispered, not expecting an answer.

I sat there.

Back against the rock. Arms crossed. Eyes fixed on the darkness.

Listening. Waiting.

Keeping watch.

For them. For me. For whatever would come next.