By the time the sun’s dipped below the horizon, the air had cooled, and the familiar mist crept back in. It slithered through the dunes, thickening around our feet like a living thing, its arrival silent and eerie.

Ella was the first to notice. "It's back," she murmured, watching as it swirled around her.

The mist had an unnatural quality, ever-present, yet seemingly appearing from nowhere. Despite its mystery, the cool embrace was welcome against sunburned skin, offering a fleeting relief from the desert’s relentless grip.

"Haven't you ever wondered where this mist comes from?" Ella asked, tilting her head as if searching for an answer in the shifting tendrils.

I shrugged, unwilling to dwell on it. "Kinda, but I'm just glad it's here."

Henry, less convinced, kept his distance. "We don't even know if it's safe," he muttered, eyes darting between us and the mist as if expecting it to strike.

Ella smirked, undeterred. "Well, we haven’t dropped dead yet, have we?"

"True, but we also don't know what it's doing to us," Henry countered, concern lacing his words.

"It's probably just water vapor," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "Let’s enjoy the coolness while we can."

As we pressed on through the night, Emily’s curiosity got the better of her. She tore a piece of fabric from her uniform and waved it around in the mist, hoping to collect some droplets. I watched her, a small part of me amused by her determination to understand everything, even in a place that made no sense. After some time, she actually managed to gather a few drops, enough to confirm there was moisture in the air, but not enough to replace the amount of energy she spent trying to get it.

At least she’s trying, I thought, though my focus soon drifted elsewhere.

Mesmerized by the swirling mist, I felt a faint buzz on the back of my neck – a strange sensation that made me pause. My eyes caught something in the distance, just at the edge of my vision. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a small, dark shape sitting in the fog. 

A cat?

It just sat there silently watching.

But when I tried to focus on it, the shape seemed to dissolve, merging with the mist as if it had never been there.

What the hell was that? I took a sip of water, trying to shake the image from my mind, but it lingered, like a ghost haunting the periphery of my thoughts. I kept walking, trying to ignore it, but every time I looked, the shape was there, just out of reach, beyond the fog.

Finally, curiosity got the better of me, as I veered off course, heading toward where I’d seen it.

"Hey, where are you going?" Henry’s voice called out, snapping me back to reality as he caught up with me.

"Oh, sorry," I replied, trying not to sound too weird. "I just thought this area had denser fog, so I wanted to check it out."

Henry scanned the mist-filled surroundings, his suspicion not entirely gone. "Well, I guess you’re right," he conceded. It was true: there was a flow to the mist here, a subtle movement that seemed to come from one direction.

"Hey, guys, I think we should head this way," Henry called out, his voice cutting through the fog and snapping the others out of their trance-like state.

Owen jogged over to join us, followed by the rest of the group, all curious about the sudden change in direction.

"What’s making you want to go this way?" Ella asked as she approached, her curiosity as sharp as ever.

"Take a look. There’s a slight flow coming from that direction," Henry explained, pointing deeper into the mist. 

Owen nodded in understanding as his eyes tracked across the expanse and into the distance, seeing the subtle draft emanating from that direction.

Amelia took a second to look it over before nodding also. "I guess it won’t hurt to give it a try," she said, her tone a bit wistful. 

At least it’s a direction, I thought, though the unease from earlier still lingered in my mind.

As everyone discussed their thoughts on the new direction, I scanned the mist once more, searching for that mysterious figure. But it was gone, leaving me with nothing but questions. Shaking it off for now, I continued walking in the direction where I had last seen it, hoping that whatever was out there would reveal itself soon enough.

Eventually, weariness caught up with us, demanding that we stop and rest. The terrain offered little comfort, but it was better than collapsing from exhaustion. I settled in, the fatigue wrapping around me like an old, familiar companion. It didn’t take long for sleep to claim me, pulling me into a deep, dreamless slumber.

I’m not sure how much time passed, but the moment my eyes fluttered open, a sharp, searing pain shot through my leg. Instinctively, I jerked upright, my heart pounding as I searched for the source of the discomfort. To my horror, I saw a small, insect-like creature gnawing at my leg, leaving behind a trail of stinging cuts.

What the hell? Panic surged through me, and I kicked the thing away, sending it scuttling into the sandy terrain. Watching it scramble into the shadows, I quickly inspected the damage it had inflicted on my leg, which was now partially bleeding.

"Damn, that stings," I muttered, wincing as I tore a strip of cloth from my shirt to wrap the small cuts. My eyes lingered on the spot where the bug had scuttled off, disappearing into the sand. 

There’s life…

I sucked in a sharp breath at the realization, only to be reminded how desperately my body craved water. My throat felt like sandpaper, every swallow scraping raw. Even the slightest movement split my lips open again. Reaching into our dwindling supplies, I grimaced at what was left: barely enough for a single sip, just enough to wet my lips and pretend it made a difference.

As I sat there, with the sunlight still hidden below the horizon, an uneasy feeling settled in my gut. 

What if that was the only life I would see in days, and I had just let it get away? 

I scanned the surroundings for any signs of life, but the landscape remained still and empty. With a sigh, I pushed myself to my feet, stifling a yawn as I stretched.

Moving quietly, I went to everyone, gently nudging them awake. As they stirred, I told them about my encounter with the insect and showed them the small wound it had left on my leg.

Benjamin’s eyes narrowed with concern as he inspected the injury. His hands were steady as he unwrapped the makeshift bandage and applied something from his kit to prevent infection. "You’re lucky it wasn’t worse," he stressed.

"Thanks anyway," I muttered, grateful for his steady presence.

"You're welcome," he replied, his focus still on the task at hand, as he rewrapped it.

Ella chimed in. "You know, if we could catch one of those things, they might be a potential food source. If they’re edible, that is."

Ethan, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "That’s great and all, but where could we possibly find one?" His tone was skeptical, but there was a hint of curiosity there, too.

Emily, who had been quietly observing, spoke up with a thoughtful look. "If it’s anything like Earth, bugs tend to stay hidden from the sun’s heat. We could check under any outcropping of rocks we find."

"That sounds like it could work," Amelia said, nodding."

And after what felt like forever in this scorching sunlight, Benjamin finally caught sight of a small outcropping of rocks in the distance. "There," he said, pointing it out.

Lifting my head from the endless sands, my heart leaped at the sight. Before long i slouched into the cool embrace of the stones behind me. However, i was one of the few that took a second to rest. It was honestly impressive how Emily and Ella still had the energy to search for bugs without taking a break. 

As the others busied themselves, I allowed myself a moment to soak in the coolness, the relief washing over my exhausted body. Gradually, as my senses settled, I began to look around. My eyes roamed over the unusual landscape. It was almost as if water had once carved out a dome that thinned as it reached the ground like an umbrella. But there was something else about it that caught my attention.

I walked around the rock, noticing the cracks that ran along its surface, some wide enough to slip a hand into. Running my fingers along the rough exterior, I could feel the age in the stone, the way time had worn it down, leaving deep fissures in its once-solid form. One crack, in particular, was wide enough for me to explore. I hesitated for a moment, feeling an odd sensation as I reached inside. The space felt different, almost as if it were hollow.

Hollow? The thought struck me as strange, but I couldn’t quite confirm it from the upper part of the crack. Circling the formation again, I found another crack that ran along the bottom. I crouched down, slipping my hand into the narrow opening. It felt strange – empty, as if there was nothing but a void beneath the surface. Is this whole thing hollow? I wondered, a shiver running down my spine as a cool breeze suddenly struck my hand from within the dark space, making me instinctively pull back.

The whole thing’s hollow – not just the rock but under me as well? I stood up quickly, carefully stomping the ground beneath me, half-expecting it to give way. Relief washed over me when it held firm, though the unease lingered. Turning back to the rock, I rapped my knuckles against it, but the sound was muted, almost nonexistent.

Intrigued, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small rock I’d been carrying. I tapped it against the exterior in a rhythmic beat, a habit I’d picked up during missions. The first tap echoed faintly, a hollow, eerie sound that bounced back at me, confirming the space within.

I paused for a moment, listening to the echo reverberate before continuing the rhythm. I almost lost myself in the repetition until a sudden movement caught my eye. A giant bug, nearly the size of my forearm, lunged at me with massive pincers snapping dangerously close to my face. I shot back, my heart slamming against my ribs as I watched the creature steady itself and slowly crawl out of the crack in front of me.

The thing was a nightmare – an elongated, ant-like body covered in dark, prickly hair that bristled from holes across its form. Its legs, far too many to count, moved in a coordinated, unsettling rhythm. Massive pincers served as its mouthparts, clicking together with a sound that made my skin crawl.

My startled jump away from the rock drew the attention of the others. They were beside me in an instant, concern etched across their faces.

 Emily nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of the monstrous insect, her eyes wide with shock. Before anyone could react further, the bug darted toward Ella with alarming speed. She screamed, a high-pitched sound of pure terror, and made a frantic dash for safety.

Without thinking, I grabbed the nearest rock and hurled it at the creature, but it shattered on impact, barely slowing the thing down. The bug’s attention shifted back to me, its pincers snapping as it advanced with unnatural speed. Panic welled up inside me as I scrambled backward, my mind racing to figure out how to stop it.

But just as it lunged, Henry sprang into action.

With a yell, he brought a heavy stone down onto the creature’s back. There was a sickening crunch,  but it kept moving as it tried to get at me.

“Damn thing won’t die!” he shouted.

He raised the rock again and slammed it down, once, twice, three times. The exoskeleton cracked more with each blow, splintering under the force, oozing a thick, grey fluid that sizzled against the hot sand. The bug spasmed violently, its limbs flailing, but Henry didn’t stop.

He roared as he brought the stone down one final time with all his weight behind it. A sharp crack rang out, followed by stillness.