There was no time left to think.

  The creature did not rush at them immediately, but it took another step forward. The cabin shook under its weight. The wall behind them was no longer far. The space felt smaller. The air grew heavier.

  Sora looked around quickly.

  The window… the door… any way out.

  “Bani, run to the door,” he said quickly.

  She didn’t argue.

  She moved at once.

  They both ran toward the side door. The wooden floor creaked loudly under their fast steps. They didn’t freeze. They didn’t hesitate.

  But just as Bani reached for the handle—

  The creature’s hand moved.

  It wasn’t slow.

  It wasn’t heavy like the rest of its body.

  Its arm shot forward suddenly, stretching in an unnatural way, as if its length had doubled in a single moment. The joint bent and snapped forward with terrifying speed.

  Before her fingers could touch the handle—

  The huge hand closed around her entire body.

  It grabbed her from behind, around her chest and stomach at the same time. Thick fingers wrapped around her until half of her small body disappeared inside its grip.

  She screamed.

  Her feet left the ground instantly. She dangled in the air with no support.

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  Then the pressure began.

  It wasn’t just lifting.

  It was slow crushing.

  The grip tightened.

  She felt her ribs compress.

  Her breath stopped.

  No air entered her lungs.

  “Sora—!”

  His name came out broken, barely a sound from the choking.

  The creature lifted her higher. The pressure increased.

  Her small body felt too fragile for that massive hand.

  Her bones seemed to groan.

  Her shoulder hurt.

  Her back burned.

  Her chest felt squeezed hard.

  Her vision started spinning.

  Black spots appeared at the edges.

  “I’m… breaking…”

  It wasn’t a thought.

  It felt real.

  The creature’s fingers dug deeper into her body. Even her skin felt like it couldn’t handle the force.

  Falling was no longer the problem.

  The problem was that she might be crushed before she ever reached its mouth.

  Its hot breath hit her face.

  It pulled her closer.

  It opened its mouth.

  “Hungry…” it said clearly.

  She saw its eyes up close.

  The cracks in its skin.

  Its uneven teeth.

  Too close.

  Closer than in the vision.

  Its breath struck her face again.

  And in that exact moment—

  The scene she had seen before returned.

  The open mouth.

  The darkness inside.

  The suffocation.

  But in the vision, it was Sora hanging there.

  Now… it was her.

  Her mind faltered.

  “It wasn’t me… why am I here?”

  Had the vision changed? Or had she misunderstood it?

  Sora did not stand still.He rushed forward with everything he had. He grabbed the first thing near him—a small wooden chair—and threw it at the creature’s head.

  The chair smashed against its face and broke.

  “Let her go!” Sora shouted.

  He didn’t wait.

  He grabbed a metal pot and threw it.

  Then a piece of wood.

  Then whatever else he could find.

  The objects hit the creature. Some broke. Some fell without doing much damage.

  But it was clearly irritated.

  The creature let out an angry, sharp sound.

  Bani hung in the air, dizzy from the height, the pain, and the fear.

  Her eyes moved to Sora.

  He was below them, shouting, fighting, trying to reach her.

  In the vision…

  He had been helpless.

  But now… he was fighting.

  That difference confused her even more.

  “So the vision isn’t fixed…?”

  The creature grew impatient.

  It turned its head toward Sora.

  Then, suddenly, it moved its other hand.

  Sora had no time to escape.

  The arm shot forward and closed tightly around his chest.

  It grabbed him like he was nothing.

  He was lifted off the ground instantly.

  The metal object fell from his hand.

  Now both of them were in the air.

  One hand gripping Bani’s entire body.

  The other crushing around Sora’s chest.