Songs to listen to while reading:
Glow by Ella Henderson
Faded by Alan Walker

An agonised scream rent through the air and echoed throughout the mountains.

    It took me a moment to realise that the scream wasn't my own.

    I stared up at the invader with horror. A sharp spear was protruding from her side. Her eyes were wide with surprise and anger. She glanced down at me, then at the spear, before whispering, "Oh damn."

    She teetered forward and my eyes widened when I realised what was about to happen. Without a second thought, I rolled out of the way. I barely managed to avoid colliding with her as she slumped to the ground.

    She hit the rock face-first, her whole being completely limp and motionless. Deep red blood started to pool around her body.

    For a minute, I just lay on the rock-face, not able to fathom what had just happened. Only seconds ago, I was looking death in the face, but now, it was my attacker who was dead.

    Who threw the spear?

    Struggling to a sitting position, I poked my head over the edge of the big rock and gazed down towards the ground. I drew back with a startled gasp.

    "Daniel?"

    Daniel, Teyla, Wesley, Evangeline and Mr Wang stood clustered at the foot of the rock, sharp weapons in their hands and looks of grim determination plastered on their faces.

    "W-what are you doing here?" I stuttered. "I - I mean, how ... ?"

    "No time to explain!" Mr Wang told me briskly as he hurried forward and began climbing up the rock. "There's a group of about 20 invaders on our tails. C'mon, guys!"

    Shaking my head in disbelief, I turned and shoved the dead invader that was lying next to me with my foot. There was a squelching sound and I stared at the bleeding body in disgust.

    "Here I'll take care of that!" Mr Wang scrambled up onto the top of the rock and retrieved the spear. He then braced himself before kicking the body off of the rock.

    Distant shrieks of rage and anger filled the air and I snapped my head around. "The - the invaders?"

    "They're getting close," Mr Wang told me. "We accidentally crossed paths with them when we were coming out of the forest. Just our luck. C'mon, idiots, we haven't got all day!" he yelled down at the others below.

    Daniel and Wesley were the next ones to make it up, Teyla not far behind.

    "Evangeline!" Daniel shouted out, peering down at her. "You haven't even started climbing yet! C'mon!"

    "I - I'm scared of heights," she shivered.

    "Scared of heights?" Mr Wang repeated mockingly, rolling his eyes. "Frickin' get over yourself and climb up the bloody rock before you become those invaders' next meal!"

    Evangeline hesitated. The inhumane cry of a nearby invader seemed to jerk her into action, however, and she quickly began climbing up.

    "Who invited HER to join the party?" I grumbled.

    Evangeline and I had never gotten on very well, mostly because of the fact that she was jealous of me. She'd had a crush on Daniel for years, so when I got him, she was really pissed and just started treating me like dirt. Out of all the annoyances in Precipitous, Evangeline was the one major thorn in my side. I doubted that'd ever change.

    "Daniel did, actually," Teyla answered with a shrug. "Who knows why."

    I bit my lip to stop the retort that was about to leave my mouth. Daniel? Daniel invited Evangeline to come with us? That didn't make any sense. Why? Why would he do that? He couldn't stand her.

    Struggling to contain my whirling emotions, I heaved a deep breath in an effort to calm myself. We were in a life-and-death situation and all I was worried about was Daniel and Evangeline? Seriously, Hayley, stop it! I reprimanded myself.

    Evangeline was only halfway up the rock when the pursuing invaders came into view. Gnashing their blackened teeth and screaming words of profanity and rage, they came lurching around the corner and straight towards us!

    "Quick! Get up here, Evangeline! NOW!" Teyla cried out in fright.

    "I'll distract them!" Mr Wang shouted over the top of the horrendous noise the invaders were making. "Daniel, get over here and help me!"

    Daniel turned from staring worriedly down at Evangeline. He seized a long knife that was in his belt and went to stand near Mr Wang, who was levelling his spear at the oncoming creatures.

    THUD.

    Mr Wang had hit his target, straight and true. One of the invaders dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. Then, it was still.

    Looking around desperately, I spotted my knife that had been thrown way over onto the opposite end of the rock. Clambering to my feet, I tumbled forward eagerly and seized the weapon.

    A torn-up, blackened hand slammed down on the rock in front of me with such force that small cracks began to appear on its hard surface. I cried out in horror and stumbled back, watching as an invader attempted to climb up the rock!

    I looked from the invader to my knife and in that instant, I knew what I had to do. Closing my eyes tightly, I swung the blade around in the direction of the monstrous beast. It embedded itself in the creature's head with a sickening sound. It didn't scream out in pain, it didn't attempt to fight back, it didn't start lashing out at me. It was already dead.

    I felt the handle of the weapon wrench from my grasp as the invader fell off the rocky wall backwards, carrying my knife with it.

    Opening my eyes, I was horrified to see an army of invaders charging us from behind!

    "Hey!" I shouted. "There's more coming! We can't win this battle. We have to go NOW!"

    "But - but where?" Wesley yelled. "There's nowhere to go!"

    "Use that smart, nerdy brain of yours! I'm sure you can come up with something!" I called back.

    "Yeah, but you better be quick about it! We haven't got much time!" Teyla exclaimed as she helped Evangeline up onto the rock.

    "Oh yes! I did it!" Evangeline giggled in ecstasy, clapping her hands.

    "Why are you laughing?" I scowled at her. "There's nothing to laugh at. We could die!"

    Evangeline glared at me. "You got a problem?"

    "Yep. You," I muttered under my breath.

    The screeches and curses of the approaching invaders shook me from my stupor and I hurriedly backed away from the rock edge.

    I shuddered, but it wasn't because of the cold.

    "Here!" Daniel yelled over his shoulder, shoving a newly sharpened axe in my face. "Take this. Go with Wesley. Try and find a way off of this god-damn rock!"

    At any other point in time I would've smacked him on the head for giving me cheek and bossing me around, but now was not the time or place to argue.

    Grabbing the axe off of Daniel, I sprinted after Wesley, who was already up ahead. We ran, as fast as we could across the uneven surface of the rock, and both stumbled to an ungraceful halt once we reached the far end.

    "Great! Now what?" I yelled above the racket of the invaders, clutching my axe tightly in both hands.

    Wesley shook his head as he scanned the surrounding area, his mind turning like clockwork.

    I ventured close to the drop-off and glanced down, a hand straying up to my lip. The huge rock we were on suddenly stopped and careened down sharply about ten or fifteen metres. Jagged clusters of smaller rocks graced the ground below.

    Lifting my head, I saw a large boulder that protruded out of the nearby mountainside.

    I glanced sideways at a confused Wesley, who was still needlessly fumbling around. I had an idea. If it failed, it would mean certain death, but if it succeeded, it meant we could get away from these invaders.

    I glanced behind me, watching how the others were getting rid of the invaders. It looked like they were waiting until the ferocious beasts were only a few metres from getting on top of the rock, then they were wounding, or even killing them before pushing them back down towards the ground. Oftentimes, the flailing bodies would take down two or more others who were behind them.

    My breath caught in my throat as one of the invaders reached up and nearly nicked Daniel in the leg. However, Daniel managed to shove his knife in the way just in time. I let out a shaky breath. Okay, Hayley, you can do this! You HAVE to do this ... now.

    I gazed back towards the jutting out boulder as a surge of adrenaline rushed through my body.

    "Hayley?" Wesley questioned. "Hayley, w-what are you doing?"

    "I'm going to jump."

    "Wait!!! WHAT?" Wesley shrieked, his big bug-eyes filled with horror.

    "Do you see any other option?" I snapped back. "This is the only way off of here. I'm going to do it!"

    "Hayley ... if you miss ... you die."

    "I know. But I guess I just have to take that chance."

    "Hayley, please ... no ..."

    I shook my head warningly at him as I took a couple of steps back. "I have too."

    I heaved a deep breath, readied myself ... and jumped.

    A horrified scream ripped through the air as my feet left solid ground. "HAYLEY!"

    I knew it was Daniel, but I had no time to think, just act.

    My body sailed through the air. I felt like I was a feather, floating aimlessly through an endless cavern of nothingness. My hands reached out in front of me, flailing around helplessly for something, anything to grab onto. But I had fallen short of my target. The tips of my fingers just grazed the edge of the boulder as I began my downward plummet. My heart rose up in my mouth as I fell .... straight towards the gleamingly sharp rock clusters below!

    I flung my axe up over my head and the sharp blade embedded itself into the rock wall right above me! I jolted to a sudden stop, a throbbing pain beginning to thread it's way around my right arm. I gasped when I realised, once again, how close I had come to death.

    "Hayley!" Wesley's panicked voice reached me. "Hayley! Are you okay?"

    I nodded. "Yeah," I called back. "I'm fine. Quick, get everyone else to make the jump too! Just - er - tell them to do a little running start first."

    "Guys!" Wesley shouted over his shoulder. "C'mon! This way!"

    With a grunt, I heaved myself upwards, scrambling around for firm hand and foot holds in the steeply-inclined rocky wall. It took a few minutes of hard-core climbing, but I finally managed to reach the top, with the help of my handy axe. I collapsed on top of the boulder as soon as the ordeal was over. I gulped a few mouthfuls of fresh air before turning my head and beckoning for the others to follow suit.

    Of course, they weren't very keen on it, but it was the only way out of our situation. They all managed to make the landing, including Evangeline. Mr Wang was the last to jump, and by the time he did so the hordes of invaders had clambered up onto the rock we were previously on.

    They all halted at the edge of the rock, shrieking curses down at the deep cavern that separated them from us. Two of the invaders tried to make the jump, but missed and went screaming down to their deaths. The others were wise enough to know that it'd be useless to try and come after us, so, as we made our getaway, they rained threats, profanities and screams of rage down upon us.

    I had never been so glad to get away from somewhere so fast.

    With Mr Wang in the lead, we continued on up the mountainside, aiming for the Eagle's Crest. By his calculations, we would arrive there sometime late tomorrow.

    While we were trudging up the steep ridges, battling the deep snow drifts and icy cold wind, I took the opportunity to question everyone.

    "How the hell did you guys know where to find me?" I demanded, a little harshly than I had intended.

    Teyla began crying and I stared at her in shock.

    "Teyla? Oh my god, what's wrong? What's the matter?" I gasped, shuffling as fast as I could over to her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders.

    "It - it's Mum," Teyla hiccuped, wiping at her teary cheeks. "She - she's dead, Hayley."

    I froze. "W-what?"

    "Hayley," Daniel spoke up softly. "There were six people killed in Precipitous today, numbers 82 - 87."

    My breath hitched in my throat. Tears swam in my eyes. My vision started to blur.

    "Hayley ... there's only thirteen of us left."

Gif: Hayley has a light-bulb moment as she nears the rock-edge with Wesley.

A/N: 800+ reads? Okay ik this is not a lot to many of you's but I'm sooooso excited about this!!! It's soo close to 1k, I'm screaming with delight!!! Tysm for that!!!! I love each and every one of my readers!  Thank you for ur continual support, I really appreciate it. So do any of u's like how the mystery is developing? I hope no one was too grossed out by the invaders, I did my best to tone it down a bit. What do u think of Daniel and Evangeline? Will anything come of it? What do u think of Hayley's 2 near-death experiences? I'm so sorry but I had to keep u guys on a cliff-hanger last chapter. 😬😬 What do u think will happen now that theres only 13 characters left? Pls leave ur opinions in the comments and I'd really appreciate it if u could vote as well. Pls don't be a silent reader!!!! I love u all tho, so it's perfectly fine if u don't. Lol. I'd just really love it seeing as I work hard on these stories & appreciate & need any support I can get. Tysm. Rant's over! Enjoy the rest of ur day lovelies!! ❤️❤️

Word Count: 2,387