The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

A thick, suffocating silence settled over the camp. The only sound was the crackling of the fire and the shallow, panicked breaths of the survivors.

The glowing eyes beyond the trees did not move immediately, only watching, studying. Athena tightened her grip on her spear, every muscle in her body coiled like a spring.

Then, without warning, they attacked. The creatures moved in a blur, faster than anything human.

They burst from the tree line like specters of death, their pale, emaciated bodies twisting unnaturally as they leaped toward the camp.

The first one lunged straight at Marco, its gaping mouth revealing rows of jagged teeth. Marco barely had time to react, stumbling back as he swung his spear wildly.

The sharpened tip sliced through the creature’s shoulder, but it barely flinched.

Athena didn’t hesitate. She lunged forward, driving her spear into the creature’s side. It let out a guttural snarl, black ichor spilling from the wound.

With a violent jerk, it snapped its head toward her, glowing eyes filled with primal hunger.

Lisa screamed as another creature lunged at her. Darren intercepted it, swinging a heavy branch like a club.

The impact sent the creature staggering, but it recovered too quickly. It pounced, claws slashing through the air, missing Darren by inches.

"Stay together!" Athena shouted, pulling her spear free just as another monster came charging.

She ducked low, using her momentum to drive the wooden tip straight into its gut.

It shrieked, a horrid, ear-piercing sound, but instead of retreating, it grabbed the spear with unnatural strength. Athena yanked it back, barely dodging the creature’s snapping jaws.

The camp was chaos. Some of the weaker survivors scrambled for cover, but there was nowhere safe to hide.

The creatures were relentless, attacking with an animalistic hunger, their movements too fast and erratic to predict.

Lisa managed to stab one through the throat, but as it collapsed, another took its place.

Darren swung his club again, cracking one of the monster’s skulls, but even as it fell, its fingers twitched, as if trying to move.

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Marco yelled in pain as a creature tackled him to the ground, pinning him beneath its weight. Its mouth opened wide, drool dripping onto Marco’s face as it prepared to tear into his flesh.

Athena reacted on instinct, sprinting toward them and driving her spear through the side of its head. The monster convulsed, then went still.

"Get up!" she barked at Marco, who scrambled to his feet, panting.

But they were losing. For every creature they managed to injure or kill, another two seemed to take its place. They needed a plan, fast.

Athena’s mind raced. Fire. These creatures had been watching them for days but never attacked until nightfall. Maybe...

She turned to Darren. "The torches!"

Understanding flashed in his eyes. Without wasting a second, he grabbed a burning branch from the fire and swung it at the nearest monster.

The creature recoiled, hissing as the flames licked at its skin.

"They hate fire!" Lisa realized, grabbing another torch. She thrust it toward the advancing monsters, forcing them back.

"Everyone, grab something that burns!" Athena commanded.

Those who could move rushed to comply. Makeshift torches were raised, their bright flames flickering in the night.

The creatures hesitated now, their glowing eyes reflecting the firelight with something that almost resembled fear.

Athena took the opportunity. She lunged at one of the monsters with her torch, driving it forward.

The flame barely touched the creature’s arm, but it shrieked in agony, stumbling away as if burned by something far worse than fire.

"They can’t handle direct flames!" Darren shouted, swinging his torch in wide arcs to keep the creatures at bay.

The survivors pressed forward, using their torches to drive the monsters back. One by one, the creatures retreated, their snarls turning into guttural growls.

They lingered at the edge of the fire’s glow, pacing like hungry predators just out of reach. But then, something changed.

The creatures, dozens of them, stopped moving. Their heads snapped toward the forest, their glowing eyes narrowing as if listening to something unheard.

Then, without warning, they turned and disappeared into the darkness. The survivors stood frozen, torches raised, breaths ragged.

Lisa was the first to break the silence. "Why did they leave?"

Athena didn’t answer. Her hands trembled slightly as she lowered her torch. This wasn’t over.

Darren exhaled heavily. "Are they… gone?"

"No," Athena murmured, her eyes scanning the dark treetops. "They left because something called them back."

The fire flickered, casting long, eerie shadows over the camp. The night stretched on, suffocating and still. They had survived. For now.

But Athena knew this was only the beginning. The camp remained eerily silent except for the crackling of the fire and the heavy breathing of the survivors.

No one spoke. No one dared to move too far from the flickering torches, afraid that the moment the light dimmed, the creatures would return.

Athena kept her grip tight on her spear, her knuckles white. She stared out into the darkness, her mind racing.

They had fought well, but it wasn’t enough. Fire had worked against them, but for how long? And why had they retreated so suddenly?

Lisa knelt beside one of the bodies, a contestant who hadn’t made it. His throat was torn open, his face frozen in terror.

She swallowed hard, whispering, "What the hell were those things?"

"No idea," Darren muttered, wiping sweat and rain from his forehead. "But they’re not animals. They move too… calculated."

Marco gritted his teeth. "And they were watching us. Waiting."

Athena exhaled slowly, turning back toward the others. "We can’t stay here."

Darren frowned. "We don’t have much of a choice."

"For now," Athena admitted. "But if those things come back in greater numbers, this camp won’t hold."

Lisa shivered, holding her torch closer. "Then what do we do?"

Athena’s jaw clenched. She didn’t have all the answers. But she knew one thing, if they stayed defenseless, they wouldn’t survive the next attack.

"We prepare," she finally said. "We gather more weapons, more torches. We take turns keeping watch. And at first light, we search for a safer place."

The others exchanged wary glances, but no one argued. The night stretched on, suffocating and restless. Athena sat by the fire, staring into the dark jungle.

Whatever was out there, watching, waiting, it would return. And next time, it wouldn’t retreat.