The Terror of the Island Sabaha Amir Rana   © Copyright 2025 by Sabaha Amir Rana

Photo by Basile Morin at Wikimedia Commons.

There it finally is. Our island. Our very own island. It looks beautiful above the waves of fog, but there are still questions to be answered; Why have we gotten it for only $5? Why did the brokers meet dad in secret? These thoughts are rushing through your brain. We are at the shore. Everyone is awestruck by the beauty; the island has lush fruits, plants, palm trees,and quite strangely, there are no animals except for flies. You brush that thought off. Why can’t you ever feel happy? Your thoughts are interrupted when Mary, John, Jack, and Ellie run out with joy. You and your siblings collect fruit while your parents make a shelter. You have that peculiar feeling that someone or something is watching you…

After a day of work, you all go to bed in tents. Mary, Ellie, and you sleep in one tent while John and Jack sleep in another. Your parents sleep together in a big tent.  

You wake up around midnight and get the sudden urge to take a walk in the island. You sneak away and walk. You walk past trees, more fruits, and still no animals. You hear rustling. You slowly turn. It’s Jack and Mary!!! Little five year old Mary didn’t want to stay alone in the tent and Jack wanted to explore.The three of you go on. You find many more trees and bushes that produce delicious and heavenly smelling fruit. "You find a clearing among some bushes this shall be a resting place” You say. You and Mary eat some blueberries while Jack is sinking his mouth into some mangoes. You don't like to eat the movies because they make you feel somewhat woozy.”I don't know why you girls don’t like mangoes” says Jack while sinking his mouth into a delicious looking mango. The three of them decided to go back to their campsite for some rest. 

Chapter 2:

Every night from then on, You guys explore different parts of the island. Your parents are amazed at how you can navigate the island so quickly. You don't dare to tell them about your midnight walks to save yourself from getting in trouble. The three of you are yet again on a walk. You find fruits and Mary yells” FOUND IT” You,Mary, and Jack get into your resting spot. You and Mary turn to Jack.”JACK” You can't find him. Mary runs back to the tents to see if Jack had gone to bed because of the wooziness of the mangoes. Gone. You and Mary search and search. Something is not right. You sit on a log to think while Mary stares at a tree with concern. But you are frustrated. So frustrated that you throw a rock from the ground. Mary picks it up and lets out a scream. You walk up to her and turn white with horror. It is a human skull. It all makes sense now.  The mangoes would have made someone feel somewhat woozy and want to stay at the resting spot. Thus, they would sleep and something would devour it. But there aren't any animals. Your face turns pale when you realize the terror of the island. You don't want to bother Mary and you both keep looking. Eventually, You reach the cave that you all avoid. You and Mary have no choice but to go in. You and Mary hide behind a large rock just in case. Shivers go down your spines as you see a figure of a big black wolf. It has jagged teeth and a scarred face. Not to mention, razor sharp claws. You spot a sleeping and unconscious jack on a large rock. You cover your face to not scream. You want to leave but Mary has no intention of leaving her brother for dead. You both share the same thoughts. What would you tell your parents? Will you survive? What now? What other terrors are there? What would you tell your parents? You and Mary go silent. You both are helpless in this situation. 

Chapter 3: Confessions

Ellie and John are standing outside their tents, not sleeping. Just standing. Watching. You freeze. So does Mary. "Where were you?" John asks, his voice flat and unreadable. Before either of you can answer, Ellie speaks. “Come into the tent. Now.” You and Mary exchange a quick glance. There’s no choice—you both follow them inside. Ellie sits cross-legged, arms crossed. John stays standing. “We know you’re up to something,” Ellie says quietly.Ellie’s eyes narrow. “We’ve been watching you. Every night, you sneak off. We didn’t say anything before, but tonight we followed you. We saw you go into the forest.”

Your heart drops. Mary clutches your arm. “You saw us?” you ask, voice barely a whisper. John nods. “Not just tonight. We saw you leave a few nights ago too. We wanted to know where you were going. What are you doing out there?” You look at Mary. She gives the slightest nod.

You take a breath. “We were exploring... and we found something. A clearing. With fruit. It felt peaceful at first, but... Jack’s missing.” John’s face hardens. “What do you mean missing?” Mary’s voice is tiny. “Something took him. We saw it. A black... wolf. Huge. With claws and teeth and... it was like a nightmare.” Ellie turns pale. “That’s not possible.” “We saw it,” you insist. “It was real. And we found—” You stop. Your throat tightens. Mary continues for you. “A skull. A human one.”

The tent goes silent. John finally speaks. “We found something too. Last night, when we followed you the first time... we saw footprints. Huge ones. And scratch marks on trees. But we thought it was just animals.” “There are no animals,” you whisper. “Only flies.” Ellie swallows hard. “So what do we do?” You look around at all of them, your siblings, your team. “I think... we’re not the first people on this island. And if we don’t figure this out soon... we won’t be the last to disappear.”

Chapter 4: The Discovery

The next morning, no one talks much. The usual excitement over fruit and sunshine is gone. Even your parents seem confused by the sudden silence, but they don’t ask questions. You think maybe they feel it too—that something on this island is wrong.

After breakfast, you, Mary, Ellie, and John gather near the edge of the forest, where the trees are thicker and the air feels cooler. “We need to go back,” you say. “To the cave?” John asks. You shake your head. “Not yet. I want to find out why this is happening. There has to be a reason.” You walk deeper into the woods, past the resting spot, past the berry bushes. Suddenly, Ellie stops. “Guys,” she says, pointing. “What’s that?” It’s a wooden post. Half buried in the ground. Covered in moss. You brush it off—and beneath it, letters.

S.T.A.T.I.O.N 5—AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

You all stare at it. “What is Station 5?” Mary whispers. John pushes aside some bushes—and behind them, a metal hatch. Rusted, but still sealed shut. No handle. No markings. “This isn’t just an island,” you say quietly. “Something was here before us. Something human.”

Ellie runs her fingers over a crack in the hatch. “Maybe this is where the monster came from.”

Mary points to a faint symbol on the side of the hatch: a triangle with a circle inside it.

“I saw that on one of the rocks by the cave,” she says.

That’s when the ground shakes. Just slightly—but enough that you all feel it.

“An earthquake?” John asks.

“No,” you reply. “Something... moved.”

The hatch hisses.

You all stumble back. A clicking sound echoes underneath.

Whatever's down there—it's waking up.

The four of you sprint back from the hatch, heartbeats pounding, when a voice shouts across the clearing.

“Where’s Jack?!”

It’s your mom. She’s standing by the tents, eyes wide, voice cracking. Your dad is right behind her, face pale.

Your stomach drops.

You hadn’t realized how early it still was. They must have expected Jack to show up for breakfast. But his sleeping bag was empty—and no one could hide that anymore.

“Where is your brother?” your dad says, slower this time. “What’s going on?”

None of you speak. For a moment, there’s only the buzzing of flies and the faint rustling of the trees.

Then Ellie steps forward. “He’s missing. We think he was taken. There’s something else on this island.”

“Taken?!” your mom gasps.

Your dad grabs John by the shoulder. “What do you mean taken? By who?”

You finally speak. “Not who. What. A creature. A wolf. Huge. Scarred. We saw it. It has Jack.”

Your mom stares at you like you’ve lost your mind. “That’s impossible.”

You shake your head. “It’s not. And we found something else—a hatch. From something called Station 5. There’s a symbol on it. The same symbol we saw near the cave.”

Your dad goes quiet. Too quiet. He looks at your mom. She whispers, “You don’t think it’s real, do you?” “I don’t know,” he mutters. “I thought it was just old stories. Just files...” “You knew something?” you demand. He looks torn—afraid, and somehow guilty. “I didn’t think it was anything serious. Just rumors. The brokers who gave me the deal on the island—they were vague. Secretive. But I thought... I thought we were lucky.” You step back. “We were never lucky. We were bait.” And somewhere out there, Jack is still missing.

Chapter 6: Into the Cave

You, Mary, and John move quickly through the trees, staying low, alert. Every snapping twig makes you freeze. The air grows cooler as you get closer to the cave. The birds are still silent. No animal sounds. Just the buzzing of flies. “Are we really doing this?” Mary whispers. “Yes,” you say, not looking back. “We have to.”

Finally, the cave comes into view. Jagged rocks rise like crooked teeth, and the air around it feels colder than it should. The entrance is just as you remembered—wide, dark, and yawning like a mouth. John grips the hatchet tighter. “Lights on.” You and Mary click on your flashlights. The beams cut through the blackness, showing walls of stone and twisted roots. You step inside. The silence presses against your ears like water. The deeper you go, the more wrong everything feels. The smell of damp earth mixes with something else—something sour, metallic. You whisper, “We’ll check the place we saw him last time.” As you turn the corner, your flashlight catches it: the rock where Jack had been, the exact spot. But he’s not there.

“What if—” Mary starts, but then stops. There’s a sound. Breathing. Not yours. You spin around, raising your flashlight just in time to catch movement. A shadow slips behind a pillar of stone. Then you hear it. A growl. Deep. Wet. Hungry. The creature. It steps out into the light. It’s even worse than before. Eyes glowing faintly red. Muzzle covered in something dark. Long claws that scrape the stone floor with every step. Its scarred face turns toward you—and it smiles. But behind the beast, slumped against the wall, you see him.

Jack. He’s breathing. Alive. Barely. “Jack!” Mary cries, starting to run. “Stop!” you yell, yanking her back. The creature tenses, crouches. John lifts the hatchet. You’re seconds away from chaos.

Station 5

Your dad leads the way, pushing aside branches as he moves quickly and silently through the underbrush. Behind him, your mom follows with the rope. Ellie trails last, gripping the flare gun tightly, her eyes darting in every direction.

The hatch rises out of the ground like a scar. It’s quiet now—no more hissing or clicking from earlier—but that somehow makes it worse. Your dad kneels beside it. “Let’s see what this thing is hiding.” He pries at the edges with the hunting knife until something clicks. A seam appears. The hatch creaks open with a long, slow groan. A metal ladder leads down into complete darkness. Ellie peeks over the edge. “Well. That’s not horrifying at all.” Your mom sighs and switches on her flashlight. “I’ll go first.” “No,” your dad says, firm. “I will.” One by one, they descend.

The air inside is cold and smells like rust and mold. Pipes run along the narrow hallway, some hissing faintly. Faded signs line the walls—most unreadable—but a few words still stand out:

BIO CONTAINMENT

TESTING BAY 3

FAILURE LOCKDOWN — DO NOT RESET

“What was this place?” Ellie whispers. Your dad finds a control panel, wires pulled out, the screen cracked. But one light still blinks: SUBJECT ACTIVE. Your mom gasps. “They made it. That thing—it’s not natural.” “They built a monster and left it here,” Ellie says.

Your dad finds a rusted drawer and yanks it open. Inside: a dusty binder, marked PROJECT SILENCE. He flips through the brittle pages. One photo falls out. It’s blurry, black and white, but unmistakable. The creature. The wolf. Except—it’s smaller in the photo. Younger. “Experiment 7. Rapid mutation. Extreme aggression. Light-sensitive. Mango-based sedation.”

“Mango?” Ellie says, stunned. “That’s why it gets sleepy. Jack…” Your dad slams the binder shut. “We need to tell the others. Now.” But then—static crackles from the walkie-talkie. It’s your voice. “We found Jack. He’s alive. But it’s here.” The cave team is out of time.

Cave Team:

The creature steps forward, its claws scraping against the stone. Jack is still slumped against the wall, barely conscious. The creature's red eyes lock onto you, its mouth stretching into a grin as it senses the fear.

“Don’t move,” you whisper to Mary, pulling her back just a step. But the growl in the air tells you it’s too late. John steps forward, gripping the hatchet. “Stay back,” he warns. “We’re not here to fight. We just want Jack.” The creature’s lips curl. It growls louder, the sound echoing off the walls of the cave. Jack stirs. Barely. But his eyes flutter open, and his voice is barely a breath. “It’s not real… Don’t fight it… It’s the mangoes…” You don’t understand. Before you can process what he means, the creature lunges. A blur of dark fur, jaws snapping. John swings the hatchet, barely grazing its side, but it only seems to make it angrier. You grab Mary’s wrist. “We need to get out of here. Now.” John backs up slowly. “We can’t just leave him.” “I know!” You yell, panicked. “But we have to survive. We’re not strong enough yet.” The creature’s growl gets louder. You turn to the exit, ready to bolt—but then, there’s a flash of light from outside.

Station 5 Team:

Your walkie-talkie crackles again, and your voice floods in: “We found Jack. He’s alive. But it’s here.” “Wait—what?” Your dad’s eyes widen. “The creature? You need to—” A distant roar cuts him off. A deafening sound that shakes the walls. The ground beneath your feet trembles, and for a moment, the entire island seems to hold its breath. “It’s coming,” Ellie says, pulling her flashlight tight against her chest. “We have to go.” Your dad grabs the walkie-talkie. “Hold tight. We’re coming—hold on!” They scramble toward the ladder, their feet scrambling on the rungs. But the creature’s roar is getting louder. And then—another scream from the cave, distant but desperate. Cave Team: You, Mary, and John have made it outside, but the creature is right behind you, its shadow looming in the cave entrance. It’s faster than you thought. Its growl is now a howl, rattling the trees. “Run!” you scream, grabbing Mary’s hand. John is already ahead of you, running at full speed. The creature is close now—too close. The trees blur around you, but you don’t dare look back. And then you hear it. A pop. Bright light. Then the sound of a flare gun. A sharp, sudden crack that echoes across the island.

Station 5 Team: Your dad’s hands are shaking as he fires the flare into the sky. The bright red light cuts through the darkness like a warning. It lights up the forest—lighting the path for you and the others. “Keep running!” your dad yells, his voice carrying across the clearing. "We’re coming!" You hear the flare’s sizzling hiss in the air, then the sound of a roar in the distance. It’s not coming from the cave, though. It’s coming from behind you

Chapter 7: The Watchful Eyes

Mary’s breath is shallow, and John is already a few steps ahead. The sound of the creature’s growl echoes from the cave, but the distance between you seems to grow with each step. The roar is quieter now. Then—another sound. A subtle rustle in the trees above you. It doesn’t sound like the creature, but it’s too soft, too quick to be a normal animal. You glance upward, but all you see is the dense canopy of leaves.

It’s like someone—or something—is watching you. Your dad’s voice comes through the walkie-talkie: “We’re almost there. Stay alert.” The feeling of being watched grows stronger. Every time you move, every time you turn a corner or duck under a branch, the rustling seems to follow.

It’s not just the wind. John looks over his shoulder. “I don’t like this. It feels like we’re being—” “Watched.” You finish for him, your voice a whisper. Ellie’s voice crackles from the walkie-talkie. “You’re not crazy. We feel it too. Something’s off about this place.” And then, in the distance, you spot it. The flicker of light from the flare, a weak red against the dark trees. You push forward.

Station 5 Team: 

Your mom and Ellie have already made it to the clearing. You hear their voices before you see them. “We’re here!” your dad calls out, his voice urgent. But as you approach, you can’t shake the feeling that something is out there, in the dark, just beyond the edge of your flashlight's beam. The rustling gets louder. It’s not just in the trees anymore. It’s closer. It’s coming from the ground, from the shadows. Something is following them. “You guys okay?” your dad calls out. You stop running, staring into the woods ahead. You feel like you can’t breathe. The shadows stretch too long, the night too still. It’s all too quiet. “We’re fine,” you say, though the words feel hollow.

John and Mary finally catch up. You spot them emerging from the trees, looking just as tense as you feel. And then it happens. A low, wet growl cuts through the air. The hairs on your neck stand up. You’re not alone. Not anymore. The creature is closer than you thought. You scan the trees. Your flashlight picks up nothing. Just the shadows of the leaves, swaying in the breeze. You hear the rustling again. Closer this time. It’s watching.

But where?

Chapter 8: The Flight to Safety

The growl is closer now—low, menacing, and unmistakable. The creature’s presence fills the air like a thick fog. You don’t know where it is, but you know it’s there. Watching. Without thinking, you grab Mary’s hand and start pulling her back toward the camp. “Go!” you yell, voice breaking with panic. “We need to get back to the others—now!”

John is already a few steps ahead, his eyes darting around the trees. “Move! We don’t have time!” Your breath comes in ragged gasps as you sprint through the forest, dodging trees, rocks, and branches. The feeling of eyes on you never fades. The growl echoes again, louder this time, and you know—it’s right behind you. You push forward, forcing your legs to keep moving, but the weight of the fear is almost too much to bear. Every rustle in the trees feels like it’s the creature closing in. Every shadow could be its glowing eyes watching from the darkness. The camp is still a distance away, but you have no choice. You can’t stop now.

Station 5 Team:

Your dad’s voice comes over the walkie-talkie. “Stay with us. We’re almost to the camp. Hold on—hold on tight!” Ellie’s breath is shaky. “It’s too quiet. It’s too still.” The rustling in the trees becomes more frantic, almost frantic, as if the forest itself is alive. You glance back—only for a split second—and see it: a dark shape moving behind the trees, stalking you. “Run faster!” you shout, and your legs burn as you push yourself harder.

Cave Team:

You barely notice the pain in your legs. The roar of the creature fills your ears, and you feel the air thick with its presence. The ground beneath your feet trembles. It’s gaining on you.

Your flashlight flickers. The trees around you twist and turn like they’re alive, reaching out with crooked branches. You barely manage to dodge one as it swings down toward you. Suddenly, John shouts. “There!” He points through the trees. A flicker of red light—a flare. “Camp!” Mary screams. “We’re almost there!” But you know—you know—the creature isn’t far behind. The growl is deafening now, and the shadows are closing in.

You push forward, arms pumping, hearts pounding. Every step brings you closer to safety, but every step also brings the creature closer. And then—just as you reach the edge of the camp, a massive, dark shape leaps from the trees. It’s too fast. Too close. You stumble backward, your heart racing as you crash to the ground. The creature is here.

Station 5 Team:

Your dad’s voice is frantic. “Stay back! I have the flare gun—get to the tents!” You and Ellie race toward the tents as the creature’s growl fills the air. The camp is chaos now. Flashlights are on, flickering, and you can hear the frantic voices of the others. The creature is here. It’s at the edge of the camp. You see its red eyes glowing in the dark. Your dad raises the flare gun. “Stay away from the fire, everyone!” He fires into the night. A burst of bright light fills the camp, momentarily blinding everyone. The creature shrieks, a sound like nails on glass, and stumbles back into the forest. The flare burns in the air above you.

For now, it’s gone.

Chapter 9: Midnight Terror

The night is quiet. The flare’s light has long since dimmed, and the camp is bathed in the pale glow of the moon. You’re still shaken, heart racing from the adrenaline, but eventually, exhaustion catches up with you.

The tents are pitched close together, the fire smoldering low, casting flickering shadows across the camp. It feels safe for now. You toss and turn in your sleeping bag, trying to push away the images of the creature’s glowing red eyes, but sleep doesn’t come easy. Then, there’s a sound.

A rustling.

Barely a whisper of movement. Your eyes snap open. The air feels cold—unnaturally so. You hear it again. A snap of a twig, a low growl, but this time, it’s closer. Your heart pounds in your chest. “No...” you whisper, barely able to move. Your breath comes faster now, panic settling in your bones. You try to sit up, but something feels wrong. Too wrong.

Outside the tent, you hear it—a slow, steady pace of footsteps in the dirt. Closer, then closer. Something is circling the camp. And then—slam. The creature hits the side of your tent with a force that knocks you backward. The tent rips at the seams, a sharp sound like fabric tearing. The tent begins to collapse, and in the dim light, you see it. Its glowing red eyes. Its scarred face twisted in hunger.

The wolf. It’s here. It’s in the camp. You scream, but the sound is swallowed by the creature’s deafening growl. Its massive body crashes into the tent again, this time with its claws slashing through the fabric. It’s coming for you.

“Run!” your dad yells, rushing into the chaos. But there’s no time. The creature lunges, jaws snapping as it rips through the last of the fabric, and its claws swipe down toward you. The others are scrambling in their tents, yelling in panic, but the wolf is faster. It’s already on top of you. Your hand scrambles for anything—anything to defend yourself—and then you feel it.

The flare gun. Your mom’s hand wraps around the barrel just as you manage to get a shot off. It’s bright, blinding, and for a split second, you see the creature recoil. The flare lights up the night sky, illuminating the beast’s twisted face. It shrieks—louder this time, almost human in its anguish—and pulls back, momentarily blinded. “Go!” your dad roars, pulling you up by the arm. “Get to the fire—move!”

The camp explodes into chaos. You hear screams, frantic footsteps, the crash of wood as people scramble toward the fire, toward any safety. But the wolf isn’t done. It’s circling the camp now, growling low and menacing. You can’t see it clearly, but its shadow looms over the tents like a predator stalking its prey. You catch a glimpse of it in the distance—a massive shape, dark and terrifying, its eyes glinting in the firelight. Your heart races, your breath tight. “Where’s Jack?” Ellie screams, looking around in panic. “Where’s Jack?”

The creature circles closer. You can feel its eyes on you, its presence drawing nearer. Everyone is on edge, but no one dares to make a move. The creature is close—too close. “This isn’t going to be enough,” you say, your voice trembling. “It’s getting smarter. It knows where we are.” Your dad raises his flare gun, the glow of the fire lighting up his face. “We need to get out of here. Now.” But then—a roar. A sound like the crack of thunder. The wolf charges. You freeze. And Scream. Then, everything goes dark.