Love Unspoken

She didn't know the full extent of the island. All she knew was that the deeper she ran into it, the denser the trees became.

Even though it was noon, the jungle was very dark due to last night's rain. Raindrops dripped from the branches; dew hung on the grass; and the ground was muddy. Quinn walked unsteadily in the woods, stumbling several times. Her bathrobe was covered in dirt and mud; her ankles scratched; and the soles of her feet cut by sharp stones. "Alexander."

Her voice trembled with tears, not very loud. She wanted to shout; but when she did, all that came out was a barely audible meow.

Quinn fell several times on the ground and got up again, ignoring the pain and wiping away tears as she walked deeper. In the end, she had lost all sense of direction.

She spotted a slab of green stone not far off and hurried over to it. In the midst of the jungle, it was the only semblance of shelter she could find.

The green stone slab was encircled by intertwining vines and thick trees, creating a crisscross pattern all around. The entire setting radiated an eerie and ancient vibe.

Quinn curled up on the green stone slab. She seemed to have lost Alexander. And she seemed to have lost herself.

When Alexander returned, he also didn't see Quinn. Frowning, he returned to the cabin, which was empty, her discarded bathrobe lying nearby. Alexander got off the yacht and quickly walked into the jungle.

As the sun gradually descended towards the west, faint growls of wild beasts could be heard from the jungle. Above, birds of prey circled, their calls mingling with the rustle of leaves stirred by their wings, penetrating Quinn's ears. It felt as though specters were haunting her, seeking souls to claim. Quinn clutched her bathrobe tightly, covering her ears, curling up into a ball.

The light in the woods grew dimmer; and Quinn could only helplessly watch as the plants lost their outlines in the darkness.

Rustling came from behind in the grass, not like the sound of the wind rustling through the weeds, but as if something was moving stealthily in the grass.

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Quinn turned around fearfully. In the dim light, she saw the bushes rustling slightly. Something was moving towards her from below.

The patch of grass split in half, like a piece of jade cracking in the middle, with a sudden gap the size of a palm.

Quinn's heart clenched as she stared at the spreading crack in the grass.

One second.

Two seconds...

Ten seconds later, she finally saw something emerge from the grass!

Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you're not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on the complete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it's all free! Seeing that thing, her eyes widened; her face paled instantly; and her heart pounded wildly.

It was a snake as thick as a wrist, its upright head in the darkness resembling a standing tree trunk.

In the breeze, she and the snake locked eyes. She could even hear the snake hissing. Quinn swallowed hard, then suddenly jumped up, leaped off the bluestone, and ran swiftly into the woods. She was lost, unable to distinguish directions, not knowing which way she was running.

She couldn't tell if the rustling of the grass behind her was the snake chasing her or just the wind stirring the grass.

Fear drove her to run frantically. Thorns and brambles covered the ground, her poor bathrobe already torn and hanging loosely, almost turning into strips on her body.

She stumbled on something underfoot and fell directly. Her palm pressed on a thorn, sending a piercing pain through her. The fall drained all her strength; and she lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, thinking of Alexander abandoning her and leaving her all alone, she weakly lowered her head, no longer wanting to struggle.