“Damn it!” Aden said as he looked out over the horizon. The sun was starting to set. That flat tire set them back. There was no way they would make it back back to the compund before night fall even if he gunned it.

“Get the gear” Aden called out to Hailey who was still in the truck.

“On it” Her voice called back as sje jumped out of the truck, her boots hitting the dusty ground. She slung a backpack over her shoulder. In addition she wore a utility belt with an assortment of tools.

Aden headed to the back of the truck and grabbed his own back pack, as well as few other items. They were going to have to hoof it. The turck would offer no protection.

His eyes scanned the surroudnings, along the dusty road, and across the fields. It was mostly flat open land, not a lot of places to take cover.

“What do you think? Where should we head?” Aden asked. They would have to make a decision soon, light was fading fast.

Hailey took in their surroundings.

“There is grouping of rocks over there” She pointed in the distance. “That is the best we can do.”

Aden nodded there was no time left to waste. Without another word they set off at a run for the rocks.

By the time they reached the rocks the last of the light was just beginning to dissapear behind the horizon.

“Ok, lets set up!” Aden said.

Aden and Hailey kneeled down with thier backs against the rocks and began unzipping their backpacks. Aden loaded a flare gun. Hailey removed some heavy duty flashlights from her bag and laid them out where they would be easy to reach. Aden pulled out a stack of forever logs and lit them up creating a bonfire.

“Now we wait” Aden saod.

Aden and Hailey sat with their backs pressed against the rocks, the bonfire in front of them. Aiden held the flare gun, with extra flares lined up beside him. Hailey held one of the large flashlights.

The preadators came out at night. Thier skin was inky black, bledning into the darkness making them akmost invisisble. They moved swiftly in almost compelete silence. They could see better in the dark than many animals could see in the dylight, they also had excellent hearing.

As creatures who lived in darkness they had one weakness. Light.

Aiden and Hailey strained their senses, atunnin themselves to the enviroment. Training their eyes to the darkness.

The faintist sound of scrapping could be heard. “There behind the rocks!” Hailey said as she quickly sprung up, spinning around she threw on the light. As the powerful light beam illuminated the creature there came a sudden high pitched scream and the creature vanished into the night, springing away from the rocks.

At the same time Aiden shot off one of his flares directly into another creature. Another shriek pierced the air as the creature writhed on the ground.

Hailey snatched up a secound flashlight and turned it on and began sweeping both flashlighs into the darkness around her. Every now and than a creature would be caught in a head beam and swiftly vanish back into the darkness. When Aiden caught sight of a movement he would fire off a flare.

They continued, keeping as much light around them as they could through the night, listening to the echoing screams of the creatures.

Finally the first light of dawn began to crest over the horizon. Aiden and Hailey slumped back to the ground and leaned back against the rocks, exhausted. With daylight on the rise they would be safe.