A tense silence fell over the group as Clark's rage manifested in a startling, physical form. Thick, unbreakable strings began to pour out of his hands, coiling around Tina like a serpent. Her eyes widened in terror as the strings tightened, binding her tightly and lifting her off the ground. The air was thick with Clark's barely controlled fury, his intent clear in the cold, steely glint of his eyes.
Rose and John reacted instantly, their voices rising in panic and anger.
"CLARK, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU'LL KILL HER!" Rose screamed, rushing forward to try and pull the strings off Tina, but they were too strong.
John, thinking quickly, grabbed his pen, the key to his own spirit power. He called out, "Zenn!" In an instant, the spirit appeared, shimmering in the air before transforming into a sleek, sharp samurai sword. John leaped into the air with impressive agility, bringing the blade down with all his might. The sword slashed through the strings, shattering them into pieces and freeing Tina, who collapsed to the ground gasping for air.
The sudden shock snapped Clark out of his anger-fueled trance. He looked down at his hands, now free of the strings, and then at Tina, who lay trembling on the ground. His face contorted with a mix of guilt and confusion, the realization of what he'd almost done crashing down on him like a wave.
John, seething with anger, stormed over to Clark and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him hard. "IDIOT! YOU COULD'VE KILLED HER! FOR WHAT? THERE'S NO REASON GOOD ENOUGH FOR THIS!" John's voice was a roar of frustration and fear, his eyes blazing with intensity.
A dark, unsettling laugh escaped Clark's lips, a sound that sent chills down everyone's spines. His eyes gleamed with a manic light, Salis's influence seeping through as he lost control. He pointed accusingly at Tina, his voice rising in a chilling crescendo.
"THIS BITCH TRIED TO KILL ANNIE, FOR NO FUCKING REASON!" Clark's voice was a mix of fury and madness as he held up the box, the damning evidence of Tina's actions.
Tina's face twisted in despair, shame, and pure guilt, caught red-handed with no escape. The group fell into a stunned silence, the weight of the revelation pressing down on them. Rose, unable to comprehend the depth of Tina's betrayal, tried to defend her friend, but her voice was shaky, unsure.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! I KNOW TINA HATED ANNIE, BUT SHE WOULDN'T GO THAT FAR! SHE SAID NOTHING WOULD GO WRONG—" Rose's voice faltered, and she clamped her mouth shut, realizing too late that she had incriminated herself. She had helped Tina set up the engine on Annie's canoe, manipulated into believing that Annie was selfishly hoarding food while they starved.
John and Michael stood in shock, their disbelief turning into anger. John's grip on his samurai sword tightened, the blade gleaming ominously as if ready to strike. The air was thick with tension, the threat of violence hanging heavy.
Clark's rage boiled over. "YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER, YOU TWO! ROSE, YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS AND DIDN'T TELL US! YOU DISOBEYED ME, YOUR LEADER, AND NEARLY KILLED A MEMBER!" His voice was like thunder, shaking everyone to their core.
Tina and Rose were silent, weighed down by their guilt and the realization of their actions. Rose's eyes filled with tears as she tried to explain, her voice barely a whisper. "Tina told me she just wanted to scare Annie, to make her seasick. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD HURT HER THIS MUCH!" Rose's words were desperate, pleading for some understanding, but they rang hollow in the tense air.
Michael's voice cut through the chaos, his tone commanding and urgent. "GUYS, ALL OF YOU SHUT UP! SCOLDING TINA AND ROSE WON'T SAVE ANNIE!" His words snapped the group back to the immediate crisis, the need to rescue Annie taking precedence over everything else.
He pointed towards a super yacht docked near the shore, its sleek lines promising speed and power. "We're going to steal that yacht and find Annie on the other side of the lake," Michael declared, his voice filled with determination. The group, galvanized by his leadership, sprang into action. Even Tina, still looking distraught, followed along, while Clark's simmering anger was momentarily set aside.
Even Tina, still looking distraught, followed along, while Clark's simmering anger was momentarily set aside
They moved quickly, hopping onto the yacht with a sense of urgency. As they started the engine, the guards stationed by the lake noticed their actions and shouted after them. "HEY, STOP THAT!" one of the guards yelled, reaching for his weapon.
A gunshot rang out, aimed at disabling the yacht's engine. But John, with lightning-fast reflexes, drew his katana and deflected the bullet in mid-air, sending it ricocheting into a nearby tree. The guards could only watch in shock as the yacht's powerful engines roared to life.
Michael set the controls to full throttle, and the yacht surged forward, cutting through the water with incredible speed. The group held on tight as the wind whipped through their hair and the yacht skipped over the waves. The lake stretched out before them, vast and foreboding, but they were determined to find Annie.
In less than ten minutes, they had reached the middle of the massive lake. The water was dark and deep, the horizon stretching endlessly. The tension was palpable, each of them scanning the surface for any sign of Annie.