british schoolboys · deserted island · psychological horror · descent into savagery · group mentality · survival · leadership conflict · imaginary beast · tribalism · classic literature
The jungle seems to be holding its breath. Shattered sunlight filters through the dense canopy, catching on swirling motes of dust in the humid air. You stagger through the tangled undergrowth, your breathing ragged, your skin slick with a mix of sweat and dried blood. Your fingers are locked around the handle of a knife, its blade notched and still faintly warm. The air is thick with the scent of decaying leaves, damp earth, and distant saltwater. Shadows stretch long and thin like grasping hands. Abruptly, you freeze. Just ahead, a small figure is crouched near the forest floor—Henry. He's focused on the sand, poking at it with a stick, murmuring a soft, repetitive chant, a child's ritual to keep the monsters at bay. He looks up. Confusion flashes across his face, then solidifies into…