Duskwood Legends [English Version]

This is not a survival game.

After just two minutes of walking, the farmhouse appears before our eyes; only a few meters and a few trees separate us from our destination.

Our march was a short one in all respects.

As soon as we left the clearing, I felt my adrenaline surge. I think until now I hadn't fully metabolized what was about to happen; or rather, what we were about to accomplish. My mind must have suddenly come face to face with reality, processing it all at once.

This is definitely what they call: "Self-preservation spirit."

It's that survival instinct that is triggered autonomously, on a subconscious level, as soon as we find ourselves in a risky circumstance; and let's face it, this is a terribly dangerous situation. It's like a sudden impulse, trying to get us to act as safely and prudently as possible. In fact, right now, it's shouting at me in a loud voice what I should do: run for my life, as many miles away as possible.

And this little voice is becoming more and more insistent.

Even if we have taken all possible precautions and applied all necessary preparations, it still remains a complete gamble.

From here on, we don't know what can happen at all.

The group must also be in the same emotional state as me, although I can see a strong determination in their eyes, never seen so intense before. We are all just following Jake and Phil, at the head of the line, without making the faintest of noises. It's fortunate that they, at least, manage to maintain a certain lucidity and cool blood.

In addition to the distress caused by the imminent raid, I'm also worried about Jake's laptop. We left it in the clearing, positioned on the ground and hidden between two large boulders. Its battery percentage was well below half, and without considering Dan and Poke guarding the camera, it is our only tool capable of alerting us to someone's arrival; it must imperatively remain turned on for the entire duration of the incursion. However, according to Jake's estimates, it should last another fifty minutes.

And this time limit, also coincides with the maximum limit we set for ourselves to carry out the attack. The choice of the duration is not only due to the short autonomy of the laptop, but it is also thought to be a safety issue: we must have enough time to escape together with Hannah, as far as possible.

The clock is ticking mercilessly.

I know it sounds strange said at 7:30 in the morning, but noon is approaching. And there is also another very important matter, which is not to be underestimated: knowing what Hanson's usual schedule is, does not preclude the possibility that he will suddenly change his plans.

There is nothing to prevent him from coming here early.

Our statistics and our investigations do not amount to having a certainty about how Michael will behave. We only have odds in our hands, and we have to be quick: our goal is to rescue Hannah and get away from there as fast as possible.

We arrive near the last trees, the ones that separate us from the beginning of the open space where the barn is located. We set up hidden behind some logs, with Jake and Phil always in front of us, crouching behind a bush.

I lean over a branch, just enough to see the farmhouse in its entirety.

Heck, it's huge.

And it is quite shabby and creepy; so much so, that it strikes fear in me just to look at it. Hannah could be anywhere, hidden and trapped inside. I think we'll need the full fifty minutes we've set and self-imposed, to explore and carry out the plan.