Felicia seethed, barely suppressing a torrent of curses. But she couldn't voice them, not with Maurice watching from behind the barrier, his smug grin fueling her rage. "Lunatic! Absolute psycho!" she cursed inwardly. Anger, however, wouldn't solve this.
The moment she hit the water, the crocodiles on the bank began moving, silently slipping into the murky depths. Those already submerged surged toward her with terrifying speed, their presence rippling the surface. Escape was her only option.
She launched herself toward the nearest shore, legs pumping furiously as she splashed through the water. The crocodile enclosure—massive, a controlled habitat surrounded by high fences and iron bars—contained the reptiles, but also trapped anyone unfortunate enough to be thrown in. The only exit was the locked gate, impossible to reach without help. Her only choice was the nearest dry land, where several large trees offered a slim chance of survival.
A deafening splash sounded behind her as she scrambled onto the muddy bank. A crocodile erupted from the water, jaws snapping open to reveal razor-sharp teeth. It lunged. Behind the fence, Maurice's brow twitched. His men exchanged nervous glances, fists clenching. They weren't worried about Felicia—they were worried about her taking their boss down with her if the venomous creatures struck. Abbie, off to the side, curled her lips into a vicious smirk, gripping her uniform, silently praying for Felicia's demise.
On the bank, Felicia felt the predator's rancid breath on her neck. She didn't turn; there was no time. Instead, she pivoted sharply, rolling aside just as the crocodile's jaws snapped shut where she'd been standing. The loud crack of its teeth was chilling.
But there was no time to celebrate. Two more crocodiles surged from the water, then a third. On land, they moved slower, their heavy bodies dragging—but they were relentless, their unblinking green eyes fixed on her. Felicia darted toward the nearest tree, but the crocodiles closed in from all sides. She was trapped.
Behind the barrier, Maurice sighed, bored. "Well, that's that," he muttered, signaling his guards. He wasn't about to let her die—not when it would kill him too. But before he could give the order, one of his men yelled, "What the—look!"
Maurice turned to see Felicia leap into the air. In a desperate burst of energy, she grabbed a tree branch, scrambling up as if her life depended on it. Within seconds, she perched on a thick branch, clinging for dear life. Below, the crocodiles were in chaos. Their jaws snapped at the empty air, frustration boiling over. The closest lunged too far, accidentally biting another's leg.
That was all it took. The enclosure descended into a brutal, bloody frenzy. Crocodiles turned on each other, hissing, snapping, and tearing with primal ferocity. The scene was a blur of splashing water and flying dirt, the air thick with the sounds of death rolls and guttural roars. The survivors grew even more frenzied, their territorial instincts driving them to fight to the death. Meanwhile, in the tree, Felicia clung to her branch, watching the chaos unfold below. She was safe, at least for now.