It was a perfect, sunny afternoon — the last day of April — and a group of friends were laughing and playing near the edge of a sparkling lake, just outside the small town of Antwerp.
They had been inseparable for as long as they could remember, always finding something new to do, no matter the season, no matter the day.
"I bet you won't jump in the water," Pate teased, a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You're right — I've got places to be tonight," KJ said, shaking his head with a smirk.
The group burst into laughter, already well aware of the plans KJ had made for the evening.
"We all know where you're going tonight," Shoto added, chuckling as he nudged KJ in the ribs.
The laughter faded as the group of friends settled by the water's edge, their chatter softening. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the lake, its surface sparkling like glass.
KJ stood up, glancing at his watch. "I really should head back. I've got things to do before tonight."
The others groaned in playful protest, but as KJ turned toward the trees, Shoto noticed something — a flicker at the edge of the woods, just beyond the treeline. His gaze snapped to the spot, but the shadow was already gone, slipping into the darkness like it had never been there at all.
"Everything okay?" Elizabeth asked, her voice cutting through the sudden silence. She looked at Shoto with concern.
Shoto forced a smile, though his pulse had quickened. "Yeah, just thought I saw something. Probably nothing."
Pate raised an eyebrow. "What, like a ghost?" he teased, but Shoto could hear the faint uncertainty in his tone.
Braydon chuckled, but he too was staring into the woods now. "Man, it's probably just an animal."
But even as he said it, Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know… I felt something. Like… we weren't alone."
Shoto's stomach twisted. He didn't know why, but her words felt like a warning. The peaceful atmosphere of the lake seemed to have changed, as if the air itself was holding its breath.
"Let's just enjoy the day, yeah?" KJ said, trying to shake off the tension. But Shoto could feel the unease spreading through the group, like a slow poison that no one could escape.
As they packed up to leave, Shoto glanced back toward the woods. The breeze picked up, rustling the trees, but there was something off about it — too quiet, too controlled. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone, or something, was watching them from just out of sight.
When the last of the group began walking away, Shoto hesitated. His heart raced, and a cold shiver crawled up his spine. He didn't want to admit it, but the peaceful day they'd shared felt so far away now, swallowed by the creeping darkness around them.