Leo stopped at the curve of the trail, his heart skipped a beat as he looked down at the valley far below.
Leo shot back over his shoulder, "Let's race!"
The race began,Leo surged ahead, feeling the thrill of speed, the sharp burn in his legs, the feeling the sound of winds in his ears. Max pushed himself too, stumbling on roots, then laughing as he recovered.
After a while, Max stopped, hands on his knees, panting. "Okay… okay… you're cheating," he wheezed.
"How do you cheat at running uphill, genius?" Leo laughed, sweat dripping down his forehead.
"You've got longer legs. Don't you think that's unfair," Max shot back, pointing a shaky finger.
Leo smirked. "Yeah, and your mouth runs faster than your feet."
Max groaned,"Keep talking. I'll roll you down this hill myself."
They slowed to a walk, but the forest around them had grown quiet. The usual sound of rustling leaves and chirping of birds had faded, leaving only the sound of their own breathing and the crunch of their boots against gravel.
Max tugged his hoodie tighter around his shoulders.
"Are you sure this is the right trial ,Leo?"
"I am positive" Leo shouted back , grinning like it was just another thrilling dare .
" The map says there is a hidden lake up there,completely untouched and unseen by humans .
We are going to be the first ones . I can't contain my excitement,Max "
Max frowned "Hidden? Bro that's the same word they use before people reported to be have gone missing "
But Leo just laughed it off. His reckless infection smile is what made Max follow to all his bad ideas and so called thriller adventures from their childhood.
The forest thinned as they climbed higher and higher. The colour of the sky slowly turning darker.
The air around him felt thick, pressing against his chest as if the world itself wanted him to stop moving.Fear wrapped around him like a living thing.
"Let's go back before it gets dark .Otherwise our Moms will be worried for us.One wrong step here and we will reach afterlife "Max insisted
"Okay then let's be the first ones to see the afterlife and come back alive "Leo chuckled as he looked back.
Max panted, half-bent over."If it wasn't for you being my best friend, I'd never have agreed to this deadly trek."
Leo grinned without looking back."Come on, don't behave like a loser,"
Max increased his speed, closing the gap between them. He shot Leo a mock glare and argued, "Am I a loser for prioritizing my safety and my previous life over this life-threatening so-called thriller?" He rolled his eyes dramatically.
" Leo laughed, leaning on his trekking stick. "Life-threatening, huh? Bro, it's a mountain trail, not a dragon's lair. You just hate the uphill part."
"Oh, sure,"Max said, smirking."I'm a coward for wanting to survive while you pretend this is some epic hero moment."He gestured dramatically at the slope ahead.
" Pretend?You are being ridiculous. I'm not pretending ,look at me! I am the hero here. Conqueror of trails, master of the hills."
"Don't forget to write your name in history before you trip over your own shoelace." Max replied sarcastically.
"Leo stopped abruptly, grinning. "Hold up, Max! This needs documenting - history won't write itself." Max crossed his arms, smirking. "History? Or your ego?" Leo tilted his phone, angling the shot to include the beautiful mountain and sparkling streams. "Both," he said, tapping the screen. Max leaned in, trying to fit into the frame while rolling his eyes as Leo snapped. "Fine," Max muttered.
" Perfect! Look at us - legends of this trail." Max peeked at the photo, shaking his head. "Legends, huh? More like two idiots risking their lives for instagram likes .
Leo snorted , idiots with style .
Leo slipped his phone back into his pocket, brushing his hair from his forehead.
"Let's rest here for a while "Leo said while flopping on a nearby rock. "Let's actually take in this view before the mountain collapses or something."
Max followed him and sat aside without giving it another thought.
A gust of wind swept past, stronger than before, tossing their hair and shaking the leaves above. Leo frowned. "Weird… it's not supposed to be this windy."
Max raised his eyebrows " How come the warrior of the mountain has become scared of a little breeze now?"
Leo felt a faint vibration beneath his boots almost imperceptible. Suddenly all the birds went silent .
"Did… you feel that?" Leo whispered.
"Now that you have mentioned it , it does feel very weird"
A few seconds later, heavy raindrops began falling on them, sharp and cold, soaking through their clothes almost instantly.
"Great," Max muttered as he started shivering. "Just what we needed - a storm."
Leo squinted through the sheets of rain, scanning the trail ahead. "We need to find shelter. Fast."
Their boots sank slightly into mud as they ran, the slippery trail forcing them to watch every step.
Their boots sank slightly into mud as they ran, the slippery trail forcing them to watch every step.
They ran inside the cave dripping from rain and panting after running. Both of them sat down on the ground , trying to relax their body and processing what just happened.
Leo took his flashlight out of his backpack, carefully examining the cave .
Max shivered and rubbed his arms. "I swear, Leo, this place looks straight out of a horror story."
"Relax," Leo said, while trying to examine the floor. "It's just a cave. Probably nothing more than a few bats and some mud."
Max narrowed his eyes at the shadows. "Bats? Sure. Nothing more. That's exactly what they all say right before the scary stuff happens."
Leo chuckled, though he felt a small shiver run down his spine. "You're just scared. Admit it."
Max smirked. "Scared? Nah… selectively cautious.There's a difference."
A sudden drop of water hit Leo's shoulder , making him flinch hard . Suddenly the shadows seemed to twist, and the air felt heavier. Max glanced around nervously. "Do you feel that?"
Leo paused, sweeping the flashlight along the walls.
"What is that?" Leo whispered, stepping closer.
Max hesitated. "Maybe… just reflection? Or… something else?"
Before Leo could answer, the ground beneath them trembled slightly,then stronger vibration started.
"Leo… something's wrong," Max said, voice tight.
Leo reached for his friend's shoulder, but as he did, one corner of the cave suddenly expanded into a blinding light.
Everything went white.