The forest was strange, bathed in the cold silver light of the moon. Shadows stretched and twisted between the trees, making familiar shapes look… wrong.
The man shivered, feeling the night press in from all sides. The wind rustled the leaves like whispered warnings, and the distant hoot of an owl sounded unnervingly close.
He turned in slow circles, eyes scanning the darkness, but everything looked distorted, almost alive in the gloom.
Then he saw it.
Something—or someone—moved between the trees, massive and hulking, its shape barely visible in the moonlight.
Panic surged through him, and without a second thought, he ran. Branches clawed at his arms, roots threatened to trip him, and every snap of a twig made him jump higher.
Finally, his lungs burning and legs trembling, he skidded to a stop. He spun around—and froze.
The thing was closer now, huge and shadowy, stepping silently toward him, its form twisting with the shadows. A cold dread squeezed his chest. His scream tore through the night.
"AAAAHHH—!"
Darren jerked awake, heart hammering in his chest. The forest vanished, replaced by the pale walls and fluorescent lights of his classroom. He was sitting upright at his desk, breaths coming fast. Just a dream.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and let out a shaky laugh. "Man… A dream?"
"Hey, you good?"
Charlie leaned over from the next desk, his voice half-concerned, half-amused.
Darren tried to smile. "Yeah… yeah, just dozed off."
Darren took a deep breath, rubbing his temples. It was just a nightmare, he told himself. Just a dream.
Still, it had felt so real — the cold air, the moonlight, that thing chasing him through the woods. Even now, the memory sent a chill down his spine.
Later that day, during lunch break, Darren and Charlie headed toward the school canteen together. The smell of fried food and coffee filled the air, mixing with the loud chatter of students.
They joined the line for their favorite food stall, laughing about something stupid Charlie had said, when Darren suddenly felt a light tap on his shoulder.
He turned around.
"Jenna?" he blurted, a little surprised.
She stood there with a warm smile, wearing a white shirt tucked into a pair of light blue jeans. Her brown hair shimmered under the cafeteria lights, and for a moment, Darren forgot how to breathe.
Jenna was one of the most gorgeous girls in school — the kind everyone noticed when she walked into a room. She wasn't unfriendly, but she rarely talked to boys outside her circle.
"Hey," Jenna said, smiling.
"H-hey," Darren managed, trying not to sound as awkward as he felt.
"So," she began, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "me and my friends are planning a camping trip at this campground tomorrow… and I was wondering if you'd like to join us?"
Darren blinked, stunned. Charlie did too. Of all people, Jenna was inviting him — the guy who could barely stay awake in class.
"Um… uh…" Darren stammered, his brain short-circuiting.
Jenna giggled softly. "Of course, Charlie can come too. It's gonna be fun."
Charlie leaned closer, grinning. "Come on, man. You turned eighteen two weeks ago — you're basically an adult now. Live a little."
Darren hesitated. He'd never gone camping before, and the thought made him a little nervous. Still… Jenna's bright smile and the idea of an adventure were hard to resist.
Finally, he nodded. "Alright… I'm in."
The next day, Darren pulled up outside Charlie's house in his old car, engine rumbling. Charlie climbed in, tossing his backpack into the back seat.
"You excited?" Charlie asked, smirking. "You know what? I think Jenna might have a crush on you."
Darren raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "What? No way."
"Dude, think about it. You're not exactly best friends with her, and yet she personally invited you to a camping trip? That's not random."
Darren laughed and shook his head, but he couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips.
"Maybe," he said. "Maybe this trip won't be so bad after all."
The group followed the narrow dirt trail into the forest, their laughter fading beneath the towering canopy above. The trees grew taller the deeper they went, their branches knitting together until only slivers of gray sky peeked through.
A cool breeze brushed past, and Darren glanced up. Thick, dark clouds were gathering above the treetops.
"It's not gonna rain, right?" he asked, tightening his grip on his backpack strap.
"Probably not," Charlie replied. "They come, they go. Just clouds."
Darren nodded, though he wasn't convinced.
The forest was beautiful — rich with tall trees and lush greenery — but it was… quiet. Too quiet. There were no birds chirping, no rustle of small animals. Only the sound of their footsteps and the occasional creak of wood as the wind stirred the branches.
No one else seemed to notice. Mia was chatting with Jenna, and David was walking ahead, humming to himself. The group pressed on, following the winding trail until the trees began to thin out.
Soon, the forest opened up into a small clearing — a plain that sloped gently toward a narrow canal glistening under the dim light. A few huts and tents dotted the area, their canvas walls flapping softly in the breeze.
"It looks just like the pictures," Jenna said, smiling as she looked around.
It did — almost exactly like the online photos. Still, Darren couldn't shake the feeling that something was… off. There were tents, yes, but no people. No voices. No movement.
"It's kinda empty," Charlie murmured, looking around.
"Guess it's not travel season," Mia said, forcing a light tone.
For a moment, it almost felt like they were the only ones there. But those tents… someone had to be nearby. Right?
Darren's gaze swept the clearing. The wind picked up again, colder this time, carrying the faint scent of rain. Clouds gathered thicker overhead, swallowing the sunlight completely. The once-inviting campground now sat under a dull gray sky.
He sighed quietly, a shiver crawling up his spine. Something about this place doesn't feel right.
He couldn't explain it — it wasn't the silence, or the emptiness — just a deep, unsettling feeling he couldn't name. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he was just being paranoid.
Brushing the thought away, Darren hoisted his bag higher and walked toward the huts.
Darren and Charlie stepped into the hut together. It wasn't big, but it had everything they needed — two blankets, a sleeping bag, a small wooden table, and a window that looked out toward the forest edge. The air inside smelled faintly of old wood and dust.
"This is it," Darren said, dropping his backpack onto the floor.
Charlie chuckled. "Not bad. Cozy enough, I guess."
They set their things down and rested for a bit, the quiet hum of the forest filling the silence. Then, a knock came from the door.
"Darren, Charlie," Jenna's voice called from outside.
Darren opened the door. Jenna stood there with Mia, Sofia, and David.
"Me and the girls are going to look for some natural food around the area," she said. "We need you guys to stay here at the camp, okay? We'll be back as soon as possible."
"Oh… um, okay," Darren said, trying not to sound disappointed.
"Can we go with you?" Charlie asked quickly.
"Um, it won't be long," Sofia replied, smiling politely. "We'll be back soon, and then we can start the campfire activities, alright?"
"Right… sure," Charlie muttered.
"Okay, I'll see you," Jenna said, giving a brief wave before they all headed off together — even David, who was joking around with the girls as they disappeared between the trees.
Darren watched them go, feeling a small pang in his chest. He had said it was fine to stay, but deep down, he wished they'd been allowed to come along. Now there was nothing to do but wait.
"Wooh," Charlie sighed, collapsing onto his blanket. "Why can't we go with them? This is not what I expected when they said camping. I thought there'd be more people, more fun."
He turned toward Darren. "Come on, man. What do we do while waiting?"
Without hesitation, Darren said, "Sleep. The weather's cloudy, it's quiet… perfect nap time."
Charlie grinned. "You're not wrong."
They crawled into their sleeping bags and closed their eyes, the soft patter of wind against the window slowly lulling them into sleep.
"Hey… hey?"
A faint voice echoed inside Darren's head. It wasn't familiar — it wasn't Charlie's.
He opened his eyes slowly. Everything was different. He was no longer in the hut. He was standing near a lake under the pale curve of the moon. The night sky was pitch black, stars hidden behind thick clouds.
"What…?" he murmured.
Boom.
The ground trembled beneath him. The surface of the lake rippled violently, waves crashing against the shore. He stumbled backward, eyes fixed on the dark water.
Then he saw it — a shadow moving beneath the surface, massive and shapeless.
BOOM.
Water erupted upward, drenching him as something broke through — a gigantic brown hand, slick with mud, claws glinting under the moonlight.
"Wait—what is that—"
Before he could move, the thing surged higher from the lake—
"AAHH—!"
Darren gasped and shot upright, heart pounding in his chest. He was back in the hut.
Panting, he pressed a hand to his forehead. "Another dream…?" he muttered, trying to calm himself. "Just another dream."
He turned toward the window. The sky outside had darkened; the sun was already dipping low behind the trees.
"They're probably back by now," he said quietly.
But something was wrong.
He glanced at the sleeping bag beside him. It was empty.
"Charlie?" Darren called.
No answer.
He stood up, his pulse quickening. "Charlie?"
The hut was silent.
Darren stepped outside — and froze.
The camp was empty. No one was there. The air was unnaturally still, the kind of silence that pressed against your ears.
The sun hung low in the sky, glowing orange through the trees. It was already evening.
But there was no Jenna. No Mia. No Sofia. No David.
No one.
Where are they??!