I stepped out of the cabin into the cool night air, the crunch of gravel beneath my boots the only sound breaking the stillness. My flashlight barely cut through the darkness, but it was enough to guide me down the path. Midnight. Why did I agree to this? My heart pounded as I approached the meeting spot, the beam of light flickering over the trees. I could see them now, standing in a circle, their faces half-lit by the cold glow of the moon. Kofi was at the center, his arms crossed, flanked by four other boys whose expressions were unreadable in the dim light.
As I drew closer, their eyes widened in surprise. Clearly, they hadn't expected me to show up. Kofi uncrossed his arms and took a step forward, his face hard to read. "I didn't think you'd come, Jeremiah," he said, his voice a mix of disbelief and something else I couldn't quite place—respect, maybe, or amusement.
I kept my gaze steady, though anxiety twisted my insides. "Neither did I," I replied, trying to sound braver than I felt. "But here I am, so let's just get this over with."
One of the boys, Desmond, the tall one with a shaved head, snorted. "Look who's trying to act all tough now," he mocked, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Yeah, thought you'd be hiding under your bed," Rashawn, shorter than me, added, laughing. His voice had a sharp edge, like he was just waiting for the chance to see me break.
"Big man shows up for his beatdown," Malik chimed in, his grin wide, his pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight.
Devon, the last of the group, stayed quiet, his eyes narrowing as he sized me up. I could feel the tension building, thick and suffocating. My hand tightened around the flashlight. I could feel their stares on me, waiting for me to crack.
"And here I thought you guys were just decoration," I said, my voice steady but cold. "Hanging around but never actually doing anything."
That hit a nerve. Desmond's face twisted in anger, but before he could step forward, Kofi raised a hand.
"Enough," Kofi said, his voice sharp as he cut through the rising tension. His eyes stayed locked on mine. "Jeremiah's here now. Let's see if he can back up that mouth of his."
I swallowed hard but didn't back down. I wasn't going to run this time, no matter how badly my instincts screamed at me to turn and bolt back to the cabins.
Kofi's expression shifted as he stepped forward, closing the distance between us. I tensed as he placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but not threatening—yet. He leaned in slightly, his voice low and deliberate. "This is what I want." He pointed to a narrow, winding path that disappeared into the dense, dark woods. "There's supposed to be a treasure at the end of that trail, but no one's ever found it. Rangers have searched for years. But the truth is, the path only reveals itself to those it deems worthy—at a specific time, on a specific day."
A chill ran down my spine. My eyes darted to the path, then back to Kofi. "And you think I'm the one who's worthy?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts to sound calm.
Kofi's gaze didn't waver. "You're smart, Jeremiah. Capable. Maybe you're the kind of worthy it's talking about."
I let out a bitter laugh. "You think your 'decorations' wouldn't be a better fit for this?" I gestured to the boys around him.
Kofi's eyes darkened. "Frankly, I don't want to risk their lives. You seemed like a good substitute."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. Substitute. Of course, that's all I was to him. I turned to leave, heart pounding. "I'm out of here."
But as I tried to walk away, Malik and Rashawn moved in front of me, blocking the path. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, like they were hungry to see how this would play out.
"Let's be real," Kofi said from behind me, his voice calm, almost reasonable. "If there really is something magical at the end of that trail, and it only reveals itself to someone 'worthy'... well, a dorky boy who's been bullied all his life probably fits the bill. If anyone can do it, it's you."
The words stung, but there was something about the way he said it that made me pause. I could feel my anger rising. "You make it sound like all your bullying has been leading up to this moment."
Kofi shrugged, his arms extending out to his sides. "Who's to say?" His voice was light, like we were discussing something trivial.
I clenched my fists, biting back the angry retort that came to mind.
"All I'm asking is for you to check if my theory's right. Let me know if you see anything weird on the path, and I'll stop messing with you. For a year."
"A year?" I almost laughed, but it came out more like a bitter scoff. "You're insane. For risking my life, it better be forever."
The boys around him exchanged uneasy glances, and for a moment, Kofi didn't respond. The silence stretched, heavy with tension, until finally, he nodded. "Fine. Forever."
His voice was calm, but his eyes were dead serious.
The silence was broken by Desmond. "Yo, yuh serious, Kofi?"
"Forever?" Rashawn echoed, looking just as surprised.
Malik glanced between us, shaking his head. "This has to be a joke."
"If he actually finds something," Devon finally spoke, his voice quiet but sharp, "how do you know he won't tell anyone?"
Kofi gave me a pointed look. "He won't. Jeremiah's smart enough to realize that being invisible has its perks."
I met Kofi's eyes, my mind racing. He wasn't joking. His expression told me that much. My mouth went dry as I looked at the path again. The darkness seemed to swallow it whole, and fear clawed at my insides.
But I couldn't run. I wouldn't. Not now.
I took a deep breath, forcing my feet to move. One step, then another, and soon I was walking down the path, the beam of my flashlight cutting through the oppressive blackness. The voices of the boys faded behind me, leaving only the sound of my footsteps and the rustle of the wind through the trees.
The darkness pressed in around me as I ventured deeper into the woods. Each step felt heavier, like the forest itself was closing in, waiting for me to make a wrong move. My flashlight flickered, casting strange shadows over the gnarled branches and twisted roots. The path ahead was barely visible, swallowed by the night and thick foliage.
"Why did I agree to this?" I muttered, the sound of my voice oddly comforting in the eerie silence. But I knew the answer. Kofi's offer—freedom from him, forever—was too tempting to pass up. And yet, now that I was out here, I realized how ridiculous it all seemed. Kofi's promises were nothing but empty words. There was no treasure, no magical path, just the looming fear of the unknown.
The beam of my flashlight sputtered again, and I smacked it hard, praying it wouldn't go out completely. It flickered one last time before plunging me into complete darkness.
"Great. Just great." My voice cracked with frustration. I was now alone in the pitch-black forest, the faint moonlight barely enough to make out the shapes of trees around me. The chill of the night seeped through my jacket, and I pulled my hood tighter, shoving my hands deep into my pockets.
As I trudged forward, the soft drizzle that had started earlier quickly turned into a steady downpour. The rain soaked through my clothes, the cold biting at my skin. The path beneath my feet grew muddy and slick, making each step more treacherous than the last.
The rain drummed on the leaves above, turning the forest into a cacophony of sound. Every rustle, every snap of a twig, sent a jolt of panic through me. I was completely exposed, vulnerable, and the fear that something—or someone—was watching me gnawed at my mind.
I stumbled over an unseen root, nearly falling face-first into the mud. My breath came in ragged gasps as I caught myself, my hands sinking into the wet earth. "Just keep going," I whispered to myself, pushing back the rising terror. "You've come this far. Don't turn back now."
But every step forward felt like a mistake. The air around me seemed to thicken, like the forest itself was watching, waiting. I could feel the weight of it pressing down on me, an oppressive, suffocating presence that grew with every passing minute.
Then, as if the forest had heard my thoughts, the path beneath my feet gave way.
One moment I was walking, and the next, the ground seemed to vanish beneath me. I let out a startled yelp as I slid down the slick slope, my hands grasping wildly for something—anything—to stop my fall. My fingers scraped against wet leaves and branches, but nothing held. Panic surged through me as I slid farther, the world tilting sideways in a blur of rain and mud.
Just as I was about to tumble into the unknown, my hand caught onto a thick branch. I clung to it with everything I had, my body dangling precariously over the edge. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in short, frantic bursts. For a few terrifying moments, I thought the branch would snap, sending me plunging into whatever lay below.
But it held.
Slowly, carefully, I pulled myself up, my fingers trembling as they dug into the rough bark. My legs scrambled for purchase on the slick ground, and after what felt like an eternity, I managed to crawl back to solid footing. I crouched there for a moment, gasping for breath, my body shaking from the adrenaline and the cold.
The rain continued to pour down, soaking me to the bone, but I barely noticed. All I could think about was how close I'd come to falling, to disappearing into the darkness below.
I glanced back up the slope, the trail barely visible through the rain and darkness. Climbing back up was impossible—the ground was too slick, too unstable. There was only one way to go now. Forward.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and began moving again, this time more cautiously. The path had become narrow and treacherous, winding through dense underbrush that seemed to grab at me with every step. My clothes were soaked, my hands scraped raw from the fall, but I forced myself to keep going.
Then, just as I thought I couldn't go any farther, I saw it.
A light.
Faint at first, just a small glimmer in the distance, but unmistakable. My heart quickened with a mixture of hope and fear. Could this be the treasure Kofi was talking about? Was it real, or was it just another trick of the light?
I quickened my pace, ignoring the exhaustion and the rain, my eyes locked on the glowing spot ahead. The trees seemed to part as I approached, revealing a small clearing bathed in an eerie, unnatural light. The source of the glow was something I couldn't quite make sense of at first—an object, shimmering faintly. Embedded in the ground at the center of the clearing, within a circle, marked with an intricate design.
My breath caught in my throat as I stepped closer. It wasn't a treasure chest or anything you'd expect from a legend. It was a stone, smooth and polished, with strange, intricate markings carved into its surface. The light seemed to emanate from within, casting an otherworldly glow that sent a chill down my spine.
I crouched down, staring at the stone, my mind racing. What was this? Why was it here? And why did it feel like it was...waiting for me?
I reached out, my hand trembling as it hovered over the stone. The air around it felt charged, like the moment before a storm breaks. Every instinct screamed at me not to touch it, but something deeper, something I couldn't explain, compelled me forward.
My fingers brushed the surface of the stone, and the world seemed to shift.
A jolt of energy shot through my body, like an electric current surging through my veins. The light from the stone flared brighter, blinding me for a moment. I stumbled back, gasping, my heart racing as the glow pulsed in time with my own heartbeat.
And then, just as quickly as it had started, the light dimmed. The stone lay still and silent once more, as if nothing had happened.
I stared at it, my mind struggling to make sense of what I had just experienced. But before I could think too much about it, a new sound broke the silence—A loud whoosh.
" Oh God, I feel like I am going to hurl....".