Chapter 1: A One-Way Trip

The bus chugged along the dusty road, its engine groaning with each mile. Sars slouched in her seat, glaring out the window as the forest grew denser, the trees forming a wall of green that seemed to close in around them. She didn't belong here. Camp Timber Ridge was supposed to be a place for troubled teens to get their act together, but as far as she was concerned, it was just a glorified prison. Her parents thought they could dump her here for the summer and come back to a brand-new daughter. Yeah, right.

Across the aisle, Xavier stared straight ahead, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. He could feel the anger bubbling inside him, threatening to boil over. This camp was a joke, and he knew it. But his parents had run out of patience, and this was his last chance before things got really bad. He didn't need fixing; the world needed to stop pushing his buttons.

Zion sat at the back, his hoodie pulled low over his eyes. He hadn't said a word since he boarded the bus, and the other teens hadn't bothered to speak to him either. That was fine by him. He liked it better that way. The less they knew about him, the better. He had his own reasons for being here, and none of them involved making friends.

Melody, the last of the group, fidgeted with her phone, even though she knew there was no signal out here. She hated the silence, the way it seemed to press in on her from all sides. Her parents thought this camp would help her "connect" with people, but all she felt was disconnected from everything and everyone. This was the last place she wanted to be.

The bus finally pulled to a stop in front of a large wooden sign that read "Welcome to Camp Timber Ridge." The driver grunted and motioned for them to get off. The four teens exchanged wary glances but complied. As they stepped onto the gravel path, a sense of unease settled over them. The camp looked ordinary enough—cabins scattered around a central lodge, a lake shimmering in the distance—but there was something off, something they couldn't quite put their fingers on.

A tall man with a forced smile approached them, clapping his hands together. "Welcome, campers! I'm Mr. Davis, the camp director. We're so glad to have you here at Timber Ridge. You're going to have a great summer, I promise."

None of them believed him.

Chapter 2: The Cabin

Mr. Davis led them to their cabin, Cabin 9, which sat at the edge of the camp, partially hidden by trees. The cabin was old, its wooden walls weathered and faded. The door creaked as he pushed it open, revealing a small, cramped space with four bunk beds and a single window that looked out into the forest.

"This will be your home for the summer," Mr. Davis announced, as if that were supposed to be comforting. "Settle in, and dinner will be served in the main lodge at 6. Jeremy will be by to check on you later."

"Who's Jeremy?" Sars asked, her tone flat.

"Jeremy Reynolds, one of our camp counselors," Mr. Davis replied. "He's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades around here. If you need anything, just ask him."

With that, he left them alone, the door closing with a soft click. The four teens stood in awkward silence, each of them reluctant to make the first move.

"I'll take this one," Xavier muttered, throwing his bag onto the bottom bunk closest to the door.

Sars shrugged and claimed the top bunk opposite him, while Zion silently took the bottom bunk beneath her. Melody, after a moment's hesitation, climbed up to the top bunk above Xavier.

As they began to unpack their things, a strange feeling settled over them, like they were being watched. Sars glanced out the window, but there was nothing there—just the dark line of trees swaying in the breeze.

"You guys feel that?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Feel what?" Xavier replied, not looking up.

"I don't know…like someone's watching us."

Melody shivered and looked around nervously. "It's just the woods. It's probably nothing."

Zion remained silent, but his eyes flicked toward the window. He had felt it too, but he wasn't about to admit that out loud.

The unease lingered as they finished unpacking, and by the time they headed to the main lodge for dinner, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the camp. The lodge was filled with other campers, all of them in various stages of settling in. But as they sat down at a table together, the feeling of being watched returned, stronger this time.

And then, he appeared.

Chapter 3: First Impressions

Jeremy Reynolds walked into the lodge with a slow, deliberate pace, his eyes scanning the room as if he were taking stock of everyone there. He was tall, with a gaunt face and piercing blue eyes that seemed to lock onto each of them, one by one. He had a calm, almost eerie demeanor, like someone who knew more than he was letting on.

"Welcome to Camp Timber Ridge," he said in a voice that was soft but carried through the room. "I'm Jeremy. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

There was something about the way he said it that made the hairs on the back of Melody's neck stand up. The room seemed to grow colder, and the shadows in the corners seemed to lengthen as he spoke.

"Creepy," Xavier muttered under his breath as Jeremy moved on to greet the other campers.

"He's just weird," Sars replied, though she didn't sound convinced.

Dinner was a quiet affair, each of them too absorbed in their own thoughts to make much conversation. The other campers seemed just as uneasy, casting glances at Jeremy whenever he wasn't looking. Afterward, they returned to their cabin, the sense of dread growing stronger with each passing minute.

As they got ready for bed, the tension in the room was palpable. They hadn't known each other for long, but the shared experience of being thrown into this strange place had bonded them in a way they hadn't expected.

"Do you think it's always like this?" Melody asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," Xavier replied. "But something's not right here. I can feel it."

Sars nodded in agreement. "We just need to keep our heads down, stay out of trouble. We'll be out of here in no time."

But Zion knew better. He could feel the darkness creeping in, the shadows closing around them. There was something wrong with this place, something that went beyond what any of them could understand.

As they turned out the lights and settled into their bunks, the forest outside seemed to come alive with strange noises—rustling leaves, distant whispers, and the occasional snap of a twig. Sars lay awake, staring at the ceiling, while Xavier tossed and turned, unable to find any comfort. Melody buried herself under the covers, trying to block out the sounds, while Zion lay perfectly still, listening.

And then they heard it—a soft, almost inaudible tapping at the window.

No one moved.

The tapping came again, more insistent this time.

Sars finally mustered the courage to look, her heart pounding in her chest. But when she peered through the glass, there was nothing there. Just the dark trees swaying in the night.

But as she turned away, she could have sworn she saw a shadow move, just beyond the edge of the forest.

And it looked like someone was standing there, watching.