Eventually, exhaustion overtook their excitement, and they settled into their tents. The forest grew quieter, the crackling fire dimming as sleep claimed them one by one.
But Carson couldn't find peace. His dreams quickly turned into a vivid nightmare—a chaotic blur of horrors. He saw shadowy figures moving between the trees, their shapes unnatural and menacing. The once-beautiful forest twisted into something sinister, with trees that seemed to breathe and rivers running red.
In his dream, he was lost, separated from his friends, surrounded by whispers that grew louder and louder until he woke with a gasp. His heart raced as he sat up, his body drenched in sweat. The camp was silent except for the soft breathing of his friends.
Carson glanced around, his nightmare still fresh in his mind. The shadows cast by the dying fire seemed to dance ominously, and every rustle of leaves made him jump. Unable to shake the feeling of dread, he stayed awake, staring into the darkness and waiting for morning to come.
The morning came, and after a quick breakfast, the group packed up their gear, ready to continue their journey. The forest was still, and the air had a crispness to it as they rode their bicycles deeper into the wilderness. Carson, still disturbed by the vividness of his nightmare, began to share the details of the terrifying vision he had experienced the night before.
"I saw... I saw us being taken by monsters," Carson began, his voice low and uneasy. "They enslaved us, and we had to endure horrors—things I can't even describe. In the end, we just... died from starvation. No food, no way out."
Ky, who had been riding alongside him, frowned. "Stop with the disgusting nightmare talk, Carson. It's not fair to the rest of us," she said, irritated by the dark tone of the conversation.
Carson shook his head. "I'm telling you, it felt real. I'm not making this up!"
Brooke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by 'real'?" she asked, skeptical but intrigued.
"I mean it was real for me," Carson insisted. "The nightmare—it felt like it actually happened."
Ky snorted. "You just mean it, but you don't really mean it," she said, teasing him.
The others joined in, laughing and joking at Carson's expense. They couldn't quite understand why he was so shaken by a simple nightmare.
But Jillian, who had been quietly riding ahead, glared back at them. Her expression was serious, not amused by their childish teasing. She had been quietly watching Carson, feeling a secret concern that she kept hidden beneath the surface. Unbeknownst to the others, Jillian had developed a soft spot for him.
Finally, unable to contain her frustration any longer, she stopped and turned sharply toward the group. Her eyes flashed with anger. "Enough!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the laughter like a whip. "If you keep acting like children, our adventure will be over before it even starts! We have a long way to go, and we need to stick together if we're going to reach the haunted place. But right now, you're not acting like a team. You're not even united!"
Her words hung in the air, and for the first time, the group fell silent, realizing the seriousness in Jillian's tone. They all exchanged guilty glances, feeling the weight of her words.
Jillian's expression softened slightly, but she didn't back down. "I know we're all excited, but we need to focus. We can't let anything—whether it's nightmares or jokes—distract us from our goal."
With that, the group gathered their bearings and continued on. The mood shifted as they rode on in silence for a while, reflecting on what had just happened. They moved on through the forest, their pace slow but steady. They encountered wild birds soaring through the trees, the sound of a rushing river in the distance, and fields of vibrant flowers along the way.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, they found a good spot to set up camp for the night. The routine was familiar—pitching the tents, gathering firewood, and lighting a bonfire. They settled in around the fire, the warmth from the flames a welcome contrast to the cool night air.
Though the earlier tension lingered, they sat in quiet reflection, the only sounds the crackling fire and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures. Tomorrow was a new day, and they knew the adventure was far from over. But for tonight, they could rest—together, as one.