Catherine

Have you been here before?' "'No, I haven't. I just asked for campsite suggestions on Reddit, and someone suggested this place.' She shrugged, her blonde curls bouncing over her flannel-clad shoulders. "'Because that's not sketchy at all,' Josh laughed."

autumn gave josh a defensive shove and he snatched her up into a playful headlock their embrace collapsing into a mess of giggles as sylvia jabbed at them both with a pointy stick she had claimed off the ground you've heard the stories about this place though haven't you sylvia asked us arching an eyebrow

autumn gave josh a defensive shove and he snatched her up into a playful headlock their embrace collapsing into a mess of giggles as sylvia jabbed at them both with a pointy stick she had claimed off the ground you've heard the stories about this place though haven't you sylvia asked us arching an eyebrow

You know, I grew up around here, and my parents were always telling us stories about the mountain. They didn't want us coming up here. They said there were always stories about hikers getting lost in the forest and never being found. That's it? Mikey asked. The stories I heard were way more interesting.

You know, I grew up around here, and my parents were always telling us stories about the mountain. They didn't want us coming up here. They said there were always stories about hikers getting lost in the forest and never being found. That's it? Mikey asked. The stories I heard were way more interesting.

I heard people used to live on this mountain, but they had to evacuate the whole place because of some Chernobyl-type situation. Either that or a huge forest fire wiped them all out. I can't remember. I rolled my eyes. Mikey was never one for the specifics. "'Where did you hear all that nonsense? On one of your weird conspiracy blogs?' Josh laughed.

I heard people used to live on this mountain, but they had to evacuate the whole place because of some Chernobyl-type situation. Either that or a huge forest fire wiped them all out. I can't remember. I rolled my eyes. Mikey was never one for the specifics. "'Where did you hear all that nonsense? On one of your weird conspiracy blogs?' Josh laughed.

"'I actually don't think Mikey is completely wrong this time. Look. I pointed across the perfectly empty clearing to a lump in the overgrown darkness that I had noticed while we were setting up camp. It was a small pile of bricks, the collapsed remnants of a wall that hadn't stood for a very long time. Whatever building used to be here, it was long gone.'

"'I actually don't think Mikey is completely wrong this time. Look. I pointed across the perfectly empty clearing to a lump in the overgrown darkness that I had noticed while we were setting up camp. It was a small pile of bricks, the collapsed remnants of a wall that hadn't stood for a very long time. Whatever building used to be here, it was long gone.'

sylvia shook her head i don't know anything about all that but there was a small commune that tried to live up here a while ago i don't remember exactly what happened but they kind of just fell off the radar i think the police were looking into it josh looked around the silent clearing well i don't know what happened to them but they're definitely not here anymore

sylvia shook her head i don't know anything about all that but there was a small commune that tried to live up here a while ago i don't remember exactly what happened but they kind of just fell off the radar i think the police were looking into it josh looked around the silent clearing well i don't know what happened to them but they're definitely not here anymore

Maybe one day they all just vanished. Autumn leaned in close, wiggling her fingers at us, letting the flames of the fire light up her face dramatically before she erupted into a drowsy fit of giggles. Okay, I chuckled. That's enough conspiracy theory talk for tonight. Let's head to bed.

Maybe one day they all just vanished. Autumn leaned in close, wiggling her fingers at us, letting the flames of the fire light up her face dramatically before she erupted into a drowsy fit of giggles. Okay, I chuckled. That's enough conspiracy theory talk for tonight. Let's head to bed.

I woke to the crackling sound of sausages cooking over the fire and the pink light of morning piercing its way through the mesh of my tent. I emerged from the tent to see Josh, Autumn, and Sylvia sitting around the fire laughing and poking each other with the skewered hot dogs they were broiling. My stomach growled hungrily at the sight of breakfast. "'Hey guys,' I greeted.

I woke to the crackling sound of sausages cooking over the fire and the pink light of morning piercing its way through the mesh of my tent. I emerged from the tent to see Josh, Autumn, and Sylvia sitting around the fire laughing and poking each other with the skewered hot dogs they were broiling. My stomach growled hungrily at the sight of breakfast. "'Hey guys,' I greeted.

"'Is Mikey still asleep? He's gonna be mad y'all are eating without him.'" Josh turned to me, the fresh light of the morning haloing his handsome face. I expected him to make a joke about Mikey oversleeping. I expected him to pull me into a tight embrace and to cook me some breakfast over the campfire. I expected a smile, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

"'Is Mikey still asleep? He's gonna be mad y'all are eating without him.'" Josh turned to me, the fresh light of the morning haloing his handsome face. I expected him to make a joke about Mikey oversleeping. I expected him to pull me into a tight embrace and to cook me some breakfast over the campfire. I expected a smile, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

Instead, his eyes were completely dead, void of any semblance of recognition. I'll never forget that look he gave me. That was the look that started it all, and all these years later, I can still see his blank eyes when I close my own. He quirked his head to one side and asked, "'Who's Mikey?' I stopped dead in my tracks, the wet grass scratching at my halted legs. "'Mikey,' I repeated.

Instead, his eyes were completely dead, void of any semblance of recognition. I'll never forget that look he gave me. That was the look that started it all, and all these years later, I can still see his blank eyes when I close my own. He quirked his head to one side and asked, "'Who's Mikey?' I stopped dead in my tracks, the wet grass scratching at my halted legs. "'Mikey,' I repeated.

"'Where is he? Is he still sleeping?' What are you talking about, Catherine? Sylvia asked, her sharp brow cutting across her forehead. Who is Mikey? They were just messing with me. They had to be messing with me. I tried to wipe the dumb expression off my face and take a breath. I felt a little stupid for falling for their little charade.