The day started with Addie’s voice, her excitement bursting through the tent like an alarm clock on full volume.

  “Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” she chanted, shaking both Irene and me nonstop.

  I groaned, pulling my blanket over my head. “Addie, why?”

  “Ms. Celeste is taking us to watch the sunrise!” she announced, as if that explained why she was practically vibrating with energy at the crack of dawn.

  Irene mumbled something incoherent into her pillow.

  “Come on,” Addie whined. “This could be the best sunrise of our lives!”

  I peeked out from under the blanket, barely processing her words. “I don’t need a sunrise. I need sleep.”

  “You can sleep when we get back,” she countered, already yanking at my arm.

  Realizing there was no escaping her wrath, I sighed dramatically and sat up. “Fine, fine, I’m up.”

  Irene groaned as well, rubbing her eyes. “This better be life-changing.”

  With sluggish movements, we dragged ourselves out of the tent, joining the rest of the students. The air was crisp, the kind that made you shiver despite wearing layers. The sky was still dark, with only hints of soft blue creeping in from the horizon.

  Ms. Celeste led the way as we hiked up a small cliff. The walk wasn’t too difficult, but I still felt half-asleep with every step.

  When we finally reached the top, I was ready to grumble about how not worth it this was—until I saw it.

  The sky exploded with colors, a blend of gold, pink, and soft orange painting over the darkness. The sun peeked just above the horizon, spilling golden light over the landscape, casting long shadows and a warm glow over the trees below.

  For a moment, I forgot everything—the nightmares, the uneasiness, the voices.

  It was breathtaking.

  I inhaled deeply, feeling something settle inside me. A strange relief. Like the morning had washed away all the heaviness I’d carried the night before.

  "Wow," Irene murmured beside me.

  "See?" Addie grinned, nudging me. "Totally worth it."

  I exhaled, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah. It is."

  We stood there for a while, soaking in the view, the silence filled only by whispers of the wind.

  And then—

  Smack!

  A hand collided with the back of my head.

  “Good morning, Lady Noah!”

  I stumbled forward slightly before whipping around to find Lucas grinning like an idiot, hands in his pockets, clearly pleased with himself.

  I scowled. “Oh, great. Now my morning is ruined.”

  Lucas only laughed as I smacked him back—harder.

  “Ow! Hey, that was uncalled for!”

  “Uncalled for?” I raised an eyebrow. “You started it!”

  Irene shook her head, suppressing a smile, while Addie full-on laughed at our usual antics.

  Lucas clutched his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Noah. Here I am, just trying to spread some joy, and—”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” I cut him off, but I couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped.

  The tension from the night before felt like a distant memory.

  For the first time since we arrived, everything felt normal.

  But that feeling wouldn’t last long.

  After watching the sunrise, we all made our way back to camp, our spirits lifted by the breathtaking view. The morning chill was beginning to fade, replaced by the warm embrace of the sun.

  Back at the campsite, breakfast was already being set up. The aroma of scrambled eggs and toast filled the air, making my stomach grumble in protest. We grabbed our plates and ate heartily, chatting about how amazing the sunrise was. Even the sleepiest ones among us, like Irene, admitted that waking up early had been worth it.

  Once we were fueled up, the real adventure of the day began.

  HIKING THROUGH RAVENCREAK TRAILS

  Ms. Celeste and Ms. Mallory had planned a hiking trail through Ravencreak’s scenic routes. We strapped on our backpacks and set off into the woods, following a narrow dirt path lined with towering trees. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting golden patterns on the forest floor. The fresh scent of pine mixed with the earthy aroma of damp soil.

  As we walked, we came across small wooden signposts detailing the local flora and fauna. Lucas, self-proclaimed know-it-all, made it his personal mission to read each one aloud in the most dramatic voice possible.

  “And here,” he announced, pointing at a plant, “we have the Blue Veil Fern, known for its mystical properties. Legend says it was once used by ancient herbalists to—”

  “Lucas, if you keep going, I will throw you into a bush,” I warned, shaking my head.

  He grinned. “A bush? Wow, Noah, that’s so terrifying.”

  I snapped off a small branch and waved it at him threateningly. “One more word, and I swear—”

  “Alright, alright! I’ll behave,” he laughed, throwing his hands up in surrender.

  We hiked for hours, stopping at viewpoints that overlooked the vast green valleys below. Some students took pictures, while others simply sat in silence, appreciating nature’s beauty.

  KAYAKING & CANOEING

  After hiking, we arrived at a lake surrounded by tall cliffs. The water sparkled under the sun, and a few canoes and kayaks were already lined up by the shore.

  “Alright, who’s ready to test their survival skills on water?” Ms. Mallory called out, clapping her hands together.

  Lucas nudged me. “You do know how to row a boat, right?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Obviously.”

  “Are you sure? Because you seem more like the ‘fall-into-the-water’ type.”

  “I will tip your canoe over.”

  He laughed, clearly enjoying pushing my buttons.

  We partnered up, and I ended up with Addie. We chose a kayak and paddled into the calm waters. The lake was surrounded by thick forests, and the occasional fish would leap out, creating small ripples.

  Halfway through, Lucas and his partner decided to accidentally splash water at us, leading to a full-on water fight. By the time we got back to shore, we were soaked, but the laughter made it worth it.

  ROCK CLIMBING CHALLENGE

  The last big activity of the day was a rock-climbing challenge. The cliffs near the lake had been set up with safety gear, and anyone who wanted to participate could climb.

  Addie, ever the daredevil, went first, scaling the wall with surprising ease.

  “Don’t look down, Addie!” Lucas called.

  “You literally just made me look down!” she yelled back, gripping the rock tighter.

  When it was my turn, I hesitated at first but pushed through. The climb was tough, my muscles straining as I reached for the next hold. But when I finally pulled myself to the top, the view was incredible.

  Looking down, I saw Lucas preparing for his turn. He smirked at me. “Bet I can beat your time.”

  “Good luck with that,” I shot back.

  Predictably, halfway up, he got stuck.

  “Noah! Help! I’m going to die here!”

  “You’re literally secured to a rope, Lucas.”

  “Still counts!”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Evening at the Camp

  By the time we returned to camp, exhaustion had settled into our bones, but it was the good kind—the kind that comes after a day well spent. We sat around, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories about our adventures.

  For once, everything felt normal. No eerie feelings, no nightmares, no unsettling thoughts. Just laughter and warmth.

  But, of course, Lucas had to ruin the moment.

  He cleared his throat dramatically. “And so, as the moon rises over the woods, the cursed Veylar begins his hunt—”

  I immediately turned to him, holding up a marshmallow stick like a sword. “Lucas, if you say one more word about Veylar, we are going to grill you instead of these marshmallows.”

  The others nodded in agreement.

  Lucas gasped, clutching his chest. “Betrayed by my own friends!”

  “Zip it, Lucas,” Irene said, rolling her eyes.

  With a playful pout, he mimed zipping his mouth shut and throwing away the key.

  The night settled in, wrapping the camp in a blanket of cool air and the gentle hum of rustling leaves. The day's exhaustion was finally catching up to me, but before surrendering to sleep, I reached for my phone and dialed Nate’s number.

  He had already called me twice in the morning, but I had asked him to call at night instead. Now, judging by the immediate decline of my call, he was clearly annoyed.

  I sighed. Great. He’s in one of his moods.

  I redialed. Declined.

  I called again. Still declined.

  On the fourth try, he finally picked up, his voice sharp. “What.”

  I winced. “Hey, Nate… so, uh, I take it you’re mad?”

  “Oh, you think?” he shot back. “I called you twice this morning, Noah. What was the point of telling me to call at night if you weren’t going to answer in the morning?”

  I sighed. “I was busy, Nate. We had to wake up early for the sunrise, and then we were out all day—hiking, kayaking, climbing, nearly throwing Lucas into a bush—”

  “Wait, what?”

  “Not important,” I brushed off quickly. “Point is, I was going to call you now, but someone decided to throw a tantrum and decline my calls.”

  He huffed. “I wasn’t throwing a tantrum.”

  “Sure, buddy.”

  There was silence for a moment before he muttered, “You could’ve at least sent a text.”

  I felt a twinge of guilt. “I know. I’m sorry, okay?”

  Another pause. Then, a reluctant sigh. “Fine. You’re forgiven.”

  I grinned. “That was easy.”

  “Don’t push it.”

  Laughing, I settled into my sleeping bag. “Alright, so do you actually want to hear about my day, or are you going to be grumpy the whole time?”

  “I’m always grumpy.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” I started recounting everything—how stunning the sunrise was, how Addie nearly dragged us out of bed, how Lucas wouldn’t shut up the entire hike, and how we ended up soaking wet after a kayak war.

  I sent him pictures as I talked—snapshots of the sunrise, Addie making a victory pose at the top of the rock-climbing wall, Lucas pouting after getting scolded, and a group photo from the lake.

  “You actually look… happy,” Nate commented after a while.

  I smiled softly. “I am happy. Today was nice.”

  “Good,” he said simply. “You deserve that.”

  My chest warmed at his words. Nate wasn’t great with emotional stuff, but when he did say things like this, he meant it.

  We talked for a little longer before his voice turned serious again. “Just… be careful, alright?”

  “I will,” I promised.

  After the call ended, I placed my phone beside me and let out a long breath.

  The day had been wonderful—one of the best in a while. No bad feelings, no eerie whispers, no nightmares. Just laughter, adventure, and a bit of well-earned exhaustion.

  For once, I felt at peace.

  With that thought, I drifted into sleep earlier than usual, completely unaware that tonight would be different.

  The second day began with Jade shaking us awake, her voice ringing through the tent like an alarm clock I never signed up for.

  “Rise and shine, lazyheads!” she chirped, far too energetic for this hour.

  I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. “Five more minutes.”

  “Nope! Up! Now!” She yanked the blanket off, earning a few groans of protest from Irene and Addie as well.

  Reluctantly, I dragged myself up, did my morning routine, and got ready for breakfast. The scent of food wafting through the camp was the only thing keeping me motivated.

  As I stepped out, my eyes landed on Lucas and—wait.

  Nereo?

  I blinked in surprise. Nereo was my childhood friend, someone I hadn’t seen in a while. He had been late for the trip because of some prior commitment, but at last, he had joined us.

  I made my way toward him, smiling—only to stop when I realized who he was talking to Lucas.

  And Lucas, being Lucas, was eating Nereo’s ears off with his endless Veylar stories.

  “…I swear, people say the trees shift at night! Like, actually move—”

  I smacked the back of his head before he could finish.

  Lucas turned to glare at me, rubbing the spot. “You really need to stop making this a habit.”

  I smirked. “You keep spouting nonsense, I keep smacking you. It’s a fair deal.”

  He rolled his eyes and smacked me back, which only made me chuckle. Yep, this was becoming a daily routine.

  Nereo, who had been watching this exchange with mild amusement, finally turned to me. “Good to see you again, Noah.”

  I grinned. “Good to see you too. Took you long enough to get here.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I had stuff to do.” He stretched his arms. “But I made it. Now, what’s this I hear about trees moving at night?”

  “Don’t listen to Lucas,” I warned playfully. “He thrives on terrorizing people.”

  Lucas placed a hand over his heart dramatically. “I would never.”

  Nereo raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Sure.”

  With that, the two of us turned on Lucas, teasing him relentlessly about his ghost stories.

  As we continued our banter, the male professors finally emerged from their tents.

  About time.

  Unlike Ms. Celeste and Ms. Mallory, who were active and actually engaged with us, these guys were practically mannequins—just there, existing, doing the bare minimum.

  “Look who finally decided to wake up,” Irene muttered beside me.

  I snickered. “They should be the ones getting the morning lecture from Jade.”

  We all shared a laugh before heading off to breakfast, ready to take on another adventure-filled day.

  After breakfast, we gathered at the meeting point where Ms. Celeste and Ms. Mallory stood waiting, looking far more excited than our so-called "mannequin" professors.

  “Alright, everyone,” Ms. Celeste clapped her hands, gaining our attention. “Today’s itinerary is packed with adventure, so I hope you all had a good rest.”

  Ms. Mallory smiled. “We’ll start with a short hike up to Raven’s Peak. It’s a scenic spot with a breathtaking view of the entire valley. After that, we have some free time near the lake before heading to the caves for a little exploration.”

  Excited murmurs filled the air.

  “A hike?” Lucas groaned, stretching his arms dramatically. “Do we have to walk?”

  “You’re free to stay back and help the professors set up for dinner instead,” Ms. Celeste replied with a knowing smile.

  Lucas straightened. “On second thought, hiking sounds amazing.”

  We all laughed, and with that, we set off toward the trail.

  the hike to raven’s peak

  The path was steep but manageable, surrounded by towering trees that cast long shadows as the morning sun filtered through the leaves. The air was fresh, carrying the crisp scent of pine and damp earth.

  I walked alongside Nereo and Addie, who were deep in conversation about something random, while Jade led the group with Sumi. Irene was somewhere in the middle, probably teasing Lucas, who kept groaning every few minutes.

  Despite the climb, the view at the top made it all worth it.

  Raven’s Peak was stunning. From up here, we could see everything—the vast green forests stretching endlessly, the winding river glistening in the distance, and the small village of Ravencreak nestled at the foothills.

  "Wow," Irene breathed.

  "Totally worth the climb," I admitted.

  For a moment, everything was peaceful. No nightmares, no strange voices—just the wind and the beauty of the place.

  Lucas, however, had other plans.

  “So, who wants to hear a creepy legend about Raven’s Peak?” he announced, grinning.

  Before he could continue, I pointed a finger at him. “If you say one more word about Veylar, we’re going to grill you.”

  He dramatically zipped his lips, earning laughs from everyone.

  After a few more minutes of enjoying the view, we headed back down toward the lake.

  By The Lake

  The lake was just as breathtaking. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the sky like a mirror. Some students waded in, splashing water at each other, while others lay on the grass, soaking up the sun.

  “Anyone up for a swim?” Addie asked, already rolling up her pants to step into the shallow water.

  “Absolutely,” Jade grinned, pulling Irene along.

  Lucas, however, stood at the edge, peering into the water.

  “Lucas,” I warned, “if you say this lake is haunted, I will push you in.”

  He smirked but didn’t say anything—probably because he knew I wasn’t kidding.

  We spent a while just playing around, laughing, and enjoying the rare moment of peace. Even I had to admit it was the most relaxed I had felt in a long time.

  EXPLORING THE CAVES

  After lunch, we set out for the final activity of the day—exploring the caves near the forest border.

  The entrance to the caves was dark and gaping, a stark contrast to the bright sunlight outside. Some students hesitated, but with the professors leading the way, we ventured in.

  The deeper we went, the cooler the air became. The walls glistened with moisture, and the occasional drop of water echoed through the tunnels.

  “This place is amazing,” Nereo whispered beside me.

  “It really is,” I agreed, running my hand along the rough stone.

  For the entire day, we hadn’t experienced anything weird. No voices, no uneasy feelings—just adventure and fun.

  But as we neared the end of the cave, I felt it.

  The air shifted.

  It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but there was something wrong.

  A strange sensation crept up my spine, like I was being watched.

  I shook it off. Not today. Today was good. No nightmares, no strange happenings. Maybe it was just my imagination.

  Then, Lucas—of all people—ruined the moment.

  "You know, caves like these are where people disappear in stories," he whispered, his voice carrying through the tunnel.

  I shot him a look. “Lucas.”

  “What?” He smirked. “I didn’t say Veylar.”

  I sighed, shaking my head. “You’re impossible.”

  But the uneasy feeling didn’t leave me.

  And as we stepped out of the cave and back into the sunlight, I had the distinct feeling that something had changed.

  I just didn’t know what yet.

  That night, everything seemed normal—until it wasn’t.

  We had dinner by the campfire again, laughing and sharing stories, and for once, even Lucas kept his horror theories to himself. The professors reminded us to stay within the camp limits before heading to their own tents.

  I went to sleep feeling light, exhausted from the day’s adventures.

  And then, at some point in the dead of night, someone screamed.

  I jolted awake, heart pounding. The entire campsite was in chaos—students stumbling out of their tents, confused and terrified.

  Irene was already out, clutching her blanket. “What’s happening?”

  Before I could answer, Nereo rushed past us. “Something’s wrong. Someone’s missing.”

  I grabbed my jacket and followed the others toward the professors’ tents.

  The male professors were already outside, looking bewildered. Ms. Mallory stood in her nightgown, her face pale.

  “Ms. Celeste is gone.”

  The words sent a chill through me.

  “What do you mean gone?” Lucas asked, for once, completely serious.

  “She—she was in her tent when we all went to sleep,” Ms. Mallory said, her voice trembling. “But when I woke up, her sleeping bag was empty. I thought she might’ve gone for some air, but her shoes and flashlight are still here.”

  Irene turned to me, her face tense. “Noah.”

  I swallowed. “She wouldn’t just wander off.”

  Someone muttered, “Maybe she—”

  But nobody finished the sentence.

  We all knew what we were thinking.

  Maybe something took her.

  The male professors decided to search the immediate area, taking some of the older students with them. The rest of us were told to stay together.

  I sat next to Addie and Nereo, my hands clenched into fists.

  Lucas, surprisingly silent, stared into the dark woods.

  “Should we go look for her?” he finally asked.

  Jade turned to him. “You’re seriously

  suggesting we go into the forest at night?”

  Lucas glanced at me, then at the trees. “We all heard the villager. As long as we don’t cross the border, we’re safe, right?”

  His words settled heavily in the air.

  Because we weren’t sure that was true anymore.

  The forest loomed, silent and waiting.