Emily, Michael, and David sat in their secret hideout. School had ended for the summer, and they met there regularly. Its cool, smooth stones offered a welcome respite from the scorching sun and the oppressive humidity outside. The walls were adorned with their treasures: an old map of a pirate's treasure they had drawn, faded comic book covers, and a makeshift shelf holding a collection of oddities they had found on their adventures—colorful stones, an old key, and a bottle with a message they had written together.

  Emily sat against the far wall wearing a pair of headphones. Her eyes were closed, and her hands moved in rhythm, invisible sticks playing a heavy solo on air drums. Her face was a mix of intensity and joy, completely lost in the music.

  David looked up from his drawing, his eyes narrowing in focus. He took note of every small detail around Emily—the way her fingers flexed with each imaginary beat, the slight furrow in her brow, the gentle rise and fall of her shoulders. After a few seconds of study, he went back to transferring those details onto his sketchbook. The image looked off, and frustration began to creep in. He still couldn't get the proportions correct.

  He paused, examining his work with a critical eye. The lines of her face seemed wrong, the proportions skewed. He took another few minutes trying to decide what looked off before erasing a large chunk and redrawing it. The curve of her jaw, the motion of her hands, the angle of her head—none of it seemed to capture the essence of Emily sitting right in front of him.

  Was her nose too high? He tilted his head, comparing his sketch to the real Emily. The connection between what he saw and what he drew felt blocked, what his eyes and mind saw were jumbled up before reaching his hand. He sighed, rubbing the back of his eyes and transferring some graphite to his cheek. In a quick motion, he ripped the page out of his sketchbook and crumpled it up.

  "Let's do something," Michael whined with frustration, shifting to his back, arms spread out to his sides. "It's summer, there's no school, and all we've done is sit in here."

  "And what do you suggest?" David said, closing his sketchbook, abandoning the drawing before his own frustration took over.

  "I don't see you coming up with any ideas," Emily said, taking off her headphones. "It doesn't help to just whine."

  "But I'm bored," Michael retorted.

  "Yeah—"

  Suddenly, Michael's face lit up with a spark of inspiration. "I know!" he exclaimed, sitting up abruptly and interrupting whatever David was about to say. "We've never really been farther than the hideout. Let's go exploring!"

  Emily raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Exploring? Where to?"

  "Anywhere! Everywhere!" Michael's excitement was contagious.

  Emily grinned, her earlier annoyance melting away. "Well, it beats sitting here all day. Let's do it."

  David jumped up and headed to the cave entrance. As he stepped out, he blinked against the bright afternoon light, the humid air enveloping him like a thick blanket. He tugged on the straps of his backpack, ensuring they were secure, before taking a determined step into the dense jungle.

  Turning back, he saw his two companions emerging from the cave. Emily swung her machete lazily back and forth, cutting through the occasional vine that obstructed their path, while Michael adjusted his hat, his eyes scanning the surroundings with keen interest.

  "The carving depicted a river," Michael said, his voice filled with purpose. "Let's see if we can find one further in."

  Emily paused, holding her hand up to cup her ear, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I can faintly hear water. It shouldn't be too far."

  David nodded, feeling a thrill of anticipation. "That makes sense," he agreed. "A temple this big wouldn't be able to sustain itself without a large source of water nearby."

  The trio cautiously moved forward, propelled by the chance to discover something new. The jungle itself was alive with sounds: the rustle of leaves, a multitude of birds calling, each one fighting against being drowned out in the cacophony. Each step brought them closer to the heart of their adventure and whatever dangers might await them.

  Emily led the way, her machete slicing through the underbrush with practiced ease. Michael followed close behind, keeping alert, his senses focused on catching anything that might give them clues to their next steps. David brought up the rear, weighed down by the backpack filled with the tools and supplies they might need.

  As they ventured further into the jungle, the air grew cooler, and the sound of rushing water became more distinct, proving Emily right. They quickened their pace, throwing caution to the wind in their excitement. The vegetation suddenly stopped, giving way to a sheer drop into a canyon. Michael quickly grabbed the back of Emily's shirt as she started to plummet over the side, unable to stop her momentum.

  "That was a close one," Michael exclaimed as he carefully hauled her back onto solid ground.

  "Come on!" Emily shouted, pushing Michael off and jumping down the three feet to the embankment.

  Michael turned to David and shrugged, his mischievous grin showing in full force as he followed Emily. They started to shed their shoes and socks as David carefully worked his way over.

  "Hurry up, space cadet!" Emily shouted, kicking water in his direction. Her eyes sparkled as she walked further into the creek. "It's cold and refreshing."

  All three of them ran through the shallow waters, kicking and splashing each other until they were soaked and laughing. The sun had grown low and the telltale hint of golden light beckoned for evening.

  Emily suddenly stood up, worry spreading across her face. "I have to go!" she exclaimed, rushing to put her shoes back on. "Sorry, my stepdad doesn't like me coming back late," she added before running back into the woods.

  David and Michael stared at each other for a moment, stunned by the sudden change. They slowly gathered their belongings, the weight of Emily's departure lingering in the air. As they trudged back to David's house, the shadows lengthening with the setting sun, David couldn't shake the image of Emily's worried face. Her hurried departure replayed in his mind, each step stirring a deeper sense of concern. He wasn’t sure if he imagined it, but he thought he saw something more than worry in her eyes—fear, perhaps, or a sadness that went beyond her stepdad's strict rules.