Above her, the night sky was a deep, inky black, with only a faint sliver of moonlight shining through. Mesmerised by the flickering flames, Aislinn savoured the slow crackle of the campfire as the marshmallow dripped and sizzled. Both Ben and Ellie sat at an equal distance from her as they, too, roasted their own desserts. She flashed a glance, noting their intent focus on the embers before them.

In the dim light, shadows danced around them. Each one's appearance transformed into something similar, yet something else unfamiliar as well. Shadows intrigued her. The way they moved and bent with the light, whilst hiding secrets in the black void where light dare not reach.

She watched as Ben lifted his gaze to her, holding it for far longer than necessary as a small smirk crept up the side of his mouth. Her stomach quivered, and she quickly moved her line-of-sight back to the marshmallow.

Damn it, she thought, she'd left it far too long, and was now burnt to a crisp. The stick sizzled in the flames, where she discarded it, as she rose to find another. Hopefully her second attempt would prove less fatal. But Ben shuffled around the campfire's perimeter, inching closer to her. With an outstretched hand, he passed his stick to her and smiled. She returned to her spot and took the offering, delicately blowing on it before nibbling at its crisp caramelised shell. She grimaced at the sugary burn, withdrawing it from her tingling lips in an instant.

Ellie watched her brother and best friend, careful not to attract any notice. For months she'd sat on these same sidelines. Not with envy, though. She held her breath, observing him as he tenderly pressed a thumb to Aislinn's lip. Checking for injury, no doubt. She couldn't help but find it endearing.

Clearing her throat, she excused herself for the bathroom. Ellie thought she was clever using that excuse, although it wasn't true at all. But it was the best she could do at moment's notice. Besides, she didn't think they'd heard a single word she'd spoken and expected them to be thrilled for a few precious moments alone without her hovering nearby.

Ben's pulse quickened as he watched his sister amble toward the house. Aislinn's warm hand grasped at his own. With a little squeeze, she thanked him for the now cooler marshmallow. Her lips drew his attention as she bit the stretchy fluff before licking her lips. Her infectious giggle captivated him as she extended him a taste.

They held their gaze, locked on each other. Hearts racing, daring to jump out of each chest. Thoughts raced frantically through Aislinn's mind. For a split second, she wished she had ESP rather than her psychic abilities. That way, she could finally persuade him to kiss her without another hint or nervous glance. Yet, she would have to rely on herself now. She leaned in towards him, then waited.

Ben was certain he picked up on Aislinn's subtle hints. But this was all new to him. He'd never been fond of a girl before, not amorously anyway, despite all of Ellie's other female friends trying their hardest to earn his attention. He just hadn't been interested in romance to any degree. That had changed on the day he met Aislinn, though.

Something pulled him closer, drawn to her as if he were a magnet. Their eyes locked and Ben licked his lips before shuffling closer. The air felt charged, as if a single spark might ignite the narrow space between them and turn their energy into wildfire. They held the pose for a long moment, both yearning for the other to make their move. Yet, nerves pulled them back.

Behind the arc of tents something rustled in the brush, followed by the sharp snap of branches, broken free from their stronghold in a recent summer storm. The shadows concealed the hovering creature from view, so they wouldn't have seen it even if they had been paying attention to something other than each other.

The stillness broke as a distant, haunting howl carried across the lake. Adrenaline rushed through Ben, as his fight-or-flight response kicked in, accidentally pushing Aislinn to the side as he frantically rose to his feet. He scanned the area doggedly, straining his eyes to see beyond the campsite, but all he could see was an impenetrable darkness.

"What is it?" Aislinn said in a strained whisper.

"I'm not sure."

She watched him unzip his tent and disappear inside. He reappeared soon after, a bright white light emitting from his torch as he flashed it around the campsite. Ben's brows furrowed, unable to set his sights on the cause.

Aislinn hugged herself tightly, her head spinning as she anxiously listened for any sign of noise. But she too failed. Ben ventured deeper into the darkness while she remained alone by the fire. She grasped her phone tightly in her hand, watching the minutes go by. One minute, five minutes, ten minutes. The silence was deafening, and she wished she'd gone with him now. Her odds were better with another person. Here, she was just a sitting duck - bate waiting as prey.

The mansions backdoor banged against the siding, sending her pulse racing faster than she thought possible. Balancing a tray of mugs, Ellie carefully shuffled closer.

"Hot chocolate a la Jake," she said, beaming, and gestured for Aislinn to take one. She glanced around the campsite. "Where's Ben?"

"We heard something, and he went to investigate."

Ellie's nose scrunched up. "Why didn't you just check the cameras?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't even think about it. I guess Ben didn't either."

"Too busy getting romantic, huh?" Ellie teased with a wink.

"I wish," she retorted, but Aislinn's stomach sunk instantly, realising her admission. "I mean, no. Nothing happened. He's your brother -"

Ellie studied her with raised eyebrows, then laughed. "Ais, chill out. I'm not judging you. In fact, I'm rooting for you two to get together."

"You are?"

"Of course. But maybe we should go find him before there's nothing left for you to swoon over."

Leading Aislinn by the hand, Ellie directed her towards the path Ben had supposedly taken. Together they called to him, cautious not to alert Audrey or Jake inside the mansion, or else they'd put a stop to the group's plans. Still with phone in hand, Aislinn opened the flashlight app and approached the treeline.

She scanned the forest, walking deeper into the darkness. Aislinn knew they needed to find Ben quickly, before her mother realised he'd gone. She recalled how terrified she'd been when lost in these woods before, but then reminded herself that Ben was both strong and brave and had been in these woods many times before.

Leaves crunched beneath her flip-flops. Struggling to hear amidst the rustling of the trees and bushes, they couldn't distinguish whether the wind, animals, or Ben caused the sounds.

"Ben," they Ellie called in a low call. "Where the heck are you?"

Aislinn froze, grasping Ellie's hand and pulling her back. "Did you hear that grumbling?"

"Yeah, it came from this way, I think," she replied, pointing towards the right, where a path curved around the lake.

Wide eyed, Aislinn felt a shiver tingle down her spine. "What's that?"

Ellie spun her head, squinting to make out the figure. "Oh, my goodness. Is that Ben?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Is that the creature? What do we do? Do you think it's seen us?"

"I'm not sure, but I really don't want to find out."

"Maybe we should head back to camp. I'm sure Ben will be back soon."

"Shh, stay still. Quiet." Aislinn chided, but it was too late.

It had seen or heard them, now. Rooted in place, and terrified, they focussed on the tall, broad figure that edged closer. Slowly at first, it nudged forward, crouching behind bushes and trees as it stalked them. Fear spread like a virus through each girl's body as it crawled out from behind a bush. With its four legs, it gracefully mimicked the movements of a canine before rapidly increasing its pace.

"Run," Ellie screamed. She spun on her heels, still holding Aislinn's hand, dragging her behind her as she flailed about. "Move, Ais," she said determinedly.

"But, what about Ben?"

"He'll find us. Run. Get to the house, now."