The final school bell echoed through the halls, a shrill cry of freedom that sent the children pouring into the late afternoon light. Backpacks slung over shoulders and shoes scuffing pavement, they clustered in loose groups, voices rising in laughter and chatter. Among them was Emily—quiet, soft-spoken, with eyes that always seemed to be searching the horizon for something just out of reach.
She stood slightly apart, her fingers tugging at the frayed hem of her sweater as she waited for the others to gather. It was Noah who spotted her first, his usual ringleader grin stretched across his face. With a few shouts and a flurry of movement, the group came together—seven children in total, ranging in age from nine to twelve, bound by boredom, imagination, and the long stretch of summer still ahead.
"Let's go to the forest," Noah declared, bouncing a worn tennis ball off his knee. "We haven't played there in ages."
A few hesitant glances were exchanged. The forest—dense and ancient—loomed just beyond the edge of their sleepy town like a living wall. Their parents had warned them, of course. Told them stories about wild animals and getting lost. But no one had ever really been hurt, and the thrill of danger only made it more exciting.
"Hide-and-seek," Ava said, her dark braids swinging as she turned to the others. "We used to play for hours out there. Remember how good the hiding spots were?"
"I don't know…" Emily's voice was barely more than a whisper. "It's almost evening."
Noah gave her a crooked smile. "That's what makes it fun. The dark makes it better. Spookier."
"Spookier?" Lucas said, wide-eyed. "Like ghosts and stuff?"
Ava rolled her eyes. "It's just a game."
"But the forest is old," muttered Josh, the smallest of the group. "Grandma says it was here before the town."
"Exactly," said Noah. "That means it's perfect. No one will find you unless you're really good."
The others murmured their agreement, the hesitation melting away as quickly as it had come. Emily looked toward the tree line. The sun hung low now, casting golden rays that painted the leaves in warm hues. The forest looked peaceful. Quiet.
She nodded.
They set off in a flurry of footsteps and laughter, cutting across the tall grass and slipping into the trees like whispers.
The deeper they went, the more the world shifted. The warmth of the sun faded behind the thick canopy, replaced by the cool hush of nature. Birds called overhead, and somewhere in the distance, a stream trickled over stones. Emily found herself walking slower, the shadows growing longer with every step.
They reached a small clearing—an old meeting spot marked by a half-buried tire swing and the skeletal remains of a treehouse long collapsed. It was here they decided the rules: one seeker, six hiders. They would count to one hundred, no peeking, and no leaving the forest.
"Who's it?" Ava asked.
Noah's grin widened. "Emily should be it."
Her heart fluttered. "Me?"
"You've never been the seeker before. It's your turn."
The others nodded. Emily opened her mouth to protest, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she found herself in the center of the clearing, her hands pressed to her eyes as the rest scattered into the shadows.
"One…" she began, her voice shaking slightly.
"Two… three…"
The sounds of laughter faded behind her, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves and the occasional snapping of twigs. Her counting echoed oddly, swallowed by the forest as if it were listening.
"Ninety-eight… ninety-nine… one hundred."
She opened her eyes.
The forest waited, silent and still.