The cabin sat on the edge of a wooded hill, nestled between trees still dripping from the earlier storm. The drive there had been quiet, broken only by scattered conversation and the hum of tires over damp roads. When they arrived, the air was cool and still, the fading light casting long shadows through the trees.
Egwene stepped out of the van, her gaze drifting toward the slanted roof of the cabin and the faint glow of lights inside. It wasn't anything fancy—wood-paneled walls, a stone fireplace, the lingering scent of pine and old smoke—but it was warm. Safe. For now.
Inside, someone had already lit a few candles and opened the windows just enough to let the cool air in. Backpacks were dropped, shoes kicked off, and the group slowly began to settle in, taking seats on worn couches and floor cushions around the fireplace.
Egwene sat near her best friend, Aurora, who was already chatting animatedly with Lillian and Sophia, their laughter rising and falling like a familiar rhythm. Across the room, the boys were joking amongst themselves—Aiden tossing a pack of chips at Liam, who nearly dropped it, while Theron leaned back with a quiet smirk. Ethan was scrolling through his phone, Kaius and Lucian deep in a whispered debate about who was better at card games.
"Alright," Aiden said, clapping his hands once with a grin. "Guess we should start with names, yeah? Otherwise we'll just be yelling 'hey you' all night."
Laughter rippled through the group.
They went around in a loose circle. Aiden, the confident one. Liam, quick to laugh. Theron, sharp-eyed and calm. Kaius, sarcastic but charming. Ethan, observant and dry-witted. Lucian, the quiet thinker.
Then came the girls. Aurora, full of energy and warmth. Lillian, graceful and composed. Elektra, bold with a glint of rebellion. Helena, thoughtful, almost mysterious. Sophia, sweet but not to be underestimated.
When it was Egwene's turn, she hesitated for just a second before speaking.
"I'm Egwene," she said simply. "And… I'm just here for the vibes."
That got a few chuckles. The tension eased, just a bit. But beneath it all—beneath the laughter and the flickering firelight—something deeper stirred.
Like the night wasn't quite done with them yet.
---
The fire crackled in the hearth, and the glow from the candles flickered, casting long shadows on the cabin walls. A few of them had already settled with drinks in hand, some sitting cross-legged on the floor while others sprawled out on the couches. The air buzzed with laughter, and the chatter started to die down as someone suggested the inevitable.
"Alright, let's play Truth or Dare," Lillian said with a grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Egwene raised an eyebrow. "Truth or Dare? Really? We're not twelve."
"Come on, it's tradition," Aurora said, a playful glint in her eyes. "And besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
The others agreed with eager nods, and soon enough, a bottle was placed in the center of the circle. The rules were simple: truth if you're feeling brave, dare if you want a challenge. The group settled in, the night already feeling like one of those memories they'd talk about for years to come.
Lucian spun the bottle first, his eyes locking with Theron's as it slowed and pointed in his direction. There was a beat of silence before Lucian smirked.
"Truth or dare?" he asked, voice steady, but his grin hinted at something else.
Theron leaned back casually, unfazed. "Dare."
Lucian's grin widened. "Alright. I dare you to walk up Lilian and kiss her like u were dating
The group chuckled, the atmosphere light and tense .Theron rolled his eyes but stood up, theatrically cleared his throat and walked towards Lilian, while his girlfriend Helena gave him a stare accompanied with jealousy , but he did it any kissing her in front of everyone .
When the tension died down,, it was Lillian's turn to spin the bottle. The glass twisted and turned, pointing right at Egwene. Lillian's lips curled into a sly smile.
"Truth or dare, Egwene?"
Egwene paused, glancing at her friends. Her mind raced through possible dares. She wasn't feeling bold enough for a dare, not with these people. "Truth."
Lillian raised an eyebrow. "Alright, here's a good one: What's one thing you've never told anyone here?"
The question hung in the air. Egwene's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she wasn't sure how to answer. Her mind flitted to the thoughts she hadn't shared, the things she kept hidden behind layers of smiles and jokes.
But before she could respond, Aiden spoke up, the next bottle-spinner, his eyes gleaming with mischievous intent.
"Let's not get too deep just yet, Lillian," he said, his tone light but with a slight edge to it. "We're here to have fun, not start a therapy session."
The group chuckled, the tension lifting. Egwene gave a small, relieved smile. But inside, the question still lingered, a shadow she wasn't quite ready to face
Just as Aiden reached for the bottle, the television flickered on—static at first, then cutting into a live emergency broadcast. The room fell silent almost instantly.
The cheerful mood drained as the anchor's voice filled the cabin, shaky and far from composed.
"This just in—we're receiving reports that tonight's highly anticipated technology launch has… failed. There was an explosion at the facility. Witnesses describe a massive shockwave and a cloud of unknown chemicals released into the air. Authorities are urging everyone to stay indoors. I repeat—do not go outside unless absolutely necessary."
The screen cut to shaky footage: smoke billowing into the sky, red-orange flames licking at twisted metal structures. And then something else—blurry, fast, inhuman. It moved behind the smoke, just enough for the viewers to catch a glimpse of what looked like jagged limbs and glowing eyes.
The anchor's voice broke as he continued. "There are… unconfirmed reports of creatures—mutations caused by chemical exposure. These beings appear aggressive and extremely dangerous. We are still gathering information—"
The screen went black.
Silence.
Egwene felt her heart race, the walls of the cozy cabin now closing in like a trap. No one moved for a full ten seconds.
"What… what the hell was that?" Ethan finally whispered.
"Did anyone else see that thing?" Lillian asked, eyes wide.
Aurora stood up quickly, pacing in a tight circle. "My mom's still in town. She was supposed to be working late."
"My sister too," Lucian added. "She texted me an hour ago. She said she saw the launch cloud from their window."
Panic began to ripple through the group, each person now connecting the dots, the adrenaline starting to override the shock.
"We have to go back," Kaius said, grabbing his jacket. "We can't just sit here while the city's getting overrun."
"But what if it's already too late?" Elektra asked, voice sharp.
Egwene stood up, finally finding her voice. "It's not too late. Not yet. If we move fast, we can make it into town and check on our families."
Theron nodded slowly. "But we need to be smart. We don't know what's out there now."
Aiden glanced out the window toward the tree line, his jaw clenched. "Then we stick together. No one goes off alone."
The night wasn't done with them—not even close.
And as the group packed what they could and made their way into the unknown, the air outside felt heavier. Charged. Like something was waiting.