As they ventured deeper into the woods in search of sturdy branches, TJ's gaze suddenly locked onto the trees, his dark eyes wide with wonder. 'The trees!' he exclaimed, his voice barely above a whisper. Mike, curious about TJ's sudden fascination, turned to him and asked, 'What about the trees?' TJ's eyes remained fixed on the towering trunks, his expression a mix of awe and trepidation. 'Eyes... mouth... they have eyes, mouth, and...' he stammered, his words trailing off. Mike chuckled and wrapped a gentle yet firm hand around TJ's neck, pulling him back into motion. 'Ehe! I see you're tired. This could be an effect of the journey,' he teased, his deep voice soothing. 'Let's focus on gathering those sticks, shall we?' TJ nodded, still looking a bit dazed, and the two continued their task, their footsteps quiet on the forest floor.
As Chichi bent to pick up a stick, her short skirt riding up slightly, she felt a sudden, unsettling movement behind her. She spun around, her eyes scanning the area, but all she saw was a massive tree looming in the background. Her gaze lingered on the tree, and a shiver ran down her spine as she realized it might not have been there before. She tried to brush off the feeling, telling herself she must have missed it earlier, but the memory of the movement lingered, refusing to be dismissed. A flicker of doubt danced in her mind: could the tree have actually moved? Panic began to creep up her throat, and her dramatic nature took over. 'Guys, I feel something's off here!' she called out, her voice laced with alarm, as she hastily straightened up and turned to face the others.
Mike's query hung in the air as the group's attention turned to Chichi, her eyes still flashing with fear. "What's not right?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and skepticism. Chichi's hand trembled slightly as she pointed toward the tree. "This tree wasn't here before. I'm sure of it. Did anyone else notice?" The others exchanged uncertain glances, their faces scrunched in concentration as they mentally replayed their arrival. The silence was broken by John, who spoke up in a low, measured tone, as if awakening from a daze. "Yeah, she's right. I remember passing through here, and there was no tree." He demonstrated the spot with his hands, his eyes locked on the tree. Mike's expression remained dubious. "Let's focus on collecting sticks, shall we?" he suggested, dismissing the strange occurrence. TJ, however, chimed in, his voice laced with intrigue. "If we're not believing this, what's more unbelievable than trees having eyes and mouths?" The group continued gathering sticks, their movements punctuated by uneasy glances at the trees around them.
As they finished gathering their sticks and prepared to leave, Chichi's head jerked slightly, her ears perked up. "Chi." The soft whisper seemed to carry on the wind. She turned to the others, her brow furrowed in concern. "Did you guys hear that?" She paused, expecting confirmation. "Someone just called my name." The others exchanged amused glances, their faces set in teasing grins. "Nope, didn't hear anything," they chimed in unison, their tone dripping with mockery, as if humoring her dramatic flair. Mike, already walking ahead, called out, "Let's just get moving, guys. We need to set up the tent before it gets dark." The group trailed behind him, their footsteps crunching on the forest floor, while Chichi lingered, her eyes scanning the surroundings, still wondering if she'd really heard her name being called.