"Kye... it's safe now... come quick, I found something."
The voice oozed from the bushes like syrup over glass. It was familiar. Too familiar.
Because it was his voice.
Kye stared, heart thudding. Leaves rustled again, and out poked a face. His face.
It even had his stupid haircut from three weeks ago—the one he regretted the moment the barber spun the mirror around and said, "Fresh fade."
"Who... are you?" Kye asked, backing up.
Other-Kye tilted his head. "Wow. Rude. I'm helping you and you're gonna play the pronoun game?"
"You're me," Kye said flatly.
"Technically, I'm better you. Less sweaty. Less traumatized." The duplicate stepped fully into view and held up... a camping spork. "Also, I found this. Tactical. Versatile. Sharp on one side."
Kye blinked. "You're trying to lure me out with a spork?"
"It's a rare model," said Other-Kye, twirling it like a dagger. "They don't even make this kind anymore. Limited edition, 2011."
"…Right."
---
The real Kye stood in the clearing, waiting for the punchline, the jump scare, anything. But the impostor just casually leaned against a tree, inspecting his own fingernails.
"You don't seem very Hollowkin-y," Kye muttered.
"Thank you," said Other-Kye. "I moisturize."
"No, I mean... why would they send a copy of me to trick me when I can just—see—it's not me?"
Other-Kye shrugged. "Budget cuts?"
"What?"
"Look, man, even nightmare monsters need HR. There was a quota. You got popular. I drew the short straw. It's a long story, really."
There was a long pause.
Then Kye muttered, "You're just stalling, aren't you?"
"…Maybe."
A heavy branch creaked above him. Kye didn't look up. He just jumped to the side.
WHAM.
Something dropped from the canopy—a fleshy, chittering mess wrapped in a hoodie that said "Camp Kabula - Nature is Neat!" Its limbs tangled as it fell and landed on its face with a wet smack.
Other-Kye whistled. "And down goes Travis. Bet he wishes he picked track instead of theatre."
---
Kye ran.
Again.
But this time, the forest didn't feel as tight around him. Not as crushing. The trees still whispered. The air still tasted like pennies and static. But... absurdity had leaked into the horror like ink in water.
He ducked past a log and nearly tripped over a sign nailed into a stump:
BEWARE: PSYCHOLOGICAL COLLAPSE TRAIL – 4km
Below that: Snacks Available at Panic Point
Kye blinked. "That wasn't there before."
Behind him, something big tripped and screamed, "WHO PUT THAT STUMP THERE?!"
---
Five minutes later, Kye stumbled into a clearing.
It was... a campfire circle. Empty. Neatly arranged logs. Crackling flames. And sitting on a log was none other than—Luca.
The real one?
Hard to tell.
Luca waved, munching on marshmallows.
"Yo," he said casually. "Want one?"
Kye narrowed his eyes. "You're supposed to be trying to kill me."
"Maybe I had a snack break clause in my contract."
Kye cautiously sat opposite him. The warmth of the fire felt suspiciously genuine.
"Luca," Kye said. "Be honest. Are you a Hollowkin wearing my best friend like a hoodie?"
Luca paused mid-bite. "...Would a Hollowkin know you cried during that spider documentary in eighth grade?"
Kye opened his mouth.
"Twice?"
"…Okay, maybe you're real."
Luca grinned. "And maybe you've got marshmallow in your hair."
"What?"
Before Kye could react, a flaming marshmallow flew past his head and smacked the back of a tree, hissing.
They both turned.
There, standing awkwardly in the dark, was Keisha. She held a long stick, a bag of mallows, and a sheepish look.
"I thought we were doing a roast battle," she said.
"You threw fire at me," Kye replied.
"It was a gesture."
---
The three of them sat around the fire for a few weird minutes. Eating. Not talking about the twisted creatures outside the ring of light. Not asking why this campfire even existed in a dream full of predators.
Not questioning why the sky above them had too many moons.
Just breathing.
Then a beat of silence too long passed. And a shadow flickered against the fire that didn't match anyone's movements.
Kye stiffened. "Wait... where did Keisha go?"
Luca blinked. "She's right—"
But the girl sitting with them wasn't blinking anymore.
Her mouth twitched upward.
"I think it's time," she said. But it wasn't her voice.
And as she stood up—slowly, joints cracking, legs elongating unnaturally—her shadow stayed seated.
Luca dropped his marshmallow.
Kye stood.
Behind them, more shadows gathered. Some crawled on walls. Some laughed in voices they hadn't heard yet.
It was back.
The pause was over.
The Hollowkins were done pretending.
---