I had to sneak out, but it wasn't hard. The others were dead asleep, and no one stirred as I slipped through the cabin door. I stepped out of the cabin into the cool night air, the crunch of gravel beneath my boots, the only sound breaking the stillness. My flashlight barely cut through the darkness, but it was enough to guide me down the path. Midnight. Why did I agree to this? My heart pounded as I approached the meeting spot, the beam of light flickering over the trees. I could see them now, standing in a circle, their faces half-lit by the cold glow of the moon. Kofi was at the center, his arms crossed, flanked by four other boys whose expressions were unreadable in the low light.
As I drew closer, their eyes widened in surprise. Clearly, they hadn't expected me to show up. Kofi uncrossed his arms and stepped forward, his shadow stretching long under the moonlight. His mouth curled into a slow smirk, the kind that made my stomach twist.
"Well look who finally grew a backbone," he said, his tone dripping with mockery. "I called, and you came. Didn't think you had it in you."
I swallowed hard. It wasn't like I had much of a choice. If I hadn't shown up, I knew he would have found another way to make me pay.
He circled me with his gaze, tilting his head as if I were some curious animal that wandered too close. "You really think showing up makes you brave? Nah. It makes you predictable."
The boys behind him snickered, but Kofi raised a hand and they quieted. His eyes locked on mine, sharp and unrelenting. "Truth is, Jeremiah, A small piece of me , didn't expect to see your face tonight. I figured you'd be too scared, hiding under your blanket, praying I'd forget about you."
He let the silence hang, then chuckled low in his throat. "But here you are. Maybe you're not as worthless as I thought... or maybe you're just stupid."
I kept my gaze steady, though anxiety twisted my insides. "Neither did I," I replied, trying to sound braver than I felt. "But here I am, so let's just get this over with."
One of the boys, Desmond, the tall one with a shaved head, let out a harsh snort. "Look at him trying to play soldier," he mocked, his tone heavy with scorn. "Bet your knees are shaking under those pants."
"Man probably cried the whole way here," Rashawn added, his laugh sharp and ugly. "Should've stayed tucked under your sheets, sucking your thumb."
"Big man reporting for his beating," Malik chimed in, his grin stretching wide, the moonlight catching his pale skin and making it almost ghostly. "Hope you brought extra teeth to lose."
Devon, the last of the group, didn't laugh. His silence cut sharper than their words, his eyes narrowing as if he was already measuring how much fight I had in me.
The weight of their stares pressed down, thick and suffocating. My grip tightened around the flashlight, my pulse loud in my ears. They wanted me to break, to fold before the first punch was thrown.
I forced a cold smile. "And here I thought you clowns were just background noise. Loud enough to bark, but never enough to bite."
The laughter faltered for a beat. Kofi's smirk returned, but this time his eyes narrowed as he studied me. "Something's different about you," he said slowly, like he was trying to figure out what he was seeing.
"I'm just tired," I shot back, my voice flat. "Tired of the same story every time. Tired of lying to my mother for your stupid games. So let's cut the nonsense and get this over with."
That hit a nerve. Desmond's face twisted in anger, but before he could take a step, Kofi lifted a hand to stop him.
"Enough," Kofi snapped, his voice cutting through the tension. His eyes never left mine, sharp and calculating. "Jeremiah's talking different tonight. If he's so tired of playing, let's see if he can prove he's more than words."
I swallowed hard but didn't back down. I wasn't going to run this time, no matter how badly my instincts screamed at me to turn and bolt back to the cabins.
Kofi's expression shifted as he stepped even closer, closing the space between us. I tensed when his hand clamped down on my shoulder, firm but not yet threatening. His smirk widened as his eyes drifted past me, scanning the shadows like he was searching for something.
"There," he said at last, pointing with a slow, deliberate finger.
I followed his gaze. It wasn't some hidden trail waiting to be uncovered. It was a narrow cut branching off the main path, half-swallowed by brush, sloping down the side of the mountain. Short, steep, and leading nowhere good.
"This is what I want," Kofi murmured, his voice carrying that same false weight of mystery. "See that trail? People walk right past it every day, but they don't notice. They don't understand. Only the ones bold enough to take it find out what's waiting."
Kofi's eyes gleamed as he pointed down the narrow track sloping off the main path. "This isn't just any trail," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "It's said the path calls only to those it deems worthy. Most walk past it without ever seeing it. But when the right person comes along, it reveals itself."
A chill ran down my spine. My eyes darted to the track, then back to him. "And you think I'm the one who's worthy?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound calm.
Kofi didn't flinch. "Maybe. You're not the strongest, and you're not the loudest, but you've got something the others don't. Smarts. Nerve. If anyone's going to find what's waiting down there, it might be you."
I let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Why not send one of your little ornaments instead?" I gestured toward the boys behind him.
Kofi's smile spread slowly. "Because we'll be taking different paths," he said simply.
Behind him, faint chuckles slipped out. I couldn't see their faces in the dark, but the sound was enough to make my chest tighten. They knew something I didn't.
I shifted my weight and turned to leave. "I'm done with this."
Before I could take more than a step, Malik and Rashawn slid in front of me, blocking the way. Their eyes gleamed, eager, like they had been waiting for this moment.
Behind them, Desmond leaned close to Kofi, his whisper carrying farther than he intended. "But what if the treasure at the end of the trail is real? What if he finds it and keeps it for himself?"
I froze mid-step. "Treasure?" I repeated, my voice sharper than I meant.
The other boys burst into snickers again, their laughter curling in the night air like smoke. It was mocking, almost cruel, but Kofi didn't laugh. He held my gaze and spoke with deliberate calm.
"There may be a treasure at the end," he said.
The laughter cut short. Desmond straightened. Rashawn nodded quickly. Malik's grin faltered into something more serious. "Yes... that's right," they chimed in, almost too quickly, all echoing Kofi's words.
I tightened my grip on the flashlight, suspicion gnawing at me. Was this just another game to see me stumble down the mountain, or was there really something waiting at the end of that path?
"Let's be real," Kofi said from behind me, his voice calm, almost reasonable. "If there really is a treasure at the end of that trail, hidden by something magical, and it only reveals itself to someone 'worthy'... well, a dorky boy who's been bullied all his life probably fits the bill. So if anyone should do it, then it should be you."
The words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. My throat tightened, and for a moment, all I could hear was the faint snickering behind him, the sound of hyenas circling.
I clenched the flashlight tighter, my jaw stiff. "You make it sound like every shove, every lie, every time you had me running errands for you, was leading up to this." My voice dropped, bitter and sharp. "Like all your bullying was some kind of training."
The laughter faltered, thin and uneven now, but Kofi didn't look away. His smirk stayed, though his eyes gleamed with something colder. "Maybe it was. Maybe all this time, we were just pushing you to see what you could take. And now, here we are. The trail's waiting. And so are we."
The silence that followed pressed down hard, broken only by the faint rustle of wind through the trees. The path loomed at my side, narrow and shadowed, sloping down into darkness that felt like it could swallow me whole.
The words stung, but there was something about the way he said it that made me pause. I could feel my anger rising.
I folded my arms, glaring at him. "Why me, though? If this is supposed to be some test, why don't you try being the one that's worthy? Or send one of your friends?
The smirk on Kofi's face sharpened, his eyes narrowing. He stepped closer, his voice dropping low. "You're going to do it whether you like it or not. Or we just lock you out of the cabin for the night."
Behind him, faint chuckles slipped out from the others, feeding on his words. My chest tightened. He wasn't bluffing.
"Hey." He rested his hand on my shoulder again, using a tone like he was some kind of friend who wanted the best for me. "I know you're the one. Why, I don't know. I took a gamble, and I was right."
My jaw tightened. "Why do you think that?"
He leaned closer, eyes fixed on mine. "Because the path didn't show itself until you got here."
The words hung in the air. Silence pressed in, heavy enough to make it hard to breathe.
I folded my arms, glaring at him. "At least tell me where you got this so-called reliable information from," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "What, some duppy talker on a street corner? A drunk by the bar? Or did you just dream it up?"
Kofi's eyes flickered, hesitation breaking through his smirk. The other boys shifted, the laughter caught in their throats. For once, he didn't fire back right away.
Finally, his tone dropped, the playfulness fading. "It wasn't like that. It was my father."
That made me pause. My grip on the flashlight tightened as he went on.
"Ten years ago, he was walking home late one night in New Kingston. Road was dark, empty. Out of nowhere, this scrawny cat followed him, meowing like it was starving. He felt sorry for it, gave it scraps. But when the cat looked up..." Kofi's voice lowered, almost a whisper. "Its eyes weren't a cat's eyes anymore. They were human. Too sharp. Too knowing. He swore it was an Ol' Higue, hiding in plain sight."
I swallowed, uneasy. Jamaica was full of stories like that. Cats, owls, women who shed their skins at night.
Kofi pressed on. "She told him a secret. Said there's a treasure hidden in the Blue Mountains, placed there by the ancestors. That only someone worthy could find it. And she told him the path would reveal itself on a certain night, at a certain time."
I narrowed my eyes. "And tonight's the night?"
He nodded once. "Yeah. My father never forgot her words."
"So why isn't he here chasing it himself?" I shot back, the sarcasm still on my tongue.
For the first time, Kofi's mask cracked. His jaw tightened, and he looked away. "Because he's dead," he said quietly.
The silence that followed was heavy, even the other boys shifting uneasily.
Kofi's eyes lingered on me for a moment before he clapped his hands together, forcing a smile. "Alright then, enough talk. The path's right there. Time's wasting. Go on, Jeremiah."
His sudden eagerness made my stomach twist. It felt less like confidence and more like desperation to change the subject.
Before I could reply, Malik's voice cut in. "Wait... you're telling me you really think there's treasure out there?"
Rashawn snorted. "Treasure? Man, I thought this was just about scaring him. Let him wander in the dark for a bit, freak out, maybe cry, then we head back."
Kofi's head snapped toward them, his glare sharp enough to silence both. "Shut up," he barked.
The group went still, the air thick with unease. Slowly, Kofi turned back to me, his voice low and deliberate. "Walk the trail, Jeremiah. Do that, and I'll leave you alone. For a year."
"A year?" I almost laughed, but it came out more like a bitter scoff. "You want me to walk down a pitch black trail, in the dead of night, on a mountain, to find a magical treasure, that probably has magical guardians too, just so you don't mess with me for a year?" I kissed my teeth. "You muss be insane."
I shook my head, my voice hard. "For risking my life, it better be forever." I did not believe I would find anything. My plan was simple: walk just far enough to get out of sight, wait a beat, then turn back.
The boys shifted uneasily, exchanging glances. For a long moment, Kofi did not respond. The silence stretched, heavy with tension, until finally he gave a slow nod. "Fine. Forever."
His voice was calm, but his eyes were dead serious.
The silence snapped with Desmond blurting, "Yo, yuh serious, Kofi?"
"Forever?" Rashawn echoed, his voice cracking with disbelief.
Malik shook his head, glancing between us. "This has to be a joke."
"If he actually finds something," Devon finally spoke, his voice quiet but cold, "how do you know he'll give it to you?"
Kofi gave me a pointed look. "He will. Jeremiah's smart enough to realize that being invisible has its perks."
I met Kofi's eyes, my mind racing. He wasn't joking. His expression told me that much. My mouth went dry as I looked at the path again. The darkness seemed to swallow it whole, and fear clawed at my insides.
But I couldn't run. I wouldn't. Not now.
I took a deep breath, forcing my feet to move. One step, then another, and soon I was walking down the path, the beam of my flashlight cutting through the oppressive blackness. The voices of the boys faded behind me, leaving only the sound of my footsteps and the rustle of the wind through the trees.
The darkness pressed in around me as I ventured deeper into the woods. Each step felt heavier, like the forest itself was closing in, waiting for me to make a wrong move. My flashlight flickered, casting strange shadows over the gnarled branches and twisted roots. The path ahead was barely visible, swallowed by the night and thick foliage.
"Why did I agree to this?" I muttered, the sound of my voice oddly comforting in the eerie silence. But I knew the answer. Kofi's offer-freedom from him, forever-was too tempting to pass up. And yet, now that I was out here, I realized how ridiculous it all seemed. Kofi's promises were nothing but empty words. There was no treasure, no magical path, just the looming fear of the unknown.
The beam of my flashlight sputtered again, and I smacked it hard, praying it wouldn't go out completely. It flickered one last time before plunging me into complete darkness.
"Great. Just great." My voice cracked with frustration. I was now alone in the pitch-black forest, the faint moonlight barely enough to make out the shapes of trees around me. The chill of the night seeped through my jacket, and I pulled my hood tighter, shoving my hands deep into my pockets.
As I trudged forward, the soft drizzle that had started earlier quickly turned into a steady downpour. The rain soaked through my clothes, the cold biting at my skin. The path beneath my feet grew muddy and slick, making each step more treacherous than the last.
The rain drummed on the leaves above, turning the forest into a cacophony of sound. Every rustle, every snap of a twig, sent a jolt of panic through me. I was completely exposed, vulnerable, and the fear that something-or someone-was watching me gnawed at my mind.
I stumbled over an unseen root, nearly falling face-first into the mud. My breath came in ragged gasps as I caught myself, my hands sinking into the wet earth. "Just keep going," I whispered, forcing the words out to hold back the rising terror. "Just a little further, just far enough to say I tried, and give him no reason to go back on his word."
Every instinct in me screamed to turn back. But then Kofi's voice came, mocking and relentless, echoing in my mind.
"You're nothing, Jeremiah. Weak."
The memory hit like a punch. Kofi's taunts had followed me everywhere-at school, at nights, even when I was alone. The time he'd tripped me in front of the class, sending my lunch tray crashing to the floor. The laughter. The sneers. And when I'd stood frozen, fists clenched but too scared to fight back, he'd leaned down with a grin that oozed contempt.
"You can't even stand up for yourself."
I blinked, shaking off the memory. My breath was shallow, but I forced myself to steady it. This wasn't just about some stupid treasure. This was about proving-to Kofi, to the others, and maybe to myself-that I wasn't that helpless kid anymore.
"Not this time."
I stepped forward. The air around me seemed to thicken, as if the forest itself was watching, waiting. I could feel the weight of it pressing down, an oppressive presence that grew heavier with every passing minute.
The path narrowed as I moved ahead, my shoes squelching in the wet mud. Something felt different. The ground was not as firm as before. I slowed, placing each step lightly, testing the earth before shifting my weight. The forest had fallen unnervingly quiet. The rain no longer tapped against the leaves above. Only the soft patter of droplets against the mud reached my ears.
I paused and looked down. The ground seemed solid, but when I leaned into it, it gave slightly beneath me. My stomach knotted. The mud shimmered faintly, as though it was spread thin over something unstable.
I tried another careful step. The earth groaned beneath me. Then, with a sickening crack, the ground gave way. My foot slipped and my body lurched forward.
My shoes had no grip. The mud sucked at my soles like quicksand. I let out a yelp, scrambling to catch myself as the world tilted and the trail dropped away beneath me. I slid down the slick slope, my hands clawing for something, anything, to stop my fall. My fingers scraped against wet leaves and branches, but nothing held. Panic surged through me as I slid farther, the world spinning in a blur of rain and mud.
Just as I reached out blindly, my hand caught a thick branch. I gripped it with everything I had, my legs swinging out into empty space. My feet dangled over the edge, brushing nothing but air. That's when it hit me. If I had missed that branch, I would have plummeted straight into the unknown.
My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in short, frantic bursts. For a few terrifying moments, I could almost feel the emptiness below, waiting to swallow me whole.
But the branch held. Slowly, carefully, I pulled myself up, my fingers trembling as they dug into the rough bark. My legs scrambled for purchase on the slick ground, and after what felt like an eternity, I managed to crawl back to solid footing. I crouched there for a moment, gasping for breath, my body shaking from the adrenaline and the cold.
The rain kept pouring, soaking me to the bone, but I barely noticed. All I could think about was how close I had come to falling, to disappearing into the darkness below.
I glanced back up the slope, the trail barely visible through the curtain of rain and shadow. Climbing back was impossible. The ground was too slick, too unstable. There was only one way left to go. Forward.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and began moving again, this time more cautiously. This new path was narrow and treacherous, winding through dense underbrush that seemed to grab at me with every step. My clothes were soaked, my hands scraped raw from the fall, but I forced myself to keep going.
Then, just as I thought I couldn't go any farther, I saw it.
A light.
Faint at first, just a small glimmer in the distance, but unmistakable. My heart quickened with a mixture of hope and fear. Could this be the treasure Kofi was talking about? Was it real, or was it just another trick of the light?
I quickened my pace, ignoring the exhaustion and the rain, my eyes fixed on the glowing spot ahead. The trees seemed to part as I drew closer, revealing a small clearing bathed in an eerie, unnatural light. At the center, something shimmered faintly, embedded in the ground. It took me a moment to make sense of it. An object resting within a circle carved with an intricate design.
My breath caught in my throat as I stepped closer. It wasn't a treasure chest or anything you'd expect from a legend. It was a stone, smooth and polished, with strange, ornate carvings etched into its surface. The light seemed to emanate from within, casting an otherworldly glow, that made every hair on my body stood on end.
I crouched in front of the stone, wiping rainwater from my eyes as I leaned closer. The light it gave off was bright yet soft, almost like the glow of a firefly. But as my hand drew nearer, I realized something strange. It gave off no heat. The air around it was cool, colder than before.
The markings etched into its smooth surface were elaborate, spiraling in ways that felt deliberate, like a language written in symbols. Some of the lines reminded me of Taino petroglyphs we had studied in history class, ancient carvings from Jamaica's earliest people. But these were not the same.
I reached out, hesitant, when a low, distant howl rose from deep within the forest. My breath caught in my throat. Wolves. That was impossible. There were no wolves in Jamaica.
I glanced around, the shadows between the trees shifting with the sound, but nothing moved. The howl faded, leaving behind an eerie silence that made my skin crawl.
My fingers brushed the stone, and a sudden jolt shot up my arm, spreading like wildfire through my veins. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as the sensation coursed through me, a strange mix of warmth and cold, like being struck by lightning and plunged into ice at the same time.
For one impossible heartbeat, the world stood still. Then, within the silence, a voice spoke. Calm. Deep. It whispered as if carried by the wind.
"You are worthy."
I stumbled back, gasping, as the stone's glow pulsed in time with my heartbeat. My hand still tingled where I had touched it, as though it remembered the strange current flowing through me.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the light dimmed. The stone lay still and silent once more, as if nothing had happened.
I stared at it, my mind struggling to make sense of what I had just experienced. Before I could dwell on it any longer, a new sound broke the silence. A sudden, heavy whoosh.
My stomach churned once more " Oh God, I am going to vomit....".