Saturday morning dawned with a crisp clarity typical of autumn.
The sun was just beginning to burn off the light fog that clung to the asphalt of the quiet suburban streets.
The Connor's garage door opened and a spacious family SUV backed out of the driveway.
Behind the wheel, John was in his element. He wore sunglasses, even though it was still early, and drummed on the steering wheel to the rhythm of 'Creedence Clearwater Revival', humming "Fortunate Son" with an enthusiasm that would embarrass any teenager.
"John, please watch out for the Miller's mailbox," warned Sarah from the passenger seat. She had a list on her lap and was recounting the contents of the cooler, "And slow down a bit, we're not in a race."
In the back seats, the dynamic was the usual with the three sisters.
Lillith had her face practically glued to the window, leaving breath marks as she watched every dog or squirrel she saw pass by.
Emma, on the other end, had built a fortress of solitude. She was wearing large headphones, with the volume high enough to drown out her father's music, and was reading a paperback novel.
Esther was sitting in the middle, motionless.
Literally.
She wasn't looking out the window, nor reading, nor complaining.
She was simply there, with her hands crossed on her lap and her gaze lost.
Right behind the family SUV, the deep roar of an engine broke the tranquility of the morning.
Lief was riding "Fenrir", wearing a leather jacket that protected him from the wind...
Behind him, Carrie was finishing adjusting the strap of her helmet.
"Are you ready?" asked Lief, his voice sounding slightly muffled but clear, "The helmet fits you well, but make sure it's snug."
"Y-yes... I think so," Carrie replied, her voice resonated inside her own helmet, making her feel as if she were in a bubble.
It was the first time in her life she had ever been on a motorcycle.
"Hold on tight. Not to the clothes, hold on to me," Lief instructed, taking her hands and guiding them around his waist, "We are going to hit the road."
Carrie swallowed, feeling the leather of Lief's jacket under her palms and the solidity of his torso.
Her cheeks were burning, and she was thankful that the helmet visor hid her blush.
Lief released the clutch and accelerated.
The bike shot forward and Carrie's stomach lurched from the inertia and, instinctively, she clung to his back, hugging him tightly, closing her eyes for a second.
The wind began to whistle around the helmet, but there, pressed against him, she didn't feel cold.
She could feel the vibration of the engine rising through her legs, the body heat from Lief's back and, if she concentrated, she thought she could feel the constant and sure rhythm of his heartbeat.
She opened her eyes cautiously and the landscape blurred at the sides, turning into smears.
But her moment ended quickly when Lief leaned the bike slightly to take the curve out of town, following the SUV.
Carrie tightened her embrace a little more, timidly resting her helmet against his back, allowing herself to enjoy the moment.
The caravan and a black motorcycle, left the limits behind, venturing onto the open road toward the dense forests of West Virginia.
...
After a trip of a little over an hour, the family caravan finally left the main road onto a gravel path, reaching their destination: a designated camping area inside Oak Creek State Park.
The air was fresh and smelled intensely of pine and damp earth, a welcome contrast to the city air.
The spot was wide, a large open meadow with a small creek that meandered along the edge of the forest.
The landscape was idyllic, but the atmosphere was not as serene as John had imagined.
Lief stopped Fenrir behind the SUV and turned it off.
Carrie took off her helmet, feeling her hair stuck to her forehead. Her legs were slightly unstable from the vibration of the trip and Lief helped her, holding her for a moment by the shoulders while she recovered.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, j-just... jelly legs," Carrie whispered, trying to sound normal, although his closeness continued to make her feel very nervous.
While the rest of the family began to get out of the vehicle, Lief and Carrie took a look at the surroundings. This place seemed to be much more "lively" than they expected.
To the left, about a hundred meters away, there was a group that looked surprisingly desolate. They were a dozen teenagers, all uniformed in identical gray sports sweatshirts. They were sitting or lying listlessly on the ground, with a fixed and absent gaze.
A middle-aged man, in a coach uniform and sunglasses, held a megaphone and was giving them some kind of moral sermon.
"See? That's what they call 'Digital Detox Camp'," John explained, locking the car and talking to Sarah while checking the trunk, "They bring a group of young people here who are glued to their phones. They confiscate all electronic devices and force them to experience 'real life'."
Lief nodded, understanding the group's misery.
To the right of their campsite, the scene was diametrically opposite and much more chaotic.
There was a strip of warning tape, and several burly men with cameras on their shoulders walking back and forth along the edge of the forest. There were also people with director vests shouting unintelligible instructions through a walkie-talkie.
"What are they doing over there? Are they filming a movie?" asked Sarah with curiosity, frowning at the noise.
"Oh, I know that too!" intervened John, puffing out his chest, proud of his knowledge, "It's a reality show called 'The Apocalypse'. They throw several contestants into this inhospitable zone, give them only some basic tools and force them to survive on their own for six days."
But then he lowered his voice to a whisper, "The last one standing takes a prize of a hundred thousand dollars. Crazy, right? People will do anything for money."
Addiction to technology and the struggle to survive a simulated apocalypse.
"Well, let's not pay attention to them. We have better things to do," said John, ignoring the noise and pulling the large tent bag out of the trunk with a noisy effort, "Let's find the best spot! Near the creek, backing the forest... perfect!"
He behaved like a big kid, pointing out the exact spot to Lief.
"Lief, you and I will take care of the tents. I want the big one for the girls and the small one near the car. Let's get to work!"
Father and son set to work immediately, with John giving noisy instructions and Lief assembling the structures efficiently.
Soon, two tents rose over the grass.
Sarah, for her part, took Carrie under her wing.
"Come, honey. Let's organize the food before these two destroy something," she said with a smile, taking her toward the SUV.
She spread the huge checkered picnic tablecloth over a clean area of the grass. While Sarah took out sandwiches, fruit salad and grilled chicken wings, Carrie helped her organize the snacks and drinks. Soon, the homemade aroma of the food spread through the fresh air.
"Lillith, Emma, Esther!"
Sarah raised her voice calling them, as they had already begun to explore the boundaries. "Don't go too far! I want you to play where I can see you!"
She paused, and smiled at Carrie.
"Carrie, would you mind doing me a huge favor? Could you keep an eye on them while I finish here? Sometimes they forget the world exists when they start playing."
"Ah... yes, of course!" Carrie nodded hurriedly and immediately trotted toward the girls.
A few meters away, Lief hit the last stake with the mallet, securing the tent in the soft earth.
He straightened up wiping the sweat from his forehead.
His mother humming while organizing the food, his father happily struggling with the packaging of his new fishing rod, and Carrie laughing nervously while trying to keep up with his sisters.
Everything was peaceful...
However, he felt as if the temperature of his blood dropped ten degrees in one second.
The hairs on his arms stood up violently and a metallic taste flooded his mouth.
The relaxed smile was wiped from his face and his eyes instantly locked onto the treeline, in the place where the sunlight no longer managed to penetrate.
There was something there.
He could feel a hungry malice seeping from the thicket like a toxic gas and whatever was hiding, had fixed its attention on the "fresh meat" that had just arrived in its territory.
But Lief did not flinch, he didn't want to ruin his family's good mood.
He maintained his casual posture, but projected a mental wave, connecting directly with the consciousness of Lillith, who at that moment was running behind Carrie.
'Hey.'
Lillith froze in the middle of a laugh and her face emptied of all emotion.
Her eyes turned into dark wells as she turned her back to Carrie.
'Watch your area. Especially the edge of the woods,' Lief's voice continued. 'Something is approaching. Keep Emma and Esther close and do not let them, much less Carrie, get near the treeline.'
'Understood.'
With that the mask fell back into place.
Lillith turned on her heels, and the emotions reappeared, with a sweet and bright smile.
"Carrie! I bet you can't catch us!" she shouted running in circles around the older girl.
Carrie, relieved to see them playing, laughed and ran after her.
Lief did not relax.
Lillith had a much sharper sensitivity to malice than his; if she was on guard, the threat was serious.
But the question was: What the hell was lurking in the woods?
Was it a wild animal? Or was it something worse... A demon like the Creeper?
"Lief! Have you fallen asleep standing up?"
His father's booming voice broke his concentration like glass.
"Stop fooling around and come here! Help me set up the grill! Today they are going to taste my roasted trout with Grandpa's secret recipe!"
Lief exhaled the air he had been holding and composed a carefree smile.
"I'm coming, Dad."
________
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