As the sun went down, the birds grew quiet, and crickets and frogs began to sing. The changing gradient of sounds signaled that night was coming. The air smelled of damp grass and sulfur. James, Hunter, and Sig sat around a campfire, their shadows flickering on the trees. It was the perfect setting for sharing stories from their past adventures.

  James was in the middle of his turn, telling a mostly accurate tale of his past summer trip. Hunter, his fiancé, sat beside him and did his best not to point out all the inconsistencies. Across from James, on the other side of the campfire, sat Sig. His hearty laughter scared off the birds after every joke. Sig was the trio's comedic relief; he could always make any event entertaining. As the other two listened to James's story, a wave of peace rolled over the campsite. Laughter and joy rang through the trees. Sig poked at a stubborn log while sparks danced into the night. Tending the fire steadied his nerves; each snap and hiss calmed him. He watched the flames flicker, his mind drifting between present comfort and distant memories. With friends close and fire’s warmth, he found tranquility.

  Sig slapped his knee and burst out laughing at one of James’s stories. He let out a breathy sigh as he caught his breath to speak. “I bet Joseph is going to have a bunch of crazy stories from Comic Con.”

  Hunter chuckled, “Spin a tale enough and any story can sound crazy.”

  “Good point, got another one, James?"

  James straightened, knuckles on the ground near the fire as the wind ruffled his brown hair. He locked eyes with Sig and Hunter, excitement lighting his features. “How about we tell some ghost stories?” he proposed, his tone teasing as Hunter and Sig exchanged a look and shrugged.

  Sig grinned, stretching his legs toward the fire. “As long as you start so that I can think of something good,” he said with a hearty laugh and a spark of competition. Hunter smiled and rolled his eyes at Sig’s playful reply, clearly delighted by their banter.

  James flashed a confident smirk, leaning forward, elbows on knees. His fingers tapped against his leg, eyes widening, as if ready to reveal a secret.

  Leaves drifted down as the wind shook the trees. The strange rustle felt almost intentional, as if the forest was waiting for James to begin.

  James grinned. “Won’t be needed, I have the best one actually. An old tale. One I doubt either of you has heard before.”

  ?

  Sig rolled his eyes, returning the same cocky grin. "Let’s see if you can actually scare me. I don’t spook easily."

  ?

  James smiled proudly and declared, “This one’s not so much of a scary story, but apparently… one that was true.” He took out his phone to read.

  ?

  Sig laughed. “Dude, if you found it on the internet, then it isn’t true!”

  James waved his phone. "This isn’t off the internet! I had to write it down. I can show you a picture later, but for now…" He cleared his throat and met his friends’ eyes. "Story time!" As the fire crackled and his friends leaned in, James began his tale, drawing them all in beyond the campsite.

  ?

  A hush fell around the fire, then: suffocating darkness. No hint of moonlight in the corridor—only a trembling torch. Light clawed its way through the darkness, revealing very little. Sand coated his sweat-soaked skin, stinging his eyes. He trudged onward. Knees shaking, about to buckle under his weight, he clung to the stone wall for support. A tale of fortune awaited him here. It was his only hope for his clan. But the dangers proved more than he had anticipated. Echoes bounced off the walls, and paranoia grew with each ricochet. Still, he forced himself deeper. He clutched his necklace, feeling its cool metal and thinking of everyone waiting for him. It reminded him why he had to keep moving. He grabbed his waterskin and dropped it to the floor as he finished it.

  He dragged his hand along the wall for support. Suddenly, his fingers pressed a loose stone into the wall, and the wall next to it shifted. He gasped as a hidden part of the pyramid opened up in front of him. Clouds of dust and sand kicked up by the wall made him cough harder. Through the wall of sand, the room shimmered with colors that shifted and changed, nothing like he’d ever seen. A strange violet glow pulled him in, giving him just enough energy to keep him moving toward the light.

  He saw something indescribable. Its shape blurred, then shifted anew with the changing light. Drawn by the otherworldly colors, he stretched out his hand and let himself be swallowed. Instantly, pain wracked his body; muscles tore and healed. Skin stretched, then mended. Overloaded by fear and pain, he was a prisoner in his own body. Yet something deep inside him began to change. He could sense his very soul. Pain condensed into raw energy. Pleasure and terror were violently mixed until chaotic laughter burst out. Joy replaced fear. Empowered, he surged from the pyramid. A sandstorm trailed behind.

  ?

  James wraps up his story with a confident grin. “He managed to bring his clan to greatness; however, greed overcame him. Eventually, he was stopped and locked away with all the powers in the world. Waiting for one day to be free again.” The other two were left stunned, not so much with fear, but with actual surprise that he told such a good story. Hunter stared into the flames, his hands shivering with emotion. Fear and awe surrounded him like the warmth of the fire.

  Sig shrugged, grinning. "That’s cool, but it can’t be real. Superpowers don’t exist—otherwise, we’d have Superman." He nudged Hunter, who shook off the lingering unease, bringing the conversation back to the present.

  Hunter replied, “It’s not that far-fetched. The world hides plenty—oceans, depths, things we’ve never seen. You said you have pictures, right?”

  James swiped and tapped on his phone, his brows knitting in concentration. He turned the screen around to display a picture of a tablet, glancing between Hunter and Sig as he did. “It’s hard to read, so that’s why I wrote it on my phone. Easy to read that way,” he explained, watching their faces for a reaction.

  Hunter leaned forward, both intrigued and slightly unsettled. "Babe…where’d you even find that? I’ve never seen a language like it."

  Sig nodded. "Yeah, seriously? What’s this about writing it on your phone? You can actually read that?"

  James nearly dropped his phone, spinning it around so fast. His eyes were darting up and down the phone. His eyebrow raised, he looked back up to his friends. “You’re not fucking with me?” He asked, worry coating his voice. Hoping this was some strange prank by his friends.

  Sig shook his head, eyes narrowed with concern. "We’re serious, man. All we see is gibberish—not English."

  Hunter lifted a hand. "Wait—could that story actually be true? Why can you read it, and we can’t?"

  James scratched his head, looking at the picture. "I have no clue. I found it during that safari last year. We stopped by some pyramids, and the tablet was up for sale at a market. I thought it was fake since I saw English on it." He shook his head, clearing his mind. "I still have it at home. Tomorrow, we can pack up, swing by my place, and see it in person."

  ?

  Hunter nodded, “I need to see this up close.” There was almost a slight hesitation in his voice.

  Sig, energized, stood and headed for his tent. He called over his shoulder, “Going to sleep now so we can get going ASAP.” Excited, he disappeared inside.

  James scooted closer to Hunter by the dying fire. "I'll put the fire out if you want to head to bed," he offered, wrapping his arm tight around Hunter. Hunter leaned into him, soaking up the shared warmth. "I don’t mind sitting here a bit longer." Hunter’s hand squeezed James’s. "Neither do I."

  ?

  By the time they got ready for bed, the sun had vanished. The camp faded into darkness as the fire died out. Shadows shrank and disappeared. Only the moon lit their path to the tent. Crickets chirped as night settled in. Sounds of the wild created a tranquil space. Suddenly, everything stopped. The world seemed frozen. Out of the stillness, an eerie rumble grew. After a minute, the world returned to normal—or as normal as it could be now. This event marked the beginning of the end. A subtle shift set the stage for what was to come. Night continued, and by the time the sun began to rise, chaos had already taken root.