Beneath The Trees

Nightfall

Night descended on the campsite with an unsettling swiftness. The fire roared in the center of the clearing, its orange glow casting fleeting light into the encroaching dark. The sky, now an inky expanse of velvet, was speckled with countless stars, but their distant light did little to alleviate the growing cold. Mason shifted in his chair, pulling his jacket tighter around himself, trying to ward off the chill creeping into his bones.

The others seemed to settle into the rhythm of camping life. Tyler sat beside Mason, a broad smile lighting up his face as he laughed at something Robert had said. Mason wanted to share in his fiancé's happiness, but something felt... off. It wasn't just Robert's comments, though they certainly grated on him. It was the forest—the silence, the dark spaces between the trees that seemed deeper than they had any right to be. The feeling of being watched, of something lurking just out of sight.

"Hey," Mason said, nudging Tyler. "You don't... feel weird out here, do you?"

Tyler turned to him, brows furrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

Mason hesitated, glancing at the dark wall of trees before looking back at Tyler. "I don't know. It just feels... I don't know, heavy or something. Like we're not alone."

Tyler followed Mason's gaze to the trees, then shrugged. "It's just the woods, babe. It always feels a little spooky when it gets dark. Trust me, I've been coming here for years. You'll get used to it." He leaned over, giving Mason a quick peck on the cheek. "Relax, okay? We're here to have a good time."

Mason forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

But he didn't feel relaxed. He felt like the woods were pressing in closer, each snap of a twig, each rustle of leaves making his heart skip a beat. He turned his attention to the fire, watching the flames dance, their movement almost hypnotic. The conversation flowed around him—Robert telling stories from Tyler's childhood, Elaine chiming in with corrections, Tyler laughing at the memories. Mason tried to focus on their voices, but the weight of the darkness was inescapable.

The cold seemed to deepen as the night progressed, the air so crisp that each breath felt like shards of ice in Mason's lungs. He glanced at his watch—it wasn't even that late. Not late enough to feel this strange, unnatural chill. He rubbed his hands together, trying to ignore the prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was out there, watching, waiting.

Elaine stood up, brushing off her jeans. "I think I'm going to turn in. Long drive today," she said, giving everyone a tired smile. "Robert, don't stay up too late."

Robert waved her off. "Yeah, yeah. I'm not planning to." He turned to Tyler and Mason. "You two gonna be okay out here, or you heading in too?"

"I think we'll stay up a bit longer," Tyler said, glancing at Mason. "Right?"

Mason nodded, though a part of him wanted nothing more than to zip himself into the tent and shut out the night. "Yeah, for a little while."

Elaine gave them a warm smile before disappearing into the larger tent. The flap rustled as it closed, leaving just the three of them by the fire. Robert leaned back in his chair, staring into the flames, and for a moment there was silence. The crackling fire and the occasional snap of branches from deep within the woods were the only sounds.

"So, Mason," Robert began, his voice cutting through the quiet, "you ready for this wedding? It's a big step, you know."

Mason swallowed, nodding. He knew where this was going, and he wasn't sure he had the energy to go through it tonight. "Yeah. I think we're both ready. We've been planning for a while now."

Robert smiled, but it wasn't a friendly one. It was the kind of smile that never reached his eyes. "It's a lot of responsibility, taking care of someone. Making sure you're there when they need you. You sure you're up for it?"

Tyler sighed, giving his dad a look. "Come on, Dad. Not tonight, alright?"

Robert raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just making conversation. It's a valid question."

Mason forced himself to keep calm, to not let Robert get under his skin. "I know it is. And yeah, I'm sure. I love Tyler. I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't."

Robert eyed him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Just making sure." He turned back to the fire, the conversation dying there, but the tension hung heavy in the air.

Mason exhaled, trying to let go of the frustration that Robert always seemed to stir in him. He glanced at Tyler, who gave him a reassuring smile, his eyes apologetic. Mason tried to smile back, but his heart wasn't in it.

The night stretched on, the shadows lengthening, and Mason felt the unease settle deeper into his bones. The forest was too quiet, the firelight too fleeting. Every rustle, every shift of the branches seemed amplified in the silence. And beneath it all, the growing certainty that something—someone—was out there, watching.

The minutes ticked by, and eventually, Robert stood, letting out a grunt as he stretched. "Alright, I'm calling it a night. Don't stay up too long, boys." He gave Tyler a pat on the shoulder before heading to the tent he shared with Elaine, leaving Mason and Tyler alone by the dying fire.

Tyler sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry about him. He just... doesn't know when to quit."

Mason nodded, forcing another smile. "It's okay. I get it."

Tyler reached over, taking Mason's hand, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on Mason's knuckles. "You're doing great, you know. I know this isn't easy."

Mason squeezed Tyler's hand, a genuine smile finally breaking through. "Thanks. I'm trying."

The moment felt fragile, the quiet of the forest pressing in around them. Mason glanced at the tree line again, the darkness there seeming even more impenetrable now that Robert was gone. The fire was little more than embers, and the chill in the air had grown sharper, more biting.

"Come on," Tyler said, standing and tugging Mason to his feet. "Let's get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow will feel a little better."

Mason nodded, letting Tyler pull him toward their tent. He cast one last glance at the forest, a shiver running down his spine as he caught the flicker of movement—something shifting in the shadows. He blinked, but it was gone, leaving only the dark, silent woods.