Silence and Shadows

After about an hour and a half drive, the van finally came to a stop at the restort of the campsite. Evelyn leaned forward from the backseat, her jaw dropped at the view. The site was surrounded by towering pines, bathed in the golden light of the afternoon sun.

It was just the perfect spot for an evening celebration. The cool, crisp breeze held a promise of a fun night.

Her friends piled out of the van, their lively chatters filling the stillness as they began unloading the coolers, tents, and bags of supplies. But Evelyn stayed seated for a moment, her grip tightened around her phone as her thumb hovered over Liam's name.

"Hey, Evelyn, help us out here!" Riley's voice broke through her thoughts. Evelyn's lips instantly curved into a half forced smile, gliding out of the van to grab a few items. But then, her gaze kept darting to her phone.

It was not like Liam to miss something as special as this. He had made the promise to join for her birthday celebration, yet there was no sight of him. Something was surely off, she could sense it.

While her friends kept working on the campsite, Evelyn stepped aside, her phone pressed against her ear. She tried calling him once more.

The first ring went,

The second,

Then straight to voicemail.

Anxiety surged through her. Instinctively, she glanced over her shoulder at the others— they were giggling amdist chats while focused on their tasks. Oblivious to her growing unease. She lowered her phone and stared at the blank screen, slightly biting her lip.

"Hey."

The soft tap on her shoulder made her flinch. Evelyn defly turned to see Riley standing behind, a knowing expression fixed on her face.

"Were you calling Liam again?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Evelyn nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "And he is still not answering. It's just... not him. He was supposed to be here by now."

Riley let out a small sigh, her lips curving into a wry smile. "Ev..., don't you think you're overthinking it? You know how Liam is— he is probably just running late. I'm sure he'll show up."

Evelyn's brows creased. "I don't know. It's just... he has never been this quiet. It's like he is avoiding—"

"Come on...Ev," Riley raised a hand, cutting her off. "He's not avoiding you. You're reading too much a meaning into this, like always. It's your birthday, okay? He'll come, I'm sure of it."

Evelyn hesitated, her voice barely a whisper. "And what if he doesn't?"

Riley softened, giving her wrist a gentle squeeze. "Ev, don't worry. If something is wrong, we'll figure it out. But let's not ruin your birthday, okay? You're the star here."

"Come on..." Riley tugged her back toward the campsite. "we need your help here, birthday girl." she added, while they strolled side by side towards the others. " The fire pit isn't going to build itself."

There was hesitation in Evelyn's steps but she let Riley guide her away, tucking her phone into her jacket pocket. The knot in her stomach didn't loosen, though. Her mind was still filled with thoughts of Liam as she help her friends unpacked the rest of the gear. She just couldn't shake it off.

As time trekked by, the sunlight began to fade. While the laughter of her filled the air, Evelyn's mimd was a cluster of thoughts. Intuitively, her gaze kept drifting to the trailhead, hoping— praying— to see Liam walk in toward her.

~~~~

The soft hum of a video game console filled the dimly lit room, followed by rapid button clicks, and the occasional burst of digital explosions. Liam sat on high alert, eyes glued to the screen, his fingers moving with practiced ease on the controller.

Beside him, Noah, his friend leaned forward- engrossed in the match but occasionally glancing at the ringing phone on the coffee table.

"Hey, man," Noah muttered, nudging Liam with his elbow as he glanced at the screen of the buzzing phone. "That's Evelyn calling." He pointed.

But Liam didn't even flinch. His gaze stayed glued on the screen as his grip tightened on the controller. "Yeah, I know," he said flatly, a hint of irritation his voice.

Noah furrowed, shifting his focus from the game to Liam. "So… aren't you gonna answer? That's your girlfriend, dude."

"Yes I know. "Liam replied, dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand. "She probably might be calling to check my whereabout. She knows I hate those dumb camping trips." He lied.

Noah brows knitted, sitting back. "What's with you? It's her birthday, man. You should at least pick up and tell her you're running late or something."

Liam exhaled sharply, but didn't respond right away. He just stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the end button. A strange unease crept into his features, and for a moment, Noah thought he might actually pick up the phone.

But then Liam shook his head, and let out a tense laugh. "She's fine," he said, though his voice sounded forced. "I will just check in with her later." He added.

But Noah wasn't convinced. "You've been weird about her all week," he replied, folding his arms. "Did something happen between you two?"

Liam's jaw tightened once again, but this time, he didn't even look at the phone. "Nothing happened. Just drop it, okay?" His tone now harsher, almost defensive.

Noah studied him for a long moment, then glanced at the phone which had started buzzing again. Without hesitation, he picked it up, holding it toward Liam.

"Dude, if you don't answer, she is just going to keep calling. What's the big deal?"

Liam's gaze flickered to the phone, and for the first time, Noah noticed something odd in his eyes— something almost like fear. Without a word, Liam grabbed the phone, pressed the power button, and tossed it onto the couch beside him.

"What the hell, man?" Noah said, leaning back in surprise. "Why are you acting so shady? Did something happen?"

Liam's hands gripped the controller tightly, his knuckles white. "I said, drop it," he snapped.

Noah shook his head, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Is this about Evelyn? Did she do something? Because you're acting like you're... I don't know, scared or something."

Liam stiffened, his shoulders tensed. His gaze remained fixed on the TV, for a while but the game was long forgotten.

"Noah, I'm serious," he said, his voice lower now, almost a whisper. "Just let it go."

But Noah wasn't ready to drop it. "Liam, come on...She's your girlfriend. What could she have done wrong?"

Liam hesitated, his fingers loosening on the controller. As if on replay, his mind wandered back to the other night— the moment he had been trying to push out of his thoughts ever since.

He had got off his part time work late, and decided to stop by Evelyn's place unexpectedly. He saw her through the window as she gotnoff the cab. She was standing in the kitchen. One moment, she looked perfectly normal as he walked toward the apartme.

But then... something shifted, making his blood run cold as he froze in step. Evelyn's reflection in the window didn't match her movements. It had stared directly at him, its eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.

It was brief, but it was enough. Enough to throw him off balance.

"I..." Liam started, but then he stopped, shaking his head as if trying to dispel the memory. He couldn't tell Noah— how could he when he couldn't even explain it to himself? Keeping to himself, he turned his attention back to the game- gripping the controller like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

"Nothing's wrong," he finally said, his voice flat. "Just... leave it."

Noah scoffed, still watching him closely. But Liam didn't say another word. The phone lay silent on the couch between them, but Noah could sense his unease.