Chapter 53: A Sense of Unease

As the Hampton family and their friends made their way out of the forest, Hampton Jr. couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in his stomach.

He looked back at the forest, his eyes scanning the trees, wondering if he had really seen someone earlier. But there was no one in sight.

His father, Hampton Sr., noticed his son's distraction. "Hey, Jr., what's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Hampton Jr. hesitated for a moment before answering. "I thought I saw someone in the forest earlier," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hampton Sr.'s expression turned serious. "Someone? What do you mean?"

Hampton Jr. shook his head. "I don't know. It was just a glimpse. But I could have sworn I saw someone."

Hampton Sr.'s face relaxed, and he chuckled. "You're just spooked, son. There's no one living in these woods."

But Hampton Jr. wasn't so sure. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

As they walked, Alex and Joshua caught up with them, chatting about their plans for the rest of the day. The girls, Amanda, Joan, Brenda, and Angelina, were laughing and joking with each other, seemingly carefree.

But Hampton Jr.'s mind was elsewhere. He was thinking about the forest, and the feeling of being watched that lingered long after they had left the woods behind.