They all leaned over the edge of the hollow well.

It looked ancient—so old it was hard to believe rain had ever filled it. Moss crawled along its rim, and the darkness below swallowed everything whole. It didn't feel like part of the forest. It felt placed there.

"This is why you kids shouldn't be doing this stuff," Lorenzo said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Woah..." Ethan muttered, peering inside.

"Woah," Loralie echoed flatly. "So cool," she added sarcastically, crossing her arms as she stepped back.

Her gaze drifted past the trees instead—toward the fog curling between the pines.

That's when she saw it.

A figure moving in the distance.

"Zuri," she whispered quickly, tapping her friend's arm. "Zuri—look."

Zuri shot her an annoyed glance. "What?"

But when she followed Loralie's stare, her expression shifted instantly.

A boy stepped out from between the trees, tall grass brushing against his legs, a grin already forming on his face.

Haider.

"I found a flat soccer ball!" he called out proudly, holding up the miserably deflated soccer ball tha look like it was dipped in mud like it was treasure.

Ethan's expression dropped the moment he saw him.

"Where were you?!" he snapped, fists tightening.

Haider only smiled harder and laughed. "My bad, dude!"

"You need to be more responsible if you want to stay here," Lorenzo said firmly.

Zuri muttered something under her breath and rolled her eyes.

Lorenzo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

And then—

"Guys..."

Loralie's voice cut through the noise.

Something in her tone made everyone stop.

She stepped closer to the well again, her expression shifting from irritation to something sharper—uncertainty.

The well didn't look any different than before.

But suddenly, it felt like it was listening and calling each of them by their names in a silent whisper.