Page 28 of Vintage

I’ve been there a few times during the day, but never at night.

"Oh, wouldn’t that make you happy... But how are you still out at this hour? Didn’t your mama teach you to go to bed early or the boogeyman will get you? Little Darius forgot about curfew, huh?" Now it was my turn to grin.

Darius snorted, and his two buddies laughed.

Amery squeezed my hand, resting her head on my arm as I tried to wrap up the conversation, eager to focus on my wife.

"Nice try, but it’ll take more than that to get under my skin, Amir."

"How much? Five bucks or a hundred? Just name your price, Darius."

"Suck my dick!" he growled, which made me smirk. Now we were on the same wavelength.

"Not interested."

"Alright then, if you’re a real man, hop on. We’re heading to Willow Tree Lake. Let’s see how mature you really are," he challenged, narrowing his eyes at me.

I glanced back at Amery, feeling compelled to join in and prove him wrong.

She looked between me and Darius, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Seriously, boys!" she groaned. "I’m coming too. I’ve got nothing to do at home, and if you deny me, Darius, I swear I’ll make you regret it." She shot him a warning look, waiting for him to push back.

"Kitten has claws," he remarked, glancing at me, and I couldn’t help but smirk.

"I can show you just how she uses them," I said with a mischievous grin, earning a playful punch in the stomach from Amery, who whispered that she’d demonstrate later.

I knew I was the one in the hot seat.

"Get on, guys. We’re already running late," he said, brushing me off as he hurried us along.

Amery climbed on behind Darius, while I took a seat with one of the guys whose jacket read "enforcer."

Before long, we arrived at the deserted property overlooking Willow Tree Lake, needing to cut through the backyard to get there.

As soon as we stepped onto the estate, a heavy atmosphere made my nose twitch. The unsettling silence wrapped around Amery, prompting her to move closer, her fingers intertwining with mine. Instinctively, I pulled herin tighter. Keeping her safe was my responsibility, and I wasn’t relying on my so-called friend or his crew for that.

The air around the abandoned house felt thick, heavy with a presence that I couldn’t shake. The driveway was choked with overgrown weeds, the paths barely visible under the tangle of vines and bramble. Every step I took seemed to echo unnaturally, a muffled crunch beneath my boots that made the silence feel too loud.

I winced, feeling a prick in my arm, but ignored the sting when Amery whimpered scared.

Crushing wet leaves and trudging through the muddy ground, we circled the mansion and slipped through the dilapidated fence that led to the backyard. There, a thick mist blanketed the lake, and the willow tree hung low over its banks.

The heavy fog enveloping the area obscured everything, and perhaps this eerie ambiance was why I felt increasingly lightheaded.

"Hey, everyone, watch your steps. I might not buy into the town's legends, but it never hurts to be cautious. Whether it's a myth or not, there could be something lurking around—like a wolf or some criminal looking for a hideout," Darius cautioned us.

As we gathered on the deck, Amery clung to me, almost as if she were trying to become part of my skin.

"It's alright, sweetheart," I whispered in her ear, and she nodded, letting out a sigh as her shoulders eased a bit.

Amery isn't the best with scary situations; she'd rather not face any proof that the supernatural might exist.

Darius tossed a pebble into the water, but the only sound that followed was the gentle ripple it created.

In front of me, the willow tree hung low, its long, drooping branches swaying with a sound that almost sounded like a sigh. The lake, dark and still, stretched out before me, reflecting the barren sky above.

As the fog thickened, we slowly took out our phones and turned on the flashlights to scan our surroundings, finding it increasingly difficult to rely on our sight. It felt like we could have attempted to navigate this place blindfolded, if only we had the actual blindfolds to cover our eyes.

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