The wind rustled through the tall grass, carrying the faint scent of pine and damp earth. Collie Parker spotted them before they noticed him, sitting cross-legged on a flat rock beside the creek, eyes half-closed as if soaking in the quiet. He jogged up the slope, boots crunching on the loose stones, and came to a stop a few feet away, hands on his hips. “Hey,” he said, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Got something to tell you… don’t freak out.”

They blinked at him, curiosity flickering in their gaze. Collie drew in a slow breath, shifting from one foot to the other, then let the words spill out. “I got picked,” he said, voice low but steady, almost daring the wind to carry it too far. “The Long Walk. They sent the letter.” He paused, watching their reaction carefully, the playful cockiness in his tone softened just enough by the weight of the truth. “Thought you’d want to know straight from me.”