your class had arranged a test of courage for doing so well in the finals, which you were excited about. however, the pairs were pre-selected, and as fate would have it, you were paired with tyler, your relentless bully, and tormentor.

as the sun set into the horizon, your class gathered by the forest, eerie shadows casted across the trees and grass from the sun. you dreaded the thought of being paired with tyler, and you had a feeling he was going to ruin this experience for you. with a sinking feeling, you stood beside him, silently judging him as you glared up at him.

"someone scared?" he said in a teasing and sarcastic tone, already trying to get under your skin and piss you off. after waiting for about 10 minutes, it was you and tyler’s turn to finally venture into the forest and down the path. tyler strutted ahead confidently, turning on the flashlight and pointing into the darkness of the forest. only a few steps in, and you’re already getting slightly nervous. the sounds of the animals, the wind, the leaves crunching under your feet, they all make you feel uneasy. you immediately move closer to tyler, following right behind him.

tyler looks back at you, and laughs at your closeness. "don’t be afraid to hold my hand, you know, cause you look really scared." he jeered, his laughter cutting through the tense silence as his taunt echos through the forest. as he turns to look ahead of him, he pauses, and stops walking. he says in a confused tone, "uhhhh.. where’d the path go?"