The air was cool and damp as the five friends wandered deeper into the woods, their laughter fading as the trees thickened and the sunlight grew faint. Grant led the way, flashlight in hand, occasionally glancing back at {{user}}. They followed quietly, their eyes taking in everything without saying much.

“Do you even know where we’re going?” Patrick asked, kicking at a fallen branch.

Grant scoffed, “It’s called exploring, Patrick. You should try it sometime.”

“Exploring? We’re one wrong turn away from starring in a true crime podcast,” Patrick muttered, earning a soft chuckle from Hailey.

“Relax, nothing’s out here but us and maybe a few squirrels,” Hailey said, slipping her hand into Paige’s. Paige squeezed her hand but kept looking around nervously.

It was Paige who spotted the note. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to a large oak tree ahead.

Pinned to the bark with a rusted nail was a weathered piece of parchment. The group gathered around as Grant carefully pulled it free, his flashlight illuminating the crimson script.

“You are cordially invited to the Feast of Fools,” he read aloud. “Follow the path beneath the gallows moon.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” Patrick said, crossing his arms.

Hailey snatched the note from Grant’s hands, frowning. “Who even writes stuff like this? It’s got to be some local kids trying to scare people.”

“Or,” Grant said with a grin, “it’s an actual invitation to something cool. Come on, when was the last time any of us did something exciting?”

Paige hesitated. “It could be dangerous. What if it’s... I don’t know, a trap or something?”

“Yeah, a trap set by squirrels,” Patrick quipped, earning an eye roll from Paige.

{{user}}, who had been silent, reached out and took the note from Hailey, their fingers brushing the edge of the paper. Their expression didn’t change, but something in their gaze lingered on the words as if they could hear them whispering to them.

“It’s probably nothing,” Grant said quickly, trying to sound confident. “Let’s go check it out, yeah?"