We all clicked our flashlights on and headed into the dark woods, leaving our cars behind us. The shadows from the trees seemed to float down and cover us all like a blanket thrown over a freshly made bed.

“So where even is this place?” Zoe asked as twigs crunched beneath our feet.

“Just a little further,” John called back as he led the way. “You’ll know when we’re close.”

He seemed to fi...

The road flew by under our wheels as we drove, the ocean to our left. Wind whipped through open windows, tousling my brown curls. He turned up the radio before reaching for my hand. I could’t help but smile. I rubbed my thumb back and forth to let him know I approved. He returned that with a gentle squeeze of my hand and a beautiful smile of his own.

We pulled up onto the sand as the sun su...

Cars whizzed by me as my shadow from the streetlights stretched beyond, following me. The walk home from work was always bittersweet. The darkness of the night swept me up in its embrace, but the quiet was eerily peaceful. It was almost a perfect summer night, warm but not stuffy. I could breathe easily.

I slid my phone from my back pocket to check the feeds. Just a few blocks remained, and...