"Hey, Zeke! Do you want to go to the forest tonight?" Michael's voice echoed faintly through the trees, a distant call that pulled Zeke forward like an invisible thread.

Branches clawed at his arms as he stumbled through the underbrush, his legs trembling with every hurried step. Somewhere ahead, Michael's carefree laughter rang out, mixing with the midnight chorus of crickets. The forest felt alien — its towering trees casting long, dark shadows that danced in the moonlight.

"Micheal, where are you?" Zeke yelled, his voice echoing. He caught a glimpse of Michael's red hair flickering between the trees, just enough to follow his path through the dense undergrowth. Every rustle of the leaves or snap of a twig sent a shiver down his spine. He had never been this far from town, and the weight of isolation settled over him like a heavy cloak.

"Hey Z, you're such a slow runner," Michael said, grinning as Zeke finally caught up. "Hey Z, look at this view, man, this spot in the Forest is my favorite. I can see all the stars with no lights around me."

As Zeke sat down beside Michael, breathless and worn, the world around him seemed to fade away. The sky above stretched endlessly, filled with stars that shimmered like scattered diamonds on a blanket of velvet. For a moment, Zeke forgot why he had been chasing Michael. The beauty of the stars, undisturbed by the light of town, pulled him into their serene glow. The cold night air carried the scent of wine and damp earth, grounding him in the stillness of the moment.