The rain poured relentlessly, its cascading drops splattering along the muddy soil and green leaves. The harsh cutting wind sliced through the forest, sending shivers down the spine, while the branches above let out an eerie creek, their ghostly echoes permeating the land.

Deep within the mining caverns, the heart of a bygone era, the scavenger hunt would take place. Fern, once a thriving mining town during the colonization era, had unearthed rare ore that fueled its growth and lined the pockets of the town's wealthiest inhabitants. But now, its mining days were but a memory, marked only by the chain-link fence that encased the dormant tunnels. Yet, on this day, after a prolonged silence, the caverns were about to be invaded by a new wave of explorers.

Just a couple of minutes away from the fence, stood a solitary old log cabin, weathered and decaying. Its wood had molted over time, and a massive hole in the roof bore witness to a past storm's fury, a jagged tree branch thrusting through the vulnerable barrier.

This dilapidated cabin served as the meeting place for the participants. Some of them had already arrived, scattered throughout the ramshackle interior. Markus and Hunter pressed their backs against the wooden walls, their gazes fixed forward, scanning the surroundings for any signs of the impending adventure.

Hunter's eyes, drawn by a force beyond his control, fixated on the partially open door. He released a deep, heavy breath, his apprehension palpable. "Why did we invite all these people?" he questioned, his voice laced with exasperation. Slowly shaking his head, he continued, "This is ridiculous. Do we honestly need ten people for a scavenger hunt?"

"Well, your older brother and his friends put it inside the cavern," Markus replied, his voice tinged with hesitation, eyes narrowing. "And besides... I don't want to risk getting lost down there. It's better to have more people watching our backs."

"Half-brother," Hunter corrected, his tone sharp and matter-of-fact. "Still, I don't understand why you invited... him." Markus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I enjoy his company. If you weren't such an asshole half the time, you'd realize how cool he can be. He's got the most friends in our whole grade and is the reason we've managed to gather this group."

Hunter fell silent, his words hanging in the air as he absorbed the unexpected response. "Fine, whatever," he snapped back slowly. "So, are you excited to go back to the city?"

Markus raised an eyebrow in response, a faint smirk dancing across his lips. "Already missing me, huh? I'm flattered."

"Yeah, yeah... shut up," Hunter muttered, his voice tinged with a mixture of annoyance and affection. "But seriously, are you excited to go back there?"

Markus responded with a casual shrug, folding his arms across his chest. "My parents aren't like yours, Hunter. We don't have the luxury of living out here. Sure, it's safe and all, but it's draining us financially."

Hunter acknowledged the difference in their circumstances, his mind drifting back to the past, to the struggles he had faced before his father and stepmother had welcomed him into their loving embrace. "Yeah, I get it... I understand."

His gaze shifted to the others in the room. Aidan had gathered a group of eight people, including himself and Markus, to embark on this underground adventure. Hunter couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the size of the group. After all, the essence of the tradition lay in completing the scavenger hunt with as few people as possible, ensuring a greater reputation and glory.

Sure, Markus had reluctantly agreed to embark on this scavenger hunt as a final token of remembrance before their departure from town. A nostalgic memory to look back on when they were old, reminiscing and joking about the good old days. But what he hadn't expected was the inclusion of other people, forcing their way into the equation.

Carter, the shortest kid in their entire grade, slouched near a wall, his shirt slightly askew as he absentmindedly polished his glasses on the fabric. His narrowed eyes strained to pierce through the darkness and heavy rain, his determination evident.

Carter was undeniably one of the brightest minds in their school, adorned with countless academic accolades and recognition, despite his young age. While they played with baking soda volcanoes and engaged in other trivial pursuits, he delved into the depths of quantum mechanics and coding. Rumors circulated that he might even skip high school altogether, perhaps even leapfrogging directly to college.

However, despite his brilliance, there was something about Carter that greatly irked and caused annoyance among his peers. "How much longer? Quality men like me have more important things to do than wait out in the rain," he grumbled, his voice piercing through the stillness of the house.

Hunter and Markus exchanged a cringe, all too familiar with the grating tone that resonated from Carter. You see, Carter was adopted. Originally born in Arizona, he had been embraced by a family hailing from Boston, who had subsequently relocated to their current town due to work. His exaggerated, affected English accent grated on everyone's nerves, a forced display that was impossible to ignore.

Carter briskly tucked his shirt into his pants, the checkered polo standing out in stark contrast against the darkness, as his deep brown eyes scrutinized each member of the group.

Seated around the table were the girls, propping themselves up with whatever they could find and engrossed in their phones, occasionally glancing up at the pretentious Englishman. One of the girls, Lisa, possessed pale skin and shoulder-length blond hair.

"Don't you ever shut up, Carter? God, you're annoying sometimes," she remarked, rolling her eyes before returning her attention to her phone.

Carter clenched his teeth, his hands fidgeting with his glasses, as if constantly readjusting them, even when there was no need. "Dimwit, how could someone like yourself truly engage in conversation with an intellectual like me?"

"Quiet, gaylord," Lisa snickered under her breath. Carter's anger flared, but before he could retort, Bella intervened.

"That's enough, Lisa," Bella interjected, standing up with a firm gaze that silenced Lisa. "It's not nice, and there's no point in going back and forth with him."

Bella's eyes drifted towards Hunter, a smile dancing upon her face, but he merely scoffed and turned his head away, uninterested. Markus chuckled at the exchange. "I really don't know how a girl like Bella is still into you after all you've done."

"She follows me around like a puppy dog," Hunter sneered, well aware of the reasons why Bella had tagged along. However, he couldn't help but find it more irritating than endearing.

The cabin door groaned in protest as it slowly swung open, a sickening sound that echoed through the room. Moist wood strained under the pressure until, with a final strike, it flung wide open, revealing the figures on the other side.

Aidan stepped forward, his coppery skin glistening with rain. His hand extended in a welcoming wave as his voice boomed through the cabin. "Glad to see you all made it!" He motioned behind him. "Managed to gather a few last-minute additions."

Oliver entered, his gaze sweeping across the dilapidated structure of the log cabin. It had weathered better days, but his eyes lingered on the room's occupants. Markus greeted him with a smile and a wave, though Oliver remained wary, unsure of the true intentions behind Markus's sudden display of kindness. The others regarded him with varying degrees of indifference or disdain.

Lisa and Melissa, on their good days, showed kindness, but Bella was the ringleader. It was evident that she was infatuated with Hunter, while Hunter held nothing but animosity towards Oliver, making Bella's disdain for him all the more pronounced. Oliver couldn't quite comprehend it. He had done nothing to deserve her ire, and it was Hunter who targeted him without reason. Yet, because Hunter disliked him, Bella followed suit. It didn't make sense to Oliver.

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"Hey, asswipe, why did you—"

Hunter was interrupted by a swift punch to his arm. His eyes widened in shock as Markus stepped in front of him, dark eyes locking with his own, rubbing the spot where Markus had struck him.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, same thing I do every day... what did you expect?" Markus glanced over his shoulder, aware of the gaze fixed upon them. "Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for Oliver. Or did you suddenly develop feelings for him?"

Markus sneered, pushing Hunter away as he positioned himself on the other side of the room. Aidan made his way toward the girls' table, his soft voice weaving jokes that elicited laughter from the girls, who leaned in, drawn to his humor and entertaining stories.

Oliver turned away from Hunter's icy glare, indifferent to his animosity. He hadn't come here seeking a fight, nor did he wish to engage in another confrontation. He disliked violence and causing harm to others, even when he joined his father on hunting trips—it was always his father who did most of the killing.

"Fucking pussy, didn't know I was dealing with a little girl," his father's words echoed in his mind. Oliver closed his eyes, sliding his hands into the sleeves of his hoodie. He despised killing, whether it was animals, fish, or even squashing bugs. In fact, it felt wrong to strike Hunter, despite his intense dislike. He didn't have a clear understanding of why Hunter harbored such animosity toward him. Sure, he fantasized about getting back at Hunter, replaying the moves he learned from TV shows and video games, but it felt inherently wrong to carry out those violent acts.

The fight loomed ahead, a blur of defense and escape, a desperate attempt to evade the violence. If his father knew what he had become, he would've unleashed his wrath, throwing him against the wall and delivering vicious kicks, just like he used to do when anger consumed him. Oliver clenched his lips, suppressing any trace of emotion.

He refused to cry here, denying Hunter and his friends the satisfaction. Instead, he steeled himself, determined to remain strong. "Look, Fatima," Aidan boisterously announced, drawing attention. "I brought Oliver, just as you asked."

Fatima, a dark-skinned girl who had recently arrived in town a few years ago, was Aidan's friend. Her golden eyes and wavy, dark hair cascading down her back gave her an intriguing allure. Aidan had easily convinced her to join, the motive behind his words now apparent.

Her face flushed with embarrassment, she swiftly placed her hand over Aidan's mouth, muffling his inaudible chuckle. "Alright, looks like we've got everyone."

Hunter stepped into the center of the room, and the others took their seats against the wall. He extended his finger, beginning to count. "Me, Markus, Aidan, Carter for the boys," he stated, although he noticed Oliver's presence, eliciting a groan of annoyance from the boy.

"Oliver, you forgot Oliver," Markus erupted.

"Fine, Oliver. That's five," Hunter replied.

Hunter turned his gaze. "Bella, Lisa, Melissa, and Fatima."

Melissa timidly raised her hand from the back of the table, her eyes scanning the room. "That's nine, Hunter. I thought there were supposed to be ten of us heading into the caverns?"

"Are you scared, Meli?" Hunter taunted. "Think of it this way—the fewer people we have, the more boasting rights we'll have in high school."

Aidan chimed in, offering an explanation. "Sorry about that. Roxanne changed her mind. Her parents caught her trying to sneak out earlier and punished her, so she didn't want to take the risk."

Markus let out a sigh of his own. While he had hoped for a group of ten to provide better backup and watch each other's backs in the caverns, perhaps Hunter was right. Maybe he was being a bit too reckless. What was the worst that could happen?

"Fine, we'll head out like this."

With those words, the group of young teenagers ventured into the caverns. Their phone flashlights flickered to life, and Aidan and Oliver brought torches from their family's garages. Their combined illumination formed a powerful beam, pushing back the encroaching darkness as they made their way through the woods. Within ten minutes, they reached the entrance of the mine.

"There it is," Aidan proclaimed.

His finger extended, Oliver's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. A towering chain-link fence loomed, adorned with a massive 'Do not enter' sign. Hunter's gaze traveled upward, a smirk etching across his face. "No barbed wire or anything," he remarked, leaping effortlessly onto the top of the fence before dropping onto the other side. Bella's lips curled into a smile, applause following his agile feat. Hunter ignored the admiration and continued walking.

With a sour expression, the remaining teens made their way along the fence line. Markus and Oliver, being among the tallest, reached up to assist the girls, as well as Carter and Aidan, in traversing to the other side.

Once everyone had safely crossed, they continued along the path. Their steps grew slower as they descended, the proximity of the cavern becoming apparent. Carter's eyes fixed on the cavern's entrance. The old railway system, long abandoned, came into view, the metal worn and rusted. And there it was, a menacing specter beckoning them, the entrance.

The long walkway lay shrouded in darkness. The wooden sign that once bore the word "enter" had eroded away over the years. It was far too late to turn back now. Fear coursed through all of them, doubts creeping into their minds as they faced the depths of that dark abyss.

Yet, not a single voice raised a concern. Not even Oliver. However, he subtly craned his neck to check on Aidan, his friend, ensuring he was okay and not being taken advantage of. But doubts began to gnaw at him.

Nonetheless, he was among the first to descend into the darkness. His flashlight, joined with Aidan's, illuminated the path ahead as the air grew increasingly thin with each step.

The crackle of lightning had faded into the distance, leaving only the soft whistle of wind that echoed through the cave as their footsteps resounded against the stone floor. "Hey, guys, I think we're supposed to go this way," Hunter's voice echoed.

They had reached a clearing within the cavern, faced with multiple openings, each as bewildering as the next. Hunter stepped forward, entering one of the caverns and kneeling down. Something caught his eye halfway into the passage. He lifted it up and walked back to the group. "Look, it's the end of someone's sweater. That means the older kids probably went through here."

They huddled around Hunter as he presented the scrap of cloth. It was not what they had anticipated. Forn was a prosperous town, though families like Markus, Aidan, and even Oliver's struggled to make ends meet. However, a rich kid wouldn't be caught dead with that.

The piece of cloth Hunter extended appeared to be a sizable fragment of a sleeve, snagged on one of the rocks. Once a vibrant yellow, the high school's primary color, it now bore a horridly faded hue.

The wear and tear on the cloth were evident. Spiderwebs clung to it, and insects scurried out from their newfound refuge as Hunter let it fall to the ground. A smile played across his features as he turned his head, pointing ahead with his finger. "There, that must be where the item is."

"What are we even looking for?" Carter inquired.

Markus shrugged his shoulders. "Based on what I gather from the tradition, the older kids drop something we're familiar with. It won't be something minuscule, but it won't be easily found either."

Carter took a knee, his gaze fixed on the fabric as he readjusted his glasses—a motion he had done before in the cabin.

"How do we know it was the high school's older kids who ventured down this path?" he pondered. He turned the ripped sweater around with his shoe, insects scuttling away from it. "This looks like it has been here for years."

Hunter scoffed, forging ahead without the others. Ignoring Carter's observations, he pressed on, with Aidan following closely behind and Bella trailing as the third.

Oliver couldn't quite make sense of Carter's findings. To him, there could have been several explanations. Perhaps it was a ripped hoodie belonging to one of the older kids, or the cave's inhabitants, the bugs and dust, made it appear aged. Alternatively, it could have been a remnant of an old miner's sleeve from bygone explorations.

So, Oliver simply went along with the group, following their lead. They traversed the long and winding path, their only solace the beams of their flashlights. That's when something caught their attention up ahead.

Fatima's voice rang out. "Water, there's water seeping through."

Their gazes turned toward Fatima, and indeed, they could see the heavy trickle of water. Carter was the first to react, his eyes widening in alarm.

"We're far below the surface now. There shouldn't be any water leaking in at such intensity," he muttered. He stepped forward, his footsteps echoing with each heavy thud. His eyes widened further, his shoulders slumping as a thought dawned on him. "The rain... it has intensified."

"What does that mean?" Lisa asked, detecting the fear in his voice. The pretense of his obnoxious fake English accent had dissipated, replaced by genuine terror.

"Cave-ins... under such torrential rain, we could be trapped."

With those words, they heard it—a grinding sound, like two plates colliding. Their widened eyes seized with panic as the beats of their hearts reverberated in their ears. "What was that?"

Lisa's words hung in the air, a pregnant pause filling the space. No one dared to speak, not even to draw a breath, when it happened. A deafening bang, an explosive sound that sent them all recoiling, feeling the very ground tremble beneath their weight. Oliver was thrown off balance, his hands instinctively reaching out to break his fall.

Then, he saw it—a cascade of stones tumbling down, each impact sending a billowing cloud of dust into the air. The ground quivered beneath his feet, his eyes widening in horror as the onslaught drew nearer. He stood frozen, paralyzed by the encroaching debris, as rocks crumbled around him, each one a fleeting threat.

"Is this where I'm going to die?" the thought flashed through Oliver's mind, a momentary glimpse of his mortality.

But then, a pair of arms seized him. Aidan's face contorted with pure fury and adrenaline, and in that moment, Oliver knew what he had to do—run. Aidan propelled him forward with a strength that shocked Oliver, his eyes fixated on the path ahead. The rest of the group followed suit, plunging deeper into the cavern, their only source of light emanating from their trembling flashlights. They stumbled over one another in their frantic haste, driven by the desperate need to escape.

And then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. Oliver propelled himself forward, his body propelled by sheer instinct as the final shockwave subsided. Flashlights slipped from their grasp, tumbling through the air before crashing onto the unforgiving stone floor, their beams extinguished.