THE NEW SHADOW

9. AMONG THE TREES

—If anybody forgot something, now’s the time to say it,” María announced, keys in hand. “I’m not coming back for chargers, jackets, or existential crises.”

—Not even existential crises?” Elena asked, crossing her arms beside the car. “Then Scott can’t come.”

—Relax,” Scott replied without missing a beat. “I already solved all of those. Now I just have health problems.”

Kip let out a quiet laugh.

—Can confirm. There are many.

—Wow. Love the support I get in this relationship,” Scott muttered.

—It’s the best you’re gonna get,” María added. “Enjoy it.”

The mood was already alive before they even left. Light. Easy. Like simply getting out of the city was enough to make everything else stop mattering for a while.

Kip walked over to Scott while the others finished loading things into the car.

—Ready?” he asked quietly.

Scott looked at him.

Up close, everything felt calmer.

—Yeah…” he answered. “I think I needed this.”

Kip held his gaze for a moment… then leaned in just enough to brush his lips in a quick kiss. No tension. No hiding. Natural.

Scott didn’t pull away immediately. He stayed there another second, like that tiny gesture settled something inside him.

—Hey!” María shouted. “Are you getting in or should we officially give you privacy?”

—Five more minutes,” Elena added. “Respect the moment.”

—We’re coming,” Kip called back as he turned around.

Scott shook his head with a faint smile and climbed into the car. They settled in quickly. María in the front. Kip driving. Scott in the back beside Elena.

—Okay,” María declared. “Rule number one: I’m the DJ.”

—Immediate objection,” Elena replied. “Your music is an act of violence.”

—My music is culture.

—Your music is collective trauma.

Kip started the car laughing.

—This is gonna be a disaster.

—We haven’t even left yet and I already regret this,” Scott said, leaning back in his seat.

—Too late,” Elena replied. “You’re part of the group now.”

Scott turned toward her.

—Since when?

—For a while. We just forgot to tell you.

—You signed an invisible contract,” María added.

—Are there clauses?” Scott asked.

—Many. You’re not allowed to be boring, you have to laugh at my jokes, and you’re legally required to attend future plans.

Scott lowered his head with complete seriousness.

The car pulled onto the highway. For the first few minutes, everything was noise: music changing every thirty seconds, ridiculous arguments, overlapping conversations, effortless laughter. Scott didn’t talk much. But he was there. Watching. Mostly Kip. The way he drove calmly, like he wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere. The way he laughed without overthinking it. The way he fit with them naturally without needing to prove anything.

Then Scott looked at the others. María exaggerating stories like she was performing onstage. Elena throwing out perfectly timed comments. The trust between them. The ease. Nobody competing. Nobody measuring themselves against anyone else. Scott lowered his gaze for a moment, resting his forearms against his knees. He wasn’t used to this. Not like this. His world had always been different. More tense. More… guarded. Everything carried weight that never completely disappeared. Not here. Here everything felt light. And somehow… more real.

—Hey.

Scott looked up.

Kip was watching him through the rearview mirror.

—You still with us or did you mentally leave already?

Scott held his gaze for a second.

—I’m still here.

—You better be,” María said. “We’re not stopping the car for you.”

—We’ll leave you in the middle of the woods,” Elena added.

—Perfect,” Scott replied. “Sounds peaceful.”

—Oh, please,” María said. “You’d be crying within five minutes.”

Scott smiled, but didn’t answer immediately. Because for the first time… he wasn’t so sure about that. He leaned back against the seat. Let the voices fill the space. Let the music keep changing. Let the road keep moving without pressure. And somewhere in the middle of all that… something settled inside him. Not suddenly. Not intensely. Quietly. Like he was fitting into a place he hadn’t realized he’d been searching for. He looked forward again, finding Kip one more time, even if it was only his profile. Calm. Present. Real. And a thought crossed his mind. Quick. Almost dangerous. He didn’t say it out loud. Didn’t even finish thinking about it. But it stayed there anyway. Like a possibility.

—By the way,” Elena said suddenly, “is there any signal out there or are we disappearing from the world?”

—Almost none,” María replied. “That’s part of the plan.”

—Perfect,” Scott murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

And this time… he actually meant it.

The car came to a stop with a soft crunch against the gravel. For a second… nobody said anything. It was that kind of silence that doesn’t feel uncomfortable. The kind that appears when something surprises you enough.

—Okay…” María murmured as she opened the door. “This actually looks like it came out of a movie.”

The air felt different. Colder. Cleaner. The cabin stood in front of them, built entirely from dark wood, every plank marked by time. There was nothing elegant about it. Nothing modern. It was rustic. Almost rough. Surrounded by a forest that looked endless. But what really pulled your eyes in… was the lake. Huge. Still. Stretching out like an endless mirror in front of the cabin.

—Wow…” Elena said as she walked forward a few steps. “Okay… this is actually worth it.”

Kip got out of the car and shut the door.

—It’s nice.

María turned immediately.

—“Nice”? That’s all you have to say?

—I’m being restrained.

—You’re boring.

—And you’re dramatic.

Scott stepped out more slowly. Looked at the cabin. Then the lake. Then the forest. And for a moment… everything else disappeared.

—I like it,” he said simply.

Kip glanced at him sideways.

—I knew you would.

Inside, the cabin was even simpler. Wood everywhere. The kitchen small, but functional. A central table with mismatched chairs. An old couch, slightly sunken in. And the faint smell of damp wood and time.

—Okay, this has serious “if we hear a noise, we run” energy,” Elena said, dropping her backpack.

—Thanks for making us feel safe,” Scott replied.

María was already opening doors.

—Alright… how many rooms are there here?

—Three,” Kip answered, looking around. “I think.”

—Perfect,” she replied immediately. “I want the biggest one.”

—What a surprise,” Elena muttered.

—I said it first.

—That doesn’t mean anything.

Scott walked down the hallway and opened one of the doors.
—This one’s decent.

—That’s the small one,” Kip said behind him.

—Then it’s mine.

—You sure?

Scott shrugged.

—I don’t need more space.

Elena appeared at the other doorway.

—Okay, this one’s definitely better.

—That was my room,” María said immediately.

—I got here first.

—No, I saw it first.

—That’s not how this works.

—Yes it is.

—No it isn’t.

Kip laughed softly.

—Do you want to solve this like adults or like you usually do?

—Like always,” both of them answered at the same time.

Scott shook his head, leaning against the wall.
—This is gonna be fun.

A few minutes later, everything was more or less decided. Elena got the big room. María took the other. Scott picked Kip up and carried him into their room without really discussing it. Holding each other’s gaze the entire time. Without saying much. Just feeling that kind of love they’d only heard about in Disney movies before.

—Hey,” Elena called from the living room. “Come look at this.”

Scott stepped back into the hallway, the others following behind him.

Elena was crouched near one of the walls, touching what looked like an uneven section of wood.

—This isn’t normal,” she said.

Kip walked closer.

—What is it?

—I don’t know… but look at this.

She pressed lightly, and a small section of the wall opened with a soft click.

—No…” María murmured.

—Okay, now I’m interested,” Scott said.

It was a hidden compartment. Small. Old. Inside were a few forgotten things: an old book, a flashlight, a couple objects that had probably been sitting there for years.

—This officially feels like a horror movie now,” María said. “What if there’s more?”

—Relax,” Kip replied. “It’s just an old cabin.”

—That’s exactly what people say right before something happens.

Scott picked up the book and flipped through it casually.
—Relax. If something happens… I’ll go first.

—Wow. How thoughtful,” Elena replied.

—Always.

Later, the atmosphere shifted. Suitcases opened. Rooms claimed. The cabin slowly started feeling… lived in.

—Okay,” María announced, pulling out a box. “I brought these.”

—What is it?” Kip asked.

—Cards.

Elena smiled immediately.

—Perfect.

They sat around the table.

The game started simple.

Quick rules.

Short rounds.

Comments growing looser with every turn.

—You can’t do that,” Kip said.

—Of course I can,” María replied. “It’s in the rules.”

—No it’s not.

—I literally just invented it.

—Then it doesn’t count.

—It counts because it’s me.

—That makes no sense.

—Makes perfect sense.

Scott watched more than he played at first. But little by little, he joined in more. Laughed more. Felt more inside of it.

—Okay, this is rigged,” Elena said. “María’s cheating.”

—I am not cheating.

—You’re doing whatever you want.

—That’s different.

—No it isn’t.

Scott leaned his elbows against the table, smiling.

—I like this group.

Kip looked at him.

And for a second…

he said nothing.

Just held the moment there.

Time passed without any of them noticing.

Until—

—I’m hungry,” María announced, tossing her cards onto the table.

—Same,” Elena added.

Scott stretched slightly.

—Perfect. Let’s cook before somebody starts eating all the snacks.

—Too late,” Elena replied.

—Yeah, we can tell.

Kip stood up.

—Okay, let’s make something simple.

—Simple is the key word,” María said. “Don’t expect miracles.”

Scott took a breath as he got to his feet.

—I’ll handle the meat.

—That’s a dangerous level of confidence,” Elena replied.

—Don’t worry,” Kip added. “He’s good at it.”

Scott looked at him.

—Thanks for the vote of confidence.

—Always.

The kitchen filled with movement again.

—Okay, but this is not a salad,” María said, staring into the bowl. “This is… chaos.”

—It’s a modern salad,” Elena replied without looking up. “It evolves.”

—It has strawberries.

—Yes.

—And cheese?

—Yes.

—And walnuts?

—Yes.

María stared at her.

—This makes no sense.

—It makes perfect sense. It’s balance.

—This is confusion.

Kip laughed softly from where he leaned against the counter.
—Leave her alone. If it tastes good, it works.

—Exactly,” Elena added.

—No, no, no,” María insisted. “Cooking has rules.”

Scott, standing near the doorway, cut in:

—That’s the problem. Thinking everything has to follow rules.

María turned toward him.

—Are you taking her side?

—I’m taking the side of eating.

Elena lifted the knife like she’d just won something.

—Thank you.

—Traitor,” María muttered.

—Always.

The atmosphere stayed light. Comfortable. Someone opened another bag of snacks without asking. Conversations overlapped without losing each other. Kip moved between all of them, helping here and there with that ease that seemed completely natural to him. He wore a baseball cap low over his hair, and somehow it looked ridiculously good on him. Scott noticed.

—I’m going outside,” he finally said, grabbing the tray of meat. “Before somebody ruins it.”

—Nobody wants to ruin it,” Elena replied.

—I hope not.

Outside, the air was colder. The kind of cold that doesn’t hurt… but you feel it. Still, Scott didn’t seem affected by it. Short shorts. Flip-flops. Nothing else. Like weather simply didn’t apply to him.

He lit the grill calmly. The fire slowly came alive, casting soft light across the lake. The water reflected faint shimmering ripples, barely moving. Scott laid the meat down. Instant sound. That clean sizzling crackle. He took a deep breath. For one second… just that.

Inside, María stopped chopping.

Looked at Kip.

Then at Elena.

—Dude…

Kip looked up.

—What?

Elena crossed her arms, barely smiling.

—You are in serious trouble.

Kip frowned slightly.

—What trouble?

María shook her head like it was obvious.

—You are way too in love with that man.

Silence fell for a second. Kip didn’t answer. Didn’t defend himself. Didn’t deny it. He just looked toward the door. Outside. Where Scott stood quietly focused, turning the meat over the fire, completely unaware of the conversation. Kip’s eyes stayed there. Fixed. His expression shifted slightly. Something softer. More honest. And then, almost in a whisper:

—He’s everything I ever asked for in my life…

He exhaled softly.

—…and somehow life gave me even more than I imagined.

María looked at him. So, did Elena. But neither of them said anything. Because they didn’t need to.

A while later, all four of them were outside. Plates in hand. Simple food. No structure. No formality. They ate between random comments, small jokes, comfortable silences. Nothing forced. Nothing heavy. Just… good.

When they finished, nobody moved right away. The fire still burned. The lake stayed calm. The sky completely dark now.

—Okay…” Scott said, looking around. “Who found this place?”

Elena proudly raised a hand.

—Obviously me. Hello.

—Of course it was,” María added.

—I saw it and immediately thought: this is perfect. Half isolated, half suspicious, incredible view.

—It definitely has “something terrible happened here” energy,” Scott said.

—Exactly. That’s what gives it charm.

—Good job,” Kip murmured.

Elena smiled.

—I know.

Scott let out a yawn. Small. But enough. María caught it instantly. She looked at Elena.

—Hey…

—What?

—Let’s go inside.

—Why?

—Skin care routine.

Elena stared at her for one second… then understood.

—Oh. Right.

They stood almost at the same time.

—Guys,” María said, “don’t do anything weird.”

—No promises,” Scott replied.

—You never promise anything,” Elena added.

—It’s really beautiful out here…” María said while already walking away. “But yeah. Let’s go.”

—Definitely better,” Elena replied.

They went inside. The door closed.

Silence again. But different now. Deeper.

Scott leaned back across Kip’s legs, staring into the fire. Kip stayed still, gently running his fingers through his hair. For a few seconds… neither of them spoke.

—Hey…” Scott said eventually.

Kip looked down at him.

—Yeah?

Scott hesitated. Not long. But enough.

—Did you ever think… you’d have this?

Kip glanced upward for a second, looking around before answering.

—This?

Scott gestured vaguely.

—This. Peace. Stability. Something… real.

Kip lowered his gaze toward the fire.

—No,” he admitted after a few seconds. “Not like this.”

Scott nodded faintly.

—Me neither.

The fire cracked softly.

—When I was younger…” Scott continued more quietly, “everything was different.”

Kip didn’t interrupt.

—I lost my parents really early,” he added. “And after that… everything got faster. Colder.”

Pause.

—You learn not to depend on anybody.

Kip watched him carefully.

—And it works,” Scott continued. “Until one day… you realize you don’t want it to work like that anymore.”

Silence settled between them.

But it didn’t weigh anything down.

It held.

—And now?” Kip asked.

Scott looked up.

Looked directly at him.

—Now… I don’t want to do anything alone anymore.

Kip didn’t answer immediately.

But something in his expression softened.

—You don’t have to,” he said finally.

A small smile crossed Scott’s face.

—Seems like it.

Pause.

—What about you?” Scott asked. “What did you want when you were a kid?”

Kip thought about it for a moment.

—Something simple,” he answered. “To be okay. To have someone. Not complicate my life.”

Scott tilted his head slightly.

—And now?

Kip looked directly at him.

—I have it.

Long silence. Scott held his gaze. And this time… there was no doubt. The fire kept burning. The lake stayed calm. But something between them… had changed.