Chapter 4: Under the Stars

On the side of the Big Timber Post, a thick old rope dangled from a previous trip. My cousin, quick as ever, scrambled up and tossed down the rope ladder.

He made it look easy. The rest of us lined up, nerves buzzing.

With a little help, everyone made it up, pitched their tents, built a fire, and kicked back. The view was worth the hassle.

Night dropped like a curtain, swallowing the world. Even the wind felt darker.

The trees whispered below, and the fire seemed tiny. Then the stars exploded overhead—thousands, blazing bright enough to make everyone cheer.

Someone whooped, Morgan let out a laugh, and even the city folks forgot themselves for a minute.

For a moment, everything felt small compared to that sky.

The group fell quiet, lost in their own thoughts. Maybe this was what they’d come for all along.

“You’re still a virgin, right?” My cousin plopped down beside me, sliding over a small bottle of Jack Daniel’s.

He said it low, like he was letting me in on a secret. The bottle was already open, whiskey shining in the firelight.

I blushed and looked away, pretending to count the stars.

“Bro.” He threw an arm over my shoulder, voice barely above a whisper. “Whatever you see tonight, you didn’t. Got it? That’s the rule if you wanna stick around.”

His breath was warm with whiskey, and suddenly he was all business.

I swallowed, palms sweating. “See… what?”

He squeezed my shoulder, words hard as nails. “Doesn’t matter. If you want in, you keep secrets. Otherwise, go home and get a nine-to-five. But if you’re with me, you learn to find pleasure in the tough stuff. Got it?”

I nodded, trying to sound braver than I felt. The air felt heavy, like the sky was pressing down, waiting for my answer.

“I get it… I swear, I’ll listen to you, no matter what.”

He clapped me on the back and walked over to join the men by the fire. They huddled close, passing the whiskey, voices low and serious.

Across the fire, the women lay under a blanket, pointing at constellations, their voices soft and dreamy. The world shrank to firelight, starlight, and secrets I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.