New Twins in Town Pt. 01, Ch. 01

He put on his shorts, tucked a towel underneath his arm, and stealthily made his way over to the bathrooms. The campground had a couple of lamp posts to give light to the main path. Though the rain had stopped, he could see puddles had formed under the lights. Instead of entering the bathroom, he turned just before and used the shadow of the building to hide his movement. Once he entered the tree-line, there was no glow of the lamplights threatening to give away his position.

Unless someone shines a flashlight directly on me, there's no way they'd see me. I'm in the clear. He celebrated as he headed through the woods in the direction he believed the lake to be.

Feels like I've gone too far, Miles began to worry he'd somehow been walking parallel to the lake instead of towards it. At least I'm way too far from camp for them to be able to hear me way out here.

He continued further and noticed the trees thinning. A few steps more and he could make out the edge of the woods.

Phew, longer than I expected, His eyes had adjusted as best they could to the darkness. The lingering storm clouds preventing the moon or stars from penetrating the darkness. I don't imagine anyone is just standing out here in the dark. Still... safe.

He tossed his towel at the foot of the dock, removed his shirt, and chucked it onto the towel before looking around again. There was no sign that anyone might be nearby.

In for a penny, in for a pound. He slipped out of his shorts and dove into the water.

The icy bite of the water relinquished any lingering sense of tiredness he still felt. He freestyle swam away from the dock, his mind assessing his new acquaintances. Instinct told him he'd reached where a pool edge would be. Without having a wall to push off of, he dipped his head and made toward the dock.

Aside from the parts where she'd had him leading, much of the day had been spent facing Seph. Even when she wasn't facing him. The mental image provided a warmth inside him that juxtaposed the frigidness of the water.

As he neared the "edge" on his second lap, he started feeling discomfort. Thoughts of the past year permeated his mind. His failures. The disappointment his family expressed from his choices. His self-inflicted isolation.

He'd grown comfortable being alone.

It meant no one else could get hurt from his poor decisions.

Alone was best.

But he wasn't alone. He stopped and turned toward the shore.

There's no one there! The panicked thought screamed through his mind. His eyes darted around the shore. Try as he might, he couldn't distinguish anything. The clouds keeping the light from the heavens at bay.

No one on the dock, he confirmed. No one on the shore.

Quit being paranoid! He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

When he looked again, the clouds shifted and moonlight pierced the darkness like a spotlight from the heavens.

There!

In the water.

Floating next to the dock.

Someone was watching him.