CRYPTID

Prologue

But she invited him to the party, the first of the summer, and even seemed happy when he said yes, though he could barely meet her eye. She told him what time her friends would stop by and pick him up, and that was that. Henry was surprised to find himself... excited.

Hopeful.

He hadn't realized the party was going to be in the middle of the woods, or that the ride would be this bumpy.

But soon, just as Violet had promised, the car slowed. The trees outside the window unblurred and then parted, opening into a clearing. It looked like had once been a worksite of some kind, crumbling concrete structures looming in the corners. In the center was an already roaring bonfire, the shadows of his classmates dotted around it.

Roz rolled down the window and stuck her head out as Caleb pulled the car alongside the line of already parked vehicles.

"Whoooooo!" she called to the crowd.

The crowd responded in kind.

Finally, the car shuddered to a stop and Henry let out a great sigh. Caleb and Roz wasted no time; they hopped out without a glance back at their other passengers.

Violet made no move to get out. "Ready?" she asked Henry.

Henry peeled his fingers off the armrest and shakily undid the seatbelt from around his waist. "I-I think so."

"Let's go," she said. "I'll introduce you to everyone." She popped open the door and stepped out.

Henry followed her, though he didn't know why he'd need to be introduced. He already knew everyone here. They'd been in school together since kindergarten—or earlier if you counted Miss Daisy's Preschool & Daycare. But he didn't dare question Violet, especially when she slipped her arm through his, dragging him towards the ring of fire.

The ground beneath Henry's feet was well worn, beaten down by the years of visitors, sneaking out into the forest to share a beer. It was simply known as The Clearing and he knew this place, even though he'd never been here. His older sister Bethany had, though, and she told him all about the 'righteous' parties thrown here over the years. She had asked him if he wanted to tag along a few times, but he'd never worked up the courage to go.

Until tonight.

It was a beautiful night. The sky above was clear, cloudless. The peaks of the trees that surrounded the clearing stretched up towards the glittering stars like fingers reaching to catch them.

"Josie!" Violet called, pulling Henry forwards to a group of people standing by the bonfire.

Josie turned. Henry knew her from Biology—she had objected to dissecting a frog during their anatomy lab—and her colossal mohawk was hard to miss. She was the only one in town with hair like that. Henry was surprised that someone like Violet ran in the same circles as Josie.

"Hi Vee," Josie said, turning to greet her with a smile. "Who's that on your arm?"

"You know Henry," Violet said, pulling him closer to her.

"Is that who it is?" Josie said, leaning in closer, but her sly smile told Henry that she indeed knew who he was. "Sorry, it's so hard to see people's faces in the firelight."

"Be nice," Violet warned.

Josie gave Violet a look. Henry thought that Violet might've given her a look right back, but when he turned to look at her, her face shifted suddenly into a smile, wiping it clear.

"So, Henry," Josie began, "what made you decide to finally come to one of our illustrious gatherings?" She motioned to the groups of people scattered around the clearing. It seemed like all of his classmates were there.