One Of Us Isn't Real

The 19th of March was one hell of an exciting day. The ten smartest Grade 12 students of Hidden Berg High had earned something no one else could—a three-day trip to Camp Sail Berg.

A real escape.

Not just from school, but from the slow, predictable rhythm of their small, suffocating town.

For once, grades meant more than just report cards. They meant freedom.

“Leah! Come quick!” Marcus, the head boy, called out, already halfway onto the bus.

Leah adjusted the strap of her pink travel bag and hurried forward, Mia close behind her. The two of them turned heads without even trying—smart, pretty, and effortlessly popular, a rare combination at Hidden Berg.

Marcus held the bus door open for them with a grin.

“Ladies first.”

“Such a gentleman,” Leah teased as she stepped inside.

“Mia, I saved you a seat!” Lokan’s voice came from the back.

Mia paused mid-step, glancing at Leah.

Leah smirked. “Go sit next to your boyfriend.”

“Hey! We’re not official… yet,” Mia muttered, though the small smile on her face betrayed her.

She made her way down the narrow aisle, sliding her bag under the seat before sitting beside Lokan. His hand hovered for a second before gently finding hers. She didn’t pull away.

Leah watched them for a second, shaking her head with a soft laugh before choosing a seat near the front. Marcus sat beside her, already relaxed like he owned the trip.

One by one, the rest of the selected students climbed onto the bus.

First was Ethan, tall and quiet, with headphones permanently resting around his neck. He gave a small nod to Marcus before taking a window seat, clearly not interested in conversation.

Behind him came Jayden, the class clown, already talking before he’d even fully stepped onto the bus.

“If this camp doesn’t have decent food, I’m suing the school.”

“Sit down, Jayden,” Marcus said, though he was clearly amused.

“Relax, head boy. I bring entertainment.”

Next was Noah, calm and observant, the kind of guy who didn’t speak much but always noticed everything. He took a seat near Ethan, giving him a brief nod of recognition.

The last boy to board was Kai, effortlessly confident, hands in his pockets like he had all the time in the world.

“Hope I’m not late,” he said casually.

“You are,” Marcus replied.

Kai smirked. “Good. Makes it dramatic.”

Then came the rest of the girls.

Aisha stepped on, her posture straight, her expression focused. She was known for being one of the smartest in the grade—some said even smarter than Leah, though she never cared enough to compete.

Behind her was Zoe, bubbly and energetic, already snapping pictures on her phone.

“First trip selfie!” she announced to no one in particular.

“You haven’t even sat down,” Leah laughed.

“Exactly. It’s called documenting the journey.”

Finally, Tara climbed aboard, quieter than the others but with a sharp gaze that missed nothing. She slipped into a seat beside Aisha without a word.

Ten students.

Five boys. Five girls.

The best of Hidden Berg High.

As the bus doors hissed shut and the engine rumbled to life, a wave of excitement spread through the group.

“This,” Jayden announced, standing up slightly before the bus jerked forward, “is going to be the best three days of our lives.”

“Sit down before you die on day one,” Aisha said dryly.

Laughter filled the bus as it pulled away from the school, leaving Hidden Berg behind.

The drive took nearly two hours.

At first, it was loud—music playing from someone’s speaker, Jayden making nonstop jokes, Zoe documenting everything, and Mia and Lokan whispering to each other like they were the only two people there.

But slowly, as the town disappeared and the roads became narrower, quieter… something shifted.

Tall trees lined the road, their branches stretching over the bus like a tunnel. The signal on everyone’s phones dropped to nothing.

Ethan glanced out the window.

“Does anyone else feel like we’ve gone way too far?”

“It’s called nature,” Kai replied.

“No,” Ethan said, frowning slightly. “It’s called middle of nowhere.”

Leah looked out ahead. The road curved sharply, and for a moment, all she could see were trees.

Then—

“There!” Zoe pointed.

The camp appeared suddenly, as if it had been hiding.

A wooden sign stood crookedly near the entrance:

Camp Sail Berg

The paint was faded.

The bus slowed as it rolled onto the gravel driveway, tires crunching loudly in the otherwise silent surroundings.

The camp itself was… smaller than expected.

A few cabins stood scattered around a clearing. A large, old building—probably the main hall—sat at the center. Beyond it, a dark forest stretched endlessly, and in the distance, the faint outline of mountains loomed.

No other people in sight.

No other buses.

No welcome.

The engine shut off.

Silence.

“Okay…” Jayden said, his voice unusually quiet. “Why does this feel like the start of a horror movie?”

“No seriously,” Mia added, glancing around. “Where is everyone?”

Marcus stood, trying to regain control of the mood.

“Relax, guys. We’re probably just early.”

But even he didn’t sound fully convinced.

Leah stepped off the bus first, her shoes crunching against the gravel. A cool breeze brushed past her, colder than it should have been.

She looked around slowly.

Something about the place felt… off.

Behind her, the others began stepping down one by one, their excitement dimming into curiosity—and just a hint of unease.

Three days.

Ten students.

And Camp Sail Berg waiting for them.