“That’s it,” Jason stops abruptly. The others stop and turn to face him, brows furrowed, eyes searching for a problem. “I’ve got to get out of these pants! They’re rubbing!” He grips at the bunched-up fabric in his crotch and pulls it away from himself. Then looks up to his friends who visibly relax. “Seriously guys… I’m gonna die.” He pleads, shakes hard at his waistband airing himself. 

“You, needing your pants off?” Mira says with a snort. She stops next to Jason watching him giggling his pants as she fumbles with the straps of her pack. “What a shocker.” Unamused, she walks past him and into a clearing near the lakeside. Her short blond hair flicking along as she scans the surrounding area intently, hands now resting upon her hips. 

“I’m surprised we managed to get you in them in the first place.” Jessica giggled, tucking away the stray bits of hair that had come loose from her braid during their hike thus far. Satisfied, she tosses the newly slicked braid over her shoulder, then stoops to admire a trillium bloom nestled beside a large rock. She traces a gentle finger along the edges of an egg white petal.

“You’d be doing this hike in your briefs if it wasn’t for Doug.” Brian mumbled, turning to follow Mira. He drops his pack along a tree line nearest her, and stretches, relieved of his lightened load.

“Hey now, don’t hate on the briefs. I like the support.” Jason pulls his zipper down, opens his fly and begins bouncing desperately.  “—Ahhh!! They gotta go, I can't.” 

“Shit, ouch ouch ouch! What the fuck was that? Almost took my toe off just now.” Doug roars suddenly hopping on one foot. He sucks in a sharp breath through clenched teeth, his fits balled tight, his knuckles turning a blanched yellow against his taut skin. 

“Looks like an old hook.” Jason said as he walked over and kicked at the half-buried chunk of metal. “It’s pretty deep in there.” 

“Aye! Over here you guys.” Mira shouts, from the clearing. “This spot will work great. The tents against the tree line there…" She points to a dense cluster of trees that blocks out the forest against the lakeside. “…and the fire-pit over near you guys.” She gestures towards Brian and Jason. 

Throwing his hands out Jason looks down around his feet. He kicks away a few rocks, twigs, and leaves creating an outline of where the pit can go. “Works for me!” he shouts back and immediately strips his pants off with a deep sigh of relief. “Oh my god that's better.”

“Well, there you have it.” Doug laughs crouched and rubbing at his foot through his boot. “The briefs have spoken.” 

“Oh shit man, you're tucked!” Disgusted, Brain throws his arm up, his outstretched hand shielding his eyes from Jason’s waistband. “Dude, put it away.” Hands resting humorously on his hips, he cocks and lifts a brow to Brains odd reaction. Then following what he averts his gaze from notices the problem and laughs.

“Oh, my bad.” Jason smiles, as he adjusts himself casually, snapping the band of his briefs when finished. “Hey!” He giggles, then stoops down and pulls a cooler from his pack and holds it up proudly for the group to see. “Sausages, anyone?”

“Fuck off man.” Brian shakes his head and begins to busy himself with the buckles on his pack. Pulling out his camping gear. 

“I’ll have one!” Jessica squeaks delightedly. She snaps a last picture of her hand cupping the flower before whirling around towards Jason. “I’m starving!” The leaves beneath her crunch as she makes her way into the clearing turned camping site. 

“Oh Jessica, I’ve got one with your name on it.”  Jason winks and tosses her the cooler. Which she catches with a chuckle. 

“Jessica, don’t encourage it.” Mira scolds, her tents tarp already claiming a spot along the tree line. Doug stands nearby shooing a spider from his recently swept up area. His pack and gear rest against a tree nearest Miras claim. “Let's hurry setting up camp.” Mira pauses her work, brushing a small strand of hair from her forehead. “I want to make it to the bluff in time for the shower tonight!” 

                                  ***

Brian and Doug stood along the lake’s bank tossing stones and mumbling to each other. The camp now set-up, Mira and Jessica were in their tents, busy packing their small hiking bags for the trip. 

“Do you think I’ll need ChapStick?” Jessica calls out to Mira.

“I’m bringing mine.” Mira answers as she emerges from her tent and comes to sit at the campfire with a still pants-less Jason. 

The respectable flames crackled in the cool evening air. The juices from the roasting sausages dripped and sizzled away when they struck the hot stones below. Jason raised his eyebrows with a smile, offering an impelled sausage on a stick to Mira where she sat. She shook her head and rolled her eyes but offered a simple smile in return. Then immediately thought better of it and held out an open palm to accept his sausage. She almost regretted her decision a second later, when Jason’s innocent smile grew wide and goofy. 

“Stop.” Mira said sweet but firm. 

“Aye, you guys ready?” Doug said, suddenly strolling up from the lake with Brian close behind. 

“Almost done here.” Jason said, pulling the speared sausages from the ground and taking care to wrap each one in foil. 

“Great.” Doug replied, his eyes fixated on Mira who had just begun eating. “Is it good?” He probed.

“Mmhmm.” Mira nodded, whipping away the juice on her lip with her sleeve. “Jokes aside, he really does know how to cook.” She said through a mouth full. 

Jason beamed, looking up instantly with a face of pure triumph. But quickly played it off when he saw the look on Doug’s face as he continued staring down at Mira. “I kne— “

“Dude, no.” Brian cut in. Shaking his head at whatever Jason was about to say. 

“Ready!” Jessica suddenly emerged from her tent. Taking a moment of pause to reveal her new outfit. She looked as if she had a can of Barbie pink paint thrown over her. “Cute huh?” She said smiling. Her long freshly braided brunette hair hung down the front of her vest. It swished as she twisted from side to side showing all angles. 

“A sausage for the lady!” Jason quickly moved towards her and away from the tension around the fire, bringing a foil wrapped sausage to a thrilled Jessica. 

                                      ***

Halfway to the bluff the terrain leveled out a bit. Brian moved past Jason and came to Jessica’s side. “You might be brighter than the stars we see tonight.” Brian said, clearing his throat. He looked away from her awkwardly and quickly combed his fingers through his hair.

“Thanks Bri.” Jessica said with a smile so big her eyes lit-up. She leaned her body against him, and looped her arm through his, squeezing him tight.  

Doug and Mira walked ahead of the group. Mira slightly ahead, but conversing, nonetheless. 

“How, umm–” Doug stumbled over a tree's root as he attempted to keep up with her. “--did you find out about this place Mira?” Having recovered he jogged a bit closing the newly formed gap between them. 

“I read about it in an astrology book I found.” She said over her shoulder. Hands gripping her shoulder straps as she ducked below a low hanging branch. “The lady who sold it to me mentioned the book had local hiking trails for great astrological viewing. It sounded fun!” She turned, walking backwards for a split moment. “Isn't this fun?” 

“Loving this!” Jessica piped up, still arm-in-arm with what appeared to be a pink faced Brian. 

No one saw Jason taking up the rear with a small smile flashing across his face as he watched his four friends treading on ahead. A quick movement and a silvery flash caught his eye. Peering up, he searched for another star to pass. But not a single speck in the deeply speckled sky moved. “I think I just saw one.” He called up.

“Oh, Let's hurry.” Mira called back. 

                                 ***

The bluff was void of any trees, a vast outcropping of an elevated meadow. At the bluffs edge the lake's waters could be seen at what Brain estimated to be at least a hundred feet below. The silent ripples echoing up as the body of water bounced against the bluff's rocky cliff side. The meadow itself was prime real estate for a picnic. And Jason wasted no time throwing down his blanket to arrange a small array of snacks he prepared back home for the group. 

“Oh, my, yes!” Jessica dropped Brains arm to race over to Jason’s spot. “Are those pickles?” She asked, quickly throwing her blanket down beside his and plopping herself onto it eagerly.

Jason was beaming once again. “Of course they are.” he said, handing the bag of pickles to Jessica.

“I love pickles.” She said, accepting them before pulling a lime-flavored White Claw from her bag. 

“How could I forget?” Jason said his classic goofy grin plastered once again across his face. The once pink-faced Brian came to set-up near Jessica. His cheeks now teetering on the edge of a deeper red. 

“Oh look! It's starting!” Mira squealed with excitement. Her finger pointed straight up towards the night sky where the first few grain-sized meteors entered the earth atmosphere. 

Doug’s eyes widened at Mira’s sudden excitement, and he stared, fixated on her. A surprised sort of smile creeping into the corners of his lips. 

The next half hour they all laid in silence. Drinking, snacking and watching the night sky ablaze with streaming lines of cosmic material. Their window to the galaxy suddenly alive with movement. 

                                  ***

“Hey look.” Jason had rolled over onto his stomach and was digging around something in the ground. “It’s another one of those hooks. Doug…” Jason bumped Doug with his elbow. “...check it out.”

Doug rolled over, followed by Mira, Jessica, then Brian. Jessica grabbed her phone, shook it, and held the revealed light over the metal hook now laying in the grass. They all leaned in for a closer look. For unlike the other hook this one seemed to be attached to something. 

 “How did we not notice this?” Brian reached his hand out and gently touched the translucent thread tied around the loop of the hook. He pulled at it, stretching it towards himself before letting it go. It thronged loudly, spooking a bird from a nearby tree. A wave of silvery flashes shined along the thread, as it vibrated upwards towards the sky catching light with its movements. 

Mira sat up, then stood, following the line of thread up into the night sky. “What is it?” She asked, turning briefly to look down at the others. 

Jessica shook her phone, extinguishing the light and stood up beside Mira taking a closer look. “It’s like tensile.” She said touching it. “But stronger.” she pondered further. 

“More like a fishing line.” Mira said.

“You guys…” Jason had pushed himself slowly off the ground and was now peering out across the clearing. “... look” he whispered under a heavy breath. The others followed his gaze out beyond their picnic, where the once darkened meadow was now alit with thin barely visible silvery lines, all slack and blowing gently in the wind.

A sudden thunk to their right making them all jump. Jessical squealed quietly burying her face into the palms of her hands. Brain and Doug were standing in the next instant. Mira reached out for Doug, and he pulled her in. Brian grabbed the blinded Jessica by the arm and pulled her closer to the group. 

“What is it?” Jessica groaned, refusing to peer out from behind her palms. 

Jason squatted down to see another hook resting upon the edge of his blanket. “It's another one.” He muttered, feeling that being quiet was the best strategy for them all. 

“We're…” Doug started, voice catching in his throat. 

“What?” Mira whispered, pulling in closer.

“We’re surrounded.” Doug said, head turning to examine the meadow behind them. "They're everywhere." 

"Are we being..." Jason stood again looking for a path through the field. 

"Trapped!" Jessica stuttered in answer through bouts of oncoming tears. Her face, now buried into Brains chest. 

"Being what?" Mira asked hurriedly, eyes scanning the field around them.

Jason turned to face the group. "Are you guys hungry?" He asked, his mouth curved slightly at the edges, though his eyes betrayed his fears. 

"This isn't the fucking time for jokes." Brain let out. Teeth clenched in anger, his arms warped protectively around a sniffling Jessica. 

Jason simply shook his head and pointed to the sky. "Because they are." He finally said. A moment of confusion passed between the group. Doug's mouth hung open as he stared at his friend, concern written across his face. Brian stood there shaking his head furious, and Mira, speechless, looked up into the sky and the space beyond it. 

"We're being fished?" Jessica said, lifting her head from Brian's chest to stare watery eyed at Jason. 

"Yeah..." He said, forcing a smile. "...I think so." 

                                  ***

"Well, that's not going to fucking work." Brian rubbed roughly at the sweat on his brow. "The drop alone will probably kill us."

"Probably just knock us out. Then we'd drown." Mira added. 

"Dead is dead Mira!" Brian snapped. "Jumping will kill us." 

Mira stiffened at Brian’s sharpness. Doug cleared his throat and leaned into the middle, throwing his arms over the two of them. The group huddled closer into their circle to hear him out. “We can’t stay here like this all night.” He jumped, as the sound of another falling hook supported his argument. “How do we know they would actually pull us up anyways?” He argued. 

For a moment they thought about this. They hadn’t actually seen any of them ascend. Mira grabbed the bag of pickles next to her knee and with precision slammed it down, spearing the bag on a nearby hook. Nothing happened, they all stood watching the pickle juice seep from the hole in the bag. Jason’s shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh of relief. The next moment happened so abruptly they almost missed it, the bag sored upwards disappearing in a sudden flash. Jessica had looked at Jason instantly, eyes widened, her mouth agape. They were indeed being fished by something. 

An occasional thunk... thunk... could be heard throughout the meadow. Each time making them jump and causing Jessica's tears to flow silently against her now puffy face. Jason brushed the back of his palm against her cheek, wiping the tear away. "Hey..." He said, grabbing her attention and looking at the group. "What if we're careful" he said confidently, ignoring the clearly angry but mostly scared Brian. "What if we walk our way out of here. Back to the forest."

"Great idea." Brian said, his tone dripping in sarcasm. "Just walk out."

"Yeah." Jason nodded. "It could work"

"Actually..." Doug cut in, giving Brian a look that managed to quell him. "That might be our only option. It could work." He turned to Mira expecting her thoughts. 

"The forest might be safest" She agreed

"And how is that?" Brian sighed, forcing himself into a calm panic.

"Well, the trees will act as a barrier to the fishing lines..." she stopped "What? That's essentially what they are." She clarified, and the group nodded, accepting it. "Once we’re in the forest, if we stick under a thick canopy we will be safe. Come daylight they'll have to be gone. None of us saw them during the day. They must only come out at night." The more she spoke the more her logic seemed to convince the group.

"We should hold hands." Jessica said. wiping her nose with her sleeve and sniffing a bit. "That way if one of us gets caught we can pull them down." She added hopefully. 

"Yeah." Doug said quickly. "Of course, that's a great idea Jessica." He ignored the worried looks from the others, and as if he decided there was nothing left to discuss he held his hand out to Mira, who accepted it quickly and squeezed tightly. 

Jason, leading Jessica, Brian, Doug and Mira began the walk towards the forest roughly 80 yards away. Jason moved slowly, taking each step as carefully as possible. He could hear Brain behind him counting their steps with a nervous quiver to his voice. It seemed to calm him and Jason felt more focused for it.

 A great gust of wind picked up and lines rustled all around them. A few hooks went shooting up into the air, having been recalled by something. A nearby hook laying near Jason's right foot shot upwards in the rough air. "Ahhh." Jason doubled over in pain gripping at his leg. The hook had sliced along the side of his calf, leaving a deep and heavily bleeding gash in its wake. 

"Jason?" Brian called as Jessica and Mira gasped. 

"Fuck they’re sharp." Jason said. Pulling his bloody hand away from his leg. "I'll be fine." He stood testing his weight on it before continuing on. 

"Wish you were wearing pants right about now huh?" Brian jested lightly. 

"Not a chance." Jason smirked as he carried onward. 

The group had made it about 10 yards in when Brian suddenly pulled on Jessica's arm stopping her. 

"What is it?" she asked. "Jason, wait... Brian what?" She pressed.

"I stepped on one." He said, his body went rigid as he refused to move a muscle. 

Mira stooped low. "Jessica, your light." 

The area was suddenly lit, and the hook clearly lay just beneath the side of Brian's left boot. 

Doug squeezed Brian's arm "Brian, I want you to slowly move your left foot to the right. You just have to clear that last little bit of the hook, okay?" He squeezed his arm again in reassurance. 

"Oh....okay." Brain said without looking. He slowly lifted and moved his foot clearing the hook. But then he felt an abrupt pull, followed by a ripping sound. The hooked had jolted upward, puncturing a hole in the bottom of his pants. “It’s through my jeans.” Brain stuttered trying to remain calm. 

“I’ll pull it out.” Mira said, reaching for his pants.

“No!” Brian said forcefully, causing Mira to stop. He was visibly shaking the sweat on his forehead beginning to drip along his temple. “No, you’ll move it too much.” He said

“Take them off.” Jason said, peering around a tearful Jessica. “Take your pants off bro.”

Brian’s face screwed up in disbelief. He looked to the others who seemed to have no other suggestions for they remained silently watching. 

“Take them off Bri.” Jessica sniffed. Then cautiously she reached over to undo his button. Nothing happened. Brian stood frozen, eyes closed as he allowed her to slowly pull the zipper down and begin shimming the waistband from his hips. 

“Wait.” Mira grabbed Jessica’s arm stopping her. “Let him pull his right leg out first, and untie both shoes.” Mira held the waistband of Brian’s jeans as Jessica untied and loosened his shoes before gently guiding Brian’s leg from his pants. Doug and Jason reach over the girls on either side holding Brian’s arms for support. 

“Okay.” Mira said, with only the last leg remaining. “You should do this part fast. Jessica and I will hold the cuff of your pants and your shoe. It’ll help you slide right out of it when you pull.” She slowly moved the part of his jeans that lay on the ground towards his left shoe. “Ready?” She asked.

Brian nodded, brow knitted tight as he braced himself against Doug and Jason. 

Jessica counted and held tights to the end of his loosened shoe. “THREE!” She yelled and as Brian pulled himself free from his shoe the heel of his foot caught on his jeans. He grunted as the hook yanked upwards flipping him upside down in a blink of an eye. He yelled, but Jason and Doug already had him and with the point of his toe he fell down hard onto his face. 

The pants spun wildly, flinging against nearby lines setting off a chain reaction. As hooks were triggered and began flinging upwards. Lines and hooks swung about in the chaos triggering others. The group ducked holding on to each other. A spinning hook swung out clipping the brow of Mira, leaving behind a bloody gash. She gripped her forehead and pulled away a wet blood soaked hand. She looked out towards the tree line just as a stream of blood trickled down into her eye, blinding it. But she saw it, an opening.

“Run!” She yelled, her voice cracking with the force of her scream. Clambering up she thrust herself forward into the small opening where hooks had been pulled. Ripping off her jacket she balled it up and threw it out as she ran. The other followed behind her. Ducking when her coat triggered more hooks clearing another path. “Doug your jacket!” Mira called as they moved into the second clearing. 

The sound of more hooks hitting the ground followed behind them. 

“They’re coming back!” Jason called as he limped hurriedly behind the group. Suddenly the ground shuttered and rolled, causing them to stammer to a sudden stop. They turned to see Jason laying on the ground, rolling over to right himself. A hook, the size of Jason himself sat next to him in a newly formed divot in the ground. Jessica screamed as more hooks of varying sizes hit the ground and rattled their world. 

Jason didn't stop, he was up running as fast as his leg would let him. He bent down and pulled off his shoe, chucking it in front of the group, triggering more lines. Grabbing the stunned Jessica he pulled her into a run. 

Mira turned back and yelled something, but the sound of her voice was drowned out by the thudding of not just hooks but full sized Anchors. She and Doug pulled out ahead as Doug tossed his pack, sending the last bit before the tree line zipping up into space. Mira turned as they made it under the forest's canopy. “Hurry!” She screamed this time between the rumblings of metal hitting earth.

Brian closed the distance and came crashing into the trunk of a gigantic oak tree before crumbling into a ball among its roots.

Jessica, Jason thought, had grown uncharacteristically determined. Having suddenly wrapped her arm around him as they pushed on forward. Stumbling out of the way of incoming hooks as they managed a rhythm to their awkward run. They didn’t slow as they came full speed into the tree line, racing past Brian’s tree. Jessica pulled Jason up with each step on his bad leg until they stumbled and fell into a bush at the base of a tree. Doug and Mira stood nearby under their own tree. Watching the scene unfold. 

“Oh thank god!” Mira let out as she watched Jessica and Jason go tumbling into the bush. “No one move!” She yelled out taking the ripped cloth Doug offered her and shoving it into the cut above her eye. “Stay near the trunks! These trees are huge, we should be safe till morning.” She said as she stepped closer to her tree’s trunk to sit down with the aid of a watchful Doug. 

Jessica and Jason climbed from the bush crawling into a tangle of tall roots beneath their tree. The sound of ripping fabric could be heard as Jessica began tending to Jason’s leg. 

Brain said nothing. Nor had he moved from his curled up spot against his tree. Only the occasional sobs could be heard coming from his direction. 

Hours later the meadow itself became quiet and still. The silvery lines blowing gently in the wind. Doug cradled a sleeping Mira in his lap. He could see a moon lit Brian starring red eyed and silent out across the meadow. A single crack of a White Claw tab pulled Doug’s focus to the tangle of roots Jessica and Jason hid behind. A muffled giggle came from a very much alive Jessica. Doug smiled at his private thought, and after checking once more on Mira’s cut, he closed his eyes against his heavy lids and fell asleep in the warm summer night's air.