The Secret Shore
Their surreptitious observation paid off when the masqueraders veered off toward a less-traveled path leading to the river. The friends followed at a safe distance, the sounds of the festival fading behind them.
The path ended at a secluded shore, away from the festival lights, where the river ran silent and deep. Here, the group’s conversation became audible, whispers carried by the water’s current, speaking of plans and preparations, the content of which sent a shock of realization through the friends.