“Okay, I’m out of here.…” Brad announced as he stood and ran for the tent, fumbling with the zipper. “You can stay out here, Mr. Make Believe.”

“It’s a true story, I swear!” Dany pleaded, chasing Brad into the tent and taunting him. “Every drop of my blood is for you, each moment, each pump is for you.…”

“Stop it!” Brad begged as Dany tickled him into submission. “You’re supposed to love me, not scare me to death!”

The campfire embers cast a soft, orange glow against the tent walls, creating a puppet shadow show of their bodies alternately wrestling, then loving, then holding each other as they slipped into a contented sleep. But one shadow remained and watched late into the night, when its inkblot body slinked across the campsite and back into the woods.

Snap!

Brad’s eyes slowly slipped open. He pushed his naked body snugly back into Dany, who preferred the outer spoon.

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Brad held his breath and his eyes grew wide as he continued to listen intently. It sounded as if someone was walking around the tent. His eyes followed in horror as an indiscernible shadow played along the canvas wall toward the zippered door. Brad elbowed Dany in the ribs and looked expectantly over his shoulder at his partner to make sure he was now awake.

“What is it, Boo?” Dany mumbled as he reached around and began caressing Brad’s chest.

“Listen.…” Brad whispered as he covered Dany’s hand with his own, bringing it to rest over his racing heart. In the stillness they heard… nothing. Brad’s eyes darted to the door of the tent, but any shadow that had lingered there was now nowhere to be seen.

“I’m listening.…” Dany whispered back, his voice colored with the hue of sarcasm.

“Shhh… I heard footsteps,” Brad insisted and laid again in silence, but with his ears on red alert.

“Babe, your brain is just on high gear after my ghost stories.…” Dany said dismissively and enveloped his boyfriend further into a warm embrace. “But since we’re up.…”

“Your stories weren’t that scary. I know I heard something. Would you please just take a look?”

Dany’s arms went limp, and he rolled onto his back, staring at the tent ceiling. “Seriously?”

“Please.…”

If there was a soft spot in Dany it was for Brad, especially when he crinkled his brow and pouted his lips slightly. Truth is, Dany secretly liked taking care of him and making him safe. It made him feel like a man. Despite that, he still groaned a little as he grabbed a flashlight, pulled on his boxers and a flannel button-up shirt, and unzipped the tent, stepping into the chilled night air.