Chapter 2
The Forbidden Forest
Chapter 2: The Forest Chooses
The next morning, the sun was bright, but the village felt colder than before.
Maya woke to find Lina staring out the window.
"There it is," Lina whispered.
The forest stood at the edge of the village, surrounded by a broken wooden fence. A faded sign hung from two rotten posts.
⚠️ DANGER. DO NOT ENTER.
Someone had scratched another message beneath it:
"It knows your name."
Lina smiled.
"I still think it's just a story."
Maya frowned. "Let's go somewhere else. We came here to relax, not chase ghost stories."
But Lina had already made up her mind.
---
That afternoon, they walked to the village market.
When Maya asked a shopkeeper about the forest, the man immediately stopped smiling.
"You should leave this village today," he said quietly.
"Why?" Maya asked.
He looked around to make sure no one was listening.
"Twenty years ago, five friends entered those woods."
"Did they come back?"
"Only one."
"What happened?"
The old man swallowed hard.
"He never spoke again."
---
As evening approached, dark clouds covered the sky.
Lina packed a flashlight, a camera, and a backpack.
"I'm going tonight."
Maya stared at her.
"Are you serious?"
"If the stories are fake, we'll prove it."
"And if they're true?"
Lina laughed.
"Then we'll become famous."
Maya didn't laugh.
---
At exactly 8:00 p.m., they reached the entrance to the forbidden forest.
The air was unnaturally cold.
No insects buzzed.
No birds sang.
Only silence.
Maya looked back.
The village lights had already disappeared behind a thick fog.
"That's strange," she whispered.
"We only walked for five minutes."
Lina switched on her flashlight.
"Come on."
The moment they stepped past the broken fence...
SNAP!
The wooden gate slammed shut behind them.
Maya spun around.
"There wasn't a gate!"
Lina tried to pull it open.
It wouldn't move.
Then...
A whisper echoed through the trees.
Soft.
Close.
Almost gentle.
"...Lina..."
Both girls froze.
Maya grabbed Lina's arm.
"Did you hear that?"
Lina slowly nodded.
The voice came again.
This time, it whispered both of their names.
"Maya..."
"...Lina..."
But they were alone.
Or so they thought.
High above them, hidden among the branches...
Two pale eyes opened.
And watched.
