Prologue
I’ve always been an avid fan of Danny. I follow him on all his social media accounts, eagerly waiting for each new post. His videos are always so entertaining, helping me unwind from the stresses of college life. Watching his adventures and antics felt like a breath of fresh air amidst my chaotic schedule.
I know Danny too well. That’s why when I saw what happened during his live stream, a chill ran down my spine. Something was horribly wrong. I immediately told everyone I knew, but no one took me seriously. I even called the police, but they thought I was exaggerating. The operator’s dismissive tone still echoes in my ears.
Desperation drove me to beg others for help to find him, but they all thought I’d lost my mind. My friends told me to calm down, saying Danny was probably pulling some elaborate prank. They told me to wait it out, but I knew Danny wouldn’t go dark for this long. I felt so isolated, like I was the only one who understood the gravity of the situation.
Three days later, Danny was still missing. I couldn’t eat, sleep, or focus on anything. The dread gnawed at me, growing stronger with each passing hour. Only when Marthy went to the station himself did the police finally start moving. The urgency in Marthy’s voice must have convinced them that this was more than just a fan’s overreaction.
They called for volunteers to search for him, and of course, I was the first in line. I couldn’t sit idly by when Danny’s life was at stake. Along with almost hundred other volunteers, we organized a search party to sweep the forest where he was last seen. We took turns combing through every inch of the area, but we found nothing. The forest was vast and dark, each shadow playing tricks on my mind.
As the days turned into nights, hope began to wane. We couldn’t find a single trace of him. The volunteers started to murmur about calling off the search, but I refused to give up. I couldn’t shake the image of Danny’s terrified face from that live stream. I had to keep searching, no matter how futile it seemed.
It had already started getting dark, and within the forest, it was much darker. The dense canopy above blocked out the remaining light, plunging everything into an eerie twilight. The void within the forest sharpened my senses, making every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs seem louder, more significant. The high-beam flashlight I carried was my only lifeline, cutting through the oppressive darkness and illuminating the path ahead.
As I continued searching, I suddenly heard muffled footsteps behind me. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly turned, but saw no one. I pointed my flashlight towards where I’d heard the sound, the beam slicing through the shadows. My eyes scanned the surroundings, but there was nothing. Just the ominous silence of the forest.
“Hello?” I called out loudly, my voice echoing through the trees.
No response.
“Danny, is that you?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.
Still nothing.
I stood frozen, straining to hear any sign of movement. Then, I heard it again—footsteps, this time closer. They were followed by a low, guttural growl. My hand tightened around the flashlight, and my pulse quickened. I expected someone, or something, to jump out of the bushes at any moment.
Then, abruptly, the sounds stopped. The silence that followed was deafening, almost suffocating. I took a few tentative steps backward, every instinct screaming at me to run, when suddenly, something gripped my shoulders.
“Aaaaah!” I screamed as loudly as I could, whipping around in sheer terror.
“Hey, jeez girl, what are you screaming for?”
I stared, stunned, at Jessica, one of my friends and also one of Danny’s fans. She looked at me with a mix of concern and confusion.
I looked back towards the bushes, but there was nothing. “There was something back there,” I insisted, pointing towards the dark undergrowth.
Jessica flashed her torch in the direction I indicated. “Can’t see anything,” she commented dryly.
“But, but...” I stammered, still feeling uneasy.
“Calm down. I know you’re on edge with Danny missing, but we’ll find him,” she assured me with a comforting smile. “Come on, everyone’s pulling back. We won’t see anything in the dark.”
I nodded lightly, trying to steady my nerves. Jessica moved forward, and I quickly followed behind her, not wanting to be left alone in the darkness.
As we walked, the tension slowly began to ease. We had a light conversation to distract ourselves, talking about what we should do when we found Danny. “Maybe we can throw a party or something,” Jessica suggested, trying to lighten the mood.
I managed a small laugh. “Yeah, a big welcome-back party. He’ll love that.”
We continued to chat, the familiarity of our voices providing a sense of normalcy amidst the unnerving surroundings. The forest, which had seemed so menacing just moments ago, now felt a little less intimidating with Jessica by my side.
We suddenly bumped into someone.
“Oh, sorry,” I instinctively apologized.
“Sorry, we didn’t see you,” Jessica chimed in.
A faint growl emerged as the man turned slowly.
“What the actual f***,” Jessica exclaimed.
The man was half-naked, his clothes tattered and soaked in blood. A gaping wound in his abdomen oozed dark fluid.
We both gasped, our flashlights slowly lifting from his stomach to his face.
“Danny?!” I said, startled.
His face was twisted and bloody, drool dripping from his lips. His eyes, once familiar and kind, were now vacant and wild.
“Oh my god! We need to get you help,” Jessica said urgently, moving towards him. However, Danny grabbed her shoulders with a terrifying strength and bit into her neck.
“Stop! Stop!” Jessica screamed, struggling in vain. Danny pulled back, a chunk of flesh in his mouth.
“Danny! Oh my god! What are you doing?” I cried, paralyzed with horror.
Danny went down on her again, tearing another chunk of flesh. Blood sprayed, and Jessica’s eyes started to flicker in and out.
I tried to push him off, but he was too strong. Jessica’s strength was fading fast, her struggles weakening.
“Wa... aw...” Jessica struggled to speak, her fingers lifting weakly, pointing behind me.
“What?” I asked, my voice shaking.
I turned slowly, seeing another figure emerging from the shadows. I froze, terror gripping me as the figure raised an axe high above his head. The blade came down, and pain exploded through my body, a searing agony that ripped through my senses. I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat as I collapsed to the ground, my own blood pooling around me, warm and sticky.
Every breath was a struggle, each movement sending fresh waves of pain crashing over me. I lay there, helpless, my vision blurring as tears filled my eyes. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I couldn’t look away from the horrific scene before me. Through the haze of pain, I watched as Danny continued to devour Jessica. Her screams echoed in my ears, turning to weak whimpers, then silence. The sight of her lifeless body, torn apart by someone we once adored, filled me with a deep, paralyzing fear.
More footsteps approached, their sound growing louder, closer. My heart pounded in my chest, a desperate, uneven rhythm. The shadows around me seemed to close in, dark and oppressive. I knew the danger was far from over. The realization that more of those things were coming, that I was lying here defenseless, sent a cold shiver down my spine.
I tried to move, to drag myself away, but my body refused to obey. The pain was too much, too overwhelming. The last thing I heard, as the darkness began to swallow me, were the guttural growls of the undead, closing in on us. Their presence was a looming terror, a nightmare from which there was no escape.
