MOSQUITOES

In a distant, forbidden forest—where no one ventures, and no soul is ever granted passage—there lies a realm wrapped in profound silence. Yet, as night falls, the quiet is broken by strange sounds, perhaps the call of wild animals prowling under the moon’s shadow. But there is something odd, something unearthly in these echoes. Those who dared to enter the forest many years ago swear these sounds are no ordinary calls of the wilderness. They believe the voices belong to something else entirely, something neither human nor beast.

After a few days…

“Hey, tell me, whose brilliant idea was it to come here?” Sumit asks, visibly irritated.

“No clue. Probably Amit’s plan,” replies Rufus with a shrug.

“No one comes to this place, remember? Just a few months ago, the forest guards were killed here,” Shalini remarks, her voice laced with concern.

“Yes, but they were likely taken by some wild beast. What else could have happened?” Rufus responds, dismissing her fears.

“But there were no signs of a wild animal attack, so something else must have occurred,” Shalini counters, her worry deepening.

“Well, we’re not venturing into the forest itself; we’re just driving along the edge on this beautiful road,” Rufus replies with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

“‘This Jennie is still asleep—someone wake her up,’ Rufus says.”

“So, are we heading into the forest, guys?” Rufus asked, his voice laced with excitement.

“No, absolutely not! Have you lost your mind? If you want to go, go alone!” Shalini snapped, her eyes blazing with irritation.

“Shalini, calm down,” Sumit intervened gently. “Besides, the Forest is off-limits, and the authorities won’t let us in.”

Rufus smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Oh, I can get us in. I’ve got connections with the authorities here.”

“And Rufus, you’re going to get us killed,” Shalink says.

“Exactly! This guy’s going to be the end of us,” Sumit chimes in, his gaze fixed on Rufus with growing concern.

“I am not going into that forest. Those who wish to go may do so, but I shall remain in the car,” Shalini declares resolutely.

“Very well, let those who fear stay behind. But as for me, I shall go in and see what awaits,” Rufus declares, excitement gleaming in his eyes. “I’ve heard tales of strange things hidden deep within these dense woods. Now, I simply must see for myself.”

As they approach the entrance to the forest—the pathway leading into its mysterious depths—they encounter a group of guards standing watch outside, rifles in hand. A few of them step forward, moving cautiously in their direction.

“Are you all unaware of the rules here?” one of the security guards snarled, his eyes narrowing with irritation.

“Yes, we know the rules. We’re leaving now,” Sumit replied, his tone defensive.

“Quiet, Sumit!” Rufus interjected sharply, silencing him. “Listen,” he said, pulling out a sleek, mysterious card, which gleamed subtly in the dim light. “Perhaps this card might earn us something.”

Rufus held it up, displaying it to the guard with an air of quiet confidence, as though it held powers only those in the know could recognize.

“Apologies, sir. I didn’t recognize you at first, which is why I spoke so sharply,” the guard said, his tone now softened but resolute. “But, Rufus sir, entry beyond this point is strictly prohibited. We’ve received firm orders from the administration. Even if I were to allow you in, venturing inside is far from safe—there are risks involved, and it could even be a matter of life and death.”

The guard’s expression conveyed both caution and a hint of genuine concern, as though he had glimpsed shadows lurking within the forbidden path.

“My dad will handle everything, and besides, whoever ventures inside will have a reward from me. Next weekend, I’ll take them to a beautiful place cherished by everyone here—Hailus Mountain. A new hotel has opened there, and the food and surroundings promise a delightful experience.”

“I’m ready to go,” Sumit declares, but Shalini remains firm, shaking her head. “I’ll wait for both of you in the car,” she says resolutely, refusing to budge.

“Jennie, wake up.” Shalini gently shakes Jennie’s shoulder, urging her to rise. As soon as Jennie opens her eyes, Rufus declares, “Jennie will come with me into these woods.”

Rufus persuades Jennie to join him in the forest, promising, “I’ll take you to Hailus Mountain, and we’ll have a wonderful time there ourselves.” Jennie hesitates, lost in thought for a moment, but then finally agrees to venture with Rufus.

“Shalini and Sumit, you both are coming along, right?” Jennie asks hopefully.

“No, absolutely not. We’re not coming,” Shalini replies firmly.

“Hey! Come on, guys, it’ll be fun! Are you both actually scared? There’s nothing like that—it’s just some made-up story people keep spreading. There’s no otherworldly beings living there or giant monsters lurking around. Trust me, there’s nothing to worry about.” Jennie urged, a spark of excitement dancing in her eyes.

“There’s one thing I just don’t understand—why are you both so eager to go inside? When it’s already clear that there’s danger in this Forest, can’t we just turn back now? We’ve seen enough from out here,” Shalini said, her voice tinged with frustration and caution.

“Shalini, you’re such a scaredy-cat! I think you don’t have a daring bone in your body. You’d probably scream if a tiny ant or a mosquito came your way!” Rufus teased her with a loud laugh, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

“We’re all going in. Got it!” Rufus declared, slipping the security guard a bit of cash to convince him to let them pass. The guard took the money with a grim smirk, muttering to his fellow guards, “These ones aren’t coming back.”

As their car rolled through the entrance gate, Shalini’s face was pale, her eyes wide with dread, as if she were stepping into the last moments of her life.

“Oh, come on, Shalini, you’re scared of everything!” Jennie laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “Just relax. We’re only going for a little adventure. And look around—this forest is nothing like anything we’ve seen before! Let’s enjoy it while we can. Soon enough, we’ll be back home, safe and sound, and then we can follow through on Rufus’s promise to hit up that other fun spot, too.”

“We’ll return a little sooner,” Sumit said thoughtfully. “It’s already night, and the journey back home is going to take some time.”

“Yeah, the scaredy-cats will hurry back,” Rufus remarked with a smirk. “You both are really overthinking this.” He glanced around, the dense Forest closing in around them, its shadows looming large. “This place is truly thick with foliage. Even with the headlights on, it feels like we’re not on a proper road but weaving our way through the heart of the Forest,” he murmured to himself, a hint of unease creeping into his voice. “Sumit, close the windows! The cold air is blowing in from outside!” Jennie snapped, irritation lacing her tone.

“Sumit, close the windows! The cold air is seeping in!” Jennie exclaimed, her irritation palpable.

“I’m doing it!” Sumit replied, just as his gaze fell upon a broken hut in front of them, its silhouette faintly glowing with an eerie light. He quickly turned to Rufus, urgency in his tone. “Wait! Look over there!”

Rufus slammed on the brakes, irritation flashing in his eyes. “What now?” he snapped, glancing at the hut. “Do you see that? There’s a broken hut over there, and it’s emitting light. Maybe someone’s inside.”

Sumit pondered aloud, “Could it be a way to scare off wild animals? Something to make them think there are people here, so they won’t dare approach the entrance gate?”

“Yes, but I have a feeling there’s something worth seeing over there,” Rufus replied, excitement tinged with apprehension.

“Wow! Look at that! The scaredy-cat Sumit is suddenly feeling brave in the Forest,” Jennie teased, grinning at him.

“I’m not scared! Now that we’re here, we might as well explore a bit,” Sumit retorted defiantly.

“Alright, let’s get out of the car and check it out,” Rufus suggested eagerly.

“What? Are you all insane? Just stay inside and take a look from here! There’s no need to go out into who knows what!” Shalini protested loudly, her voice filled with urgency.

“Fine, you stay in the car,” Rufus chuckled, “Looks like we’ve found someone to guard it, anyway.”

He grinned and gestured to Jennie and Sumit, “Let’s go, guys.”

The three ventured toward the dilapidated hut while Shalini remained behind in the car.

“Hurry up, guys!” Rufus called back impatiently.

“Oh, seriously, Rufus? You’re asking me to hurry through all this tall grass?” Jennie complained, picking her way carefully. “I’m wearing sandals! I’ll take my time, thank you very much.”

“Alright, take your time,” Rufus muttered, rolling his eyes. “Why’d I even come with these guys? If I’d come alone, I’d already be exploring the whole forest by now.” He muttered under his breath. As they approached the hut, a strange, whispering sound reached their ears.

“Hey… someone’s in there. Let’s go slowly,” Rufus suggested.

“But who could possibly live in this broken-down hut?” Jennie whispered, a shiver running down her spine.

“Oh, these two are something else,” Rufus sighed, shaking his head. “This place feels weird; I can barely see anything properly.” Meanwhile, Shalini nervously dialed Sumit from the car.

The loud ringtone pierced the silence.

“Sumit, silence your phone!” Rufus hissed, irritated.

“Sorry, but it’s Shalini calling,” Sumit whispered back. “I’ll keep my voice down.” He answered quietly, “Yes, Shalini? Everything’s fine, right?”

“Yes, everything’s okay, but how long will you guys be? Hurry up; something feels off here,” Shalini said, her voice trembling.

“We’re just about to go inside the hut. If we’re not back soon… well, don’t wait too long for us. Just… go if you need to,” Sumit murmured.

“What? Why would you say that? Just come back soon, all of you. Be careful,” Shalini whispered, her voice cracking.

Sumit ended the call and joined the others as they slowly pushed open the door. The hut’s entrance hung askew, revealing nothing more than a broken table, a chair, and an old rifle lying on the floor. In one corner, a narrow passage led downwards.

“We should follow that path,” Rufus suggested. “Come on, let’s see what’s down there.”

They descended the narrow stairs, a thick, unidentifiable smell growing stronger as they went. Darkness swallowed them, and the air was stifling.

“Sumit, turn on your phone’s flashlight,” Rufus said, swatting at the mosquitoes buzzing around him.

“Of course there’d be mosquitoes,” Jennie muttered. “This smell is horrible—everything about this place is off.”

Sumit switched on his flashlight, revealing wooden crates and a few scattered metal objects. Suddenly, Rufus stumbled and fell to the floor.

“Ugh! What did I just touch?” Rufus groaned, wincing in pain. “Sumit, shine the light over here!”

Sumit directed his flashlight toward Rufus’s hand—and froze. Blood.

“Oh no… what is this?” Sumit cried out.

“Shh, Sumit, don’t shout!” Rufus whispered sharply. Just then, the strange whispering grew louder. Sumit frantically moved his flashlight around the room, searching for the source of the sound. The beam landed on a bizarre, shadowy mass, like a writhing clump of darkness, hovering above something… or someone. When the light hit the ground beneath the shadow, they saw it—a pair of bodies, drained of blood, as if the strange entity was feeding.

“Oh no! Run!” Sumit screamed, scrambling for the stairs, Jennie close behind him. Rufus followed, but as they climbed, he slipped—his shoes soaked in blood—and fell back down, landing in the darkness below.

“Help!” he shouted, watching the dark mass approaching him.

Jennie, hands shaking, grabbed the rifle from the hut’s floor, turned on her flashlight, and aimed it down the stairs. She fired repeatedly at the shadow, but the bullets seemed to have no effect. It was already too late—Rufus lay motionless, his body blackened, his eyes dark and lifeless.

“No… this can’t be happening!” Jennie cried, firing frantically as the creature lunged at her, dragging her down the stairs. Her terrified screams filled the air, echoing up to Sumit, who had already reached the top. He sprinted toward the car, his mind racing.

But the creature followed.

Gasping, Sumit dialed Shalini, desperate, “Shalini… Shalini, get in the car! Now! I’m almost there!” But just as he neared the vehicle, the shadow descended upon him, wrapping itself around his head.

Inside the car, Shalini watched in horror, her breath catching as Sumit’s body crumpled to the ground. “No… Sumit…” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. Her trembling hands gripped the steering wheel, her mind flooded with his last words.

“Sumit… where have you gone?” Shalini’s voice trembled as she peered into the darkness, but Sumit had vanished, claimed by that sinister force. She quickly switched on her phone’s flashlight, her breath hitching as she glimpsed a dark, swirling swarm inching toward her. The shadowy mass seemed to pulse and shift, separating only to merge again in unsettling waves.

“Mosquitoes? But… so many, all together?” she whispered in horror.

Heart racing, Shalini started the car, throwing it into reverse and then into a sharp U-turn before speeding down the narrow forest path. Glancing into her side mirror, she saw the swarm growing larger, an ominous black cloud surging after her. She neared the entrance gate, frantically rolling down the window and shouting, “Open the gate! Please, get out of here!”

But just then, a guard appeared in her headlights, his body shrouded in the thick swarm of mosquitoes. Shalini’s scream pierced the air, “No!” She floored the gas pedal, ramming the car into the gate, which splintered upon impact, allowing her to tear away down the road, her tires screeching. Relief surged through her as she drove closer to home, but tears began to stream down her face as she realized she’d lost all her friends.

Suddenly, with a deafening crash, something heavy slammed onto the car’s hood. Shalini cried out, looking up through the windshield. All around, monstrous swarms of enormous mosquitoes were descending upon the town, attacking people. Chaos erupted as people scrambled, some desperately trying to flee in cars or on foot.

The noise grew louder—a hum so intense that, even with her windows up, it was unbearable. Shalini looked back and saw a vast, writhing cloud of mosquitoes advancing on her car like a wave of darkness.

“Oh… no!”