Chapter 1 the forest
As we drive down the dirt road, the forest comes into view. I convinced my best friend Lindin to explore it. According to all the websites I’ve read, the government closed the entire forest down due to unknown reasons. So, by all means, I’m going to find out why.
The car comes to a stop where the line to the forest starts. I grab my backpack from the back and look at Lindin, whose nerves I can feel radiating through the whole car. “Oh, come on, Lindin. It cannot be that scary for you. Don’t you do this kind of thing all the time?” my voice seemingly amused as I raise my eyebrows
“Olive there is a difference between abandoned buildings and government-closed forests” his voice deep and a little shaky, he reluctantly shuts the car off and gets out before I can criticize him again, I shake my head and get out walking to the front of the car turning on my flashlight while Lindin goes the truck where his bag is. He joins me by my side and takes an audible big breath “Bro, should we really explore this forest? I’ve heard this forest was closed down due to various murders” he mumbles turning on his light and scanning the forest line. I snort and shake my head I start walking into the forest; leaves and sticks crunching under my boots.
“says the one who would call me a pussy for not exploring buildings infested with mold” I look at him over my shoulder and he sighs heavily and walks in front of me as we venture deeper into the forest. The dense foliage surrounding us seemed to grow even darker the further we went, the usual sounds of nature replaced by an eerie silence. Lindin stops in his tracks causing me to collide with his back, I stumble back and rub my nose as I was about to curse at him he slaps his hand to my mouth and puts his finger to his mouth in a shh gesture my eyebrows furrow as he whispers “did.. did you hear that?.. that sound” I take his hands off of my face, I swear if eyes could talk they would be screaming at him; I look around trying to hear the sound he’s talking of.
“no-” I get cut off as I hear a faint, muffled scream in the distance followed by the snapping of twigs and leaves. The scream grows louder, more panicked, and seems to be coming from a nearby thicket. my whole body freezes at that moment my breath feels like it comes to a halt as Lindin grabs my arm tightly his voice short and trembling “We need to get out of here, NOW!” another snap of a branch in front of us “Run!” I yell as we both take off running, the panicked pounding of our footsteps echoing through the forest.
As we run, I notice the trees closing in around us, the path becoming narrower and more twisted. Lindin trips over an unseen root and falls forward. “get up! lindin!” I whisper harshly, he tries to push himself up, but his leg is caught in something beneath the leaves, he looks at me, terror etched all over his face “It won’t move, it’s like it… grabbing my leg!” his voice high pitched and full of fear, he pulls harder, but only manages to entangle himself more. I curse under my breath and I crouch and try to see what entangled him, the dense foliage parts slightly, revealing a grotesque, gnarled hand wrapped around his calf. The skin is a sickly grey, covered in moss and rotting leaves. Suddenly, the hand squeezes his calf tighter causing him to scream in pain. I quickly stomp and kick at the hand and it finally lets him go.
I pull him up “Come on get up walk it off!” then I move behind him so he can run in front of me just in case more weird shit happens, he staggers to his feet, limping but moving faster now that he’s free from the grasp of whatever was underneath the leaves, I push him forward as I hear something behind us and he runs adrenaline fueling our steps despite all odds. We flee deeper into the forest, the once familiar forest trees twist into monstrous shapes, their gnarled branches reaching out as if to try and grab us, Lindin freezes again and I almost run into him then I notice he’s staring ahead panting, I move to his side to see why the fucker stopped moving, a grotesque, spindly figure emerges fully from the shadows ahead blocking our path; “what the fuck” I breath out.
The figure stands motionless, its features blurred by the shadows. It seems to be wearing tattered clothes with long, unkempt hair covering its face. A low rasping breath echos through the forest as it slowly raises an arm, pointing deeper into the woods “Turn.. back” it croaks out. I look at Lindin and he look back at me, his face pale, eyes wide with terror. He slowly shakes his head indicating he has no idea what to do. the figure takes a shuffling step forward, its arm still outstreched, pointing. “Leave…” we take a huge step back, as the figure lowers its arm
“we are lost. which way is the way out?” the figure tilts its head as if considering my question. for long moment, it remains silent, its breath coming in slow rattleing breaths. Then, with a sudden jerky motions, it points off to the side, away from the path we were following. “There..” I nod and lindin is the first to go in the direction with me following closely behind, obeying the figures direction and veer off the main path.
The forest around us seems to shift subtly. The trees no longer loom quite as threateningly, and the dense undergrowth seems to part slightly making our escape easier. “okay maybe you were right about coming here.” I mumble as we quickly move through the forest, we finally reach the car bathed in the setting sun at the edge of the forest line where we left it, I double over putting my hands on my knees panting. “holy shit, we made it” lindin states the obvious his chest heaving.
“what the fuck is in there” I stand back up and walk to the passenger side of the car. he shrugs, still trying to catch his breath, “i don’t know, but whatever it is, its not human. we should never go back there.” he looks at the forest warily, as if expecting some monstrous figure to emerge from the trees at any moment. i nod getting into the car, It feels like something is pulling my soul back into the forest. i need to go back sometime.
as the days passed by me, I haven’t been able to shake the curiosity that gnaws at me. i cant help but wonder what was lurking in the depths of that forest. One night, under the darkness, i decide to sneak out alone, determined to uncover the truth. i make it to the forest with my flashlight and I start to make my way through it once again.
the forest seems quieter, more still than before, as if its watching, waiting. the beam of my flashlight cuts through the darkness, illuminating the gnarled trees and twisted vines. i tread carefully, remembering the chilling encounter we had with the figure before. chills run down my body, the deeper I venture the thicker the fog gets. Shadows dance and writhe in the corners of the flashlights glow. i suddenly hear odd, unnatural sounds; twigs snapping in strange patterns, whispers carried by the wind. A sudden rustling sound hits my ears and I spin around but there is nothing there.
“shit.. why am I here..” I utter to myself, a chilling voice suddenly whispers right beside my ear, seeming to materialize from the very air “curiosity killed the cat, hunter…” the figure stands behind me, I turn and see the features so dramatically different and obscured by shadows, only its glowing eyes visible.
“your the one who helped me and my friend right?” I say as calm as possible, the figure steps closer, its glowing eyes fixed on me intensely. it tilts its head, a gesture that seems almost human like. “you remember…yes I was there that night. i saved you both.” it hisses, its voice like dead leaves rustling.
“what are you?” I ask softly hoping my voice isn’t trembly. “something old….” it moves closer, the stench of decay and ancient earth tailing behind it. “something that’s been forgotten.. something that doesn’t like being remembered…”it reaches out a skeletal hand, its fingers ending in sharp, blackened claws. “Why did you come back, little hunter?” I open my mouth then close it, I take a small step back gathering my thoughts.
“i don’t know.. i felt pulled like I needed to come back and explore..” I stutter out my hands fumbling with the flashlight.
a chilling laugh echoes through the trees, the sound of dry bones rubbing together. “pulled? Yes, we have our ways.” its voice drops lower, more threatening. “but you shouldn’t have came alone”
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