Chapter 1
A hiker decided to go on a solo hike this time. He usually went with friends, but today he wanted to experience the solitude of nature, to feel closer to the wilderness. The whole day passed under the soft glow of the sun. The towering mountains, the cool breeze, and the gentle rustling of leaves filled him with a strange sense of calm, as if he were lost in a serene world.
As evening approached, the golden rays of the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains. The heights cast long shadows behind him, following his every step. The hiker realized it was time to return, but as he started walking, he felt something strange — the trail had become unfamiliar. “Is this the same path, or did I take a wrong turn?” he whispered to himself. His heart began to race as the sky darkened rapidly, and time to return was running out. Darkness engulfed the forest, and silence reigned all around him. The only sounds were his breath and the soft crunch of his footsteps on the ground.
In the dim beam of his flashlight, the shadows of the trees grew long and eerie, as if they were following him. Suddenly, the quiet of the forest was broken by an odd sound— the rustling of leaves and the snap of a twig. He stopped in his tracks, startled, and looked around, but nothing was visible. His heart pounded in his chest, his throat tightened. The light of his flashlight grew weaker. He knew it was no longer safe to keep walking.
At that moment, his eyes fell on an old, decayed cabin, hidden behind the trees. The place looked so desolate and quiet, as if no one had set foot there for centuries. The door of the cabin was worn, creaking softly in the wind. With trembling hands, “Is anyone there?” he called out in a low voice, but the only response was silence. The door slowly creaked open on its own, as if inviting him in. The moment he stepped inside, a strange calm washed over him, but at the same time, a cold chill ran down his spine.
In the middle of the room, a perfectly made bed stood, as if it had been prepared just for him. His shaking hands reached for the bed, and he sat down, closing his eyes. Outside, the wind howled, and the sounds of the forest seemed to seep into the eerie stillness of the cabin. His gaze fell upon the walls, where strange portraits hung— long-faced people, their eyes gleaming unnaturally. All of them wore wide smiles, but there was nothing joyful about these smiles. They seemed to hold a sinister secret, as if they were watching him, observing his every move. With a sudden shiver, he closed his eyes and lay down, trying to ignore the disturbing faces. Despite the eerie presence in the room, his exhaustion soon overtook him, and he drifted into sleep.
When he woke up the next morning, for a moment, he thought it had all been a bad dream. But then, his eyes widened in shock___ the walls that had been covered in paintings were now bare. There were no portraits, no faces watching him... only windows.
The End 
