David

My flashlight flickered as I stepped closer. Eric? Eric? I whispered, my voice breaking. The whispers stopped. For a moment the silence was deafening. Then from behind the tree, a figure stepped out. It was him. Eric. Or at least it looked like him. His face was pale, his eyes wide and empty, his mouth moving silently.

My flashlight flickered as I stepped closer. Eric? Eric? I whispered, my voice breaking. The whispers stopped. For a moment the silence was deafening. Then from behind the tree, a figure stepped out. It was him. Eric. Or at least it looked like him. His face was pale, his eyes wide and empty, his mouth moving silently.

He raised one hand, pointing toward me, his movements slow and jerky, like a puppet on strings. Eric, I croaked, taking a step back. He stopped, tilting his head, his mouth twisting into something that wasn't a smile. And then, all at once, the whispers came back. They weren't voices anymore. They were screams. The shadows around the tree erupted, long and clawed, reaching for me.

He raised one hand, pointing toward me, his movements slow and jerky, like a puppet on strings. Eric, I croaked, taking a step back. He stopped, tilting his head, his mouth twisting into something that wasn't a smile. And then, all at once, the whispers came back. They weren't voices anymore. They were screams. The shadows around the tree erupted, long and clawed, reaching for me.

I turned and ran, the ground shifting beneath my feet, the trees closing in. The last thing I heard before I broke free of the forest was Eric's voice, faint and broken. Don't come back. To this day, I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if that thing was really Eric, or if it was something else wearing his face. But I do know this, I'm never going into the woods again.

I turned and ran, the ground shifting beneath my feet, the trees closing in. The last thing I heard before I broke free of the forest was Eric's voice, faint and broken. Don't come back. To this day, I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if that thing was really Eric, or if it was something else wearing his face. But I do know this, I'm never going into the woods again.

The Pacific Northwest had always called to me, its dense forests and misty mountains feeling more like home than my cramped apartment back east. This trip was supposed to be my escape, a reset after years of grinding through work and life.

The Pacific Northwest had always called to me, its dense forests and misty mountains feeling more like home than my cramped apartment back east. This trip was supposed to be my escape, a reset after years of grinding through work and life.

It started perfectly, the crisp mountain air, winding roads that felt endless, and the kind of solitude that lets you think clearly for the first time in months. When Rick joined me in Bend, though, things shifted. He stepped off the bus looking pale, like he hadn't slept in weeks.

It started perfectly, the crisp mountain air, winding roads that felt endless, and the kind of solitude that lets you think clearly for the first time in months. When Rick joined me in Bend, though, things shifted. He stepped off the bus looking pale, like he hadn't slept in weeks.

I chalked it up to the long journey or his usual complaints about too much nature, but there was something else, a jitteriness I couldn't quite place. This place is... weird, he muttered as we loaded his bag into the car. He glanced around like someone might be watching us, though the parking lot was empty, except for a rusted pickup. Yeah, weirdly beautiful, I teased, hoping to lighten his mood.

I chalked it up to the long journey or his usual complaints about too much nature, but there was something else, a jitteriness I couldn't quite place. This place is... weird, he muttered as we loaded his bag into the car. He glanced around like someone might be watching us, though the parking lot was empty, except for a rusted pickup. Yeah, weirdly beautiful, I teased, hoping to lighten his mood.

You'll love it once we get out there. He didn't. The whole drive to the cabin, Rick barely spoke, staring out the window like the trees were pressing in on us. And honestly, the woods did feel thicker than usual, almost alive. I told myself it was just the overcast sky or the early dusk, but by the time we arrived, even I was feeling unsettled.

You'll love it once we get out there. He didn't. The whole drive to the cabin, Rick barely spoke, staring out the window like the trees were pressing in on us. And honestly, the woods did feel thicker than usual, almost alive. I told myself it was just the overcast sky or the early dusk, but by the time we arrived, even I was feeling unsettled.

The cabin wasn't much, an old structure that smelled faintly of mildew, with creaky floorboards and a sagging roof that looked like it had survived one too many storms. "'Quaint,' I said, trying to sound cheerful as I unlocked the door. "'Quaint is code for haunted,' Rick muttered, tossing his bag on the couch." He didn't mean it as a joke, though, and the look he gave me made my stomach twist.

The cabin wasn't much, an old structure that smelled faintly of mildew, with creaky floorboards and a sagging roof that looked like it had survived one too many storms. "'Quaint,' I said, trying to sound cheerful as I unlocked the door. "'Quaint is code for haunted,' Rick muttered, tossing his bag on the couch." He didn't mean it as a joke, though, and the look he gave me made my stomach twist.

Inside, the cabin was even smaller than the pictures made it seem. A single light bulb buzzed faintly in the living room, and the kitchen was barely more than a counter with a sink and an ancient stovetop. The windows were small, and when I peeked out, all I could see was forest, a wall of dark green stretching endlessly in every direction. We unpacked in silence.

Inside, the cabin was even smaller than the pictures made it seem. A single light bulb buzzed faintly in the living room, and the kitchen was barely more than a counter with a sink and an ancient stovetop. The windows were small, and when I peeked out, all I could see was forest, a wall of dark green stretching endlessly in every direction. We unpacked in silence.

Rick kept checking his phone even though we both knew there wouldn't be service out here. He had this habit of pacing when he was anxious, and by the time I'd set my bag down, he was already wearing a path into the cabin's thin carpet. What's wrong? I finally asked, trying to sound casual. Nothing, he said too quickly. It's just, this place feels off, you know? Off how? I pressed. He shrugged.

Rick kept checking his phone even though we both knew there wouldn't be service out here. He had this habit of pacing when he was anxious, and by the time I'd set my bag down, he was already wearing a path into the cabin's thin carpet. What's wrong? I finally asked, trying to sound casual. Nothing, he said too quickly. It's just, this place feels off, you know? Off how? I pressed. He shrugged.