David

Yes, he whispered, almost too softly to hear, but it wasn't normal. My heart skipped. What do you mean? Not now, he snapped, his voice cracking. Just move faster. We hurriedly packed and I followed him outside to the car. The cold hit me first, sharp and biting, though it wasn't that cold earlier. My breath clouded the air as I stuffed my bag into the trunk.

Yes, he whispered, almost too softly to hear, but it wasn't normal. My heart skipped. What do you mean? Not now, he snapped, his voice cracking. Just move faster. We hurriedly packed and I followed him outside to the car. The cold hit me first, sharp and biting, though it wasn't that cold earlier. My breath clouded the air as I stuffed my bag into the trunk.

Rick was already in the driver's seat, fidgeting with the keys, his hands shaking so badly it took him three tries to get them into the ignition. When the engine roared to life, I felt a brief surge of relief. The headlights cast a pale yellow glow over the dirt road ahead, but beyond that was only blackness, the kind of darkness you don't realize exists until you're in the middle of nowhere.

Rick was already in the driver's seat, fidgeting with the keys, his hands shaking so badly it took him three tries to get them into the ignition. When the engine roared to life, I felt a brief surge of relief. The headlights cast a pale yellow glow over the dirt road ahead, but beyond that was only blackness, the kind of darkness you don't realize exists until you're in the middle of nowhere.

What happened back there? I asked as we pulled onto the road. My voice sounded thin, brittle. Rick didn't answer right away. He kept his eyes locked on the road, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled shakily. I was trying to fall asleep, he began, his voice low and uneven. But I kept hearing this. Sound. Like tapping.

What happened back there? I asked as we pulled onto the road. My voice sounded thin, brittle. Rick didn't answer right away. He kept his eyes locked on the road, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled shakily. I was trying to fall asleep, he began, his voice low and uneven. But I kept hearing this. Sound. Like tapping.

At first, I thought it was just the wind or something, but it kept moving. From the window to the wall, to the door. I shivered and pulled my hoodie tighter around me. Could it have been an animal? He shook his head, his gaze darting to the rearview mirror. No. It was too deliberate. And then... I heard whispers. I froze. Whispers. Whispers. Yeah, he said, his voice barely above a whisper now.

At first, I thought it was just the wind or something, but it kept moving. From the window to the wall, to the door. I shivered and pulled my hoodie tighter around me. Could it have been an animal? He shook his head, his gaze darting to the rearview mirror. No. It was too deliberate. And then... I heard whispers. I froze. Whispers. Whispers. Yeah, he said, his voice barely above a whisper now.

At first they were faint, like, like wind through the trees. But they got louder, like, like they were circling the cabin. Then came the footsteps. My chest tightened. Footsteps? Rick's jaw clenched and he nodded. Heavy ones. They were outside at first, moving around the porch. Then they started climbing. I heard them on the roof, Claire.

At first they were faint, like, like wind through the trees. But they got louder, like, like they were circling the cabin. Then came the footsteps. My chest tightened. Footsteps? Rick's jaw clenched and he nodded. Heavy ones. They were outside at first, moving around the porch. Then they started climbing. I heard them on the roof, Claire.

The car swerved slightly as his grip on the wheel tightened. I gripped the door handle, my pulse pounding in my ears. You didn't see anything? No, he admitted, but I felt it, like they were right there, watching, waiting. A chill crawled up my back, but I forced myself to stay calm. "'It was probably just animals,' I said, though the words felt hollow even as I said them. "'Raccoons or something.'

The car swerved slightly as his grip on the wheel tightened. I gripped the door handle, my pulse pounding in my ears. You didn't see anything? No, he admitted, but I felt it, like they were right there, watching, waiting. A chill crawled up my back, but I forced myself to stay calm. "'It was probably just animals,' I said, though the words felt hollow even as I said them. "'Raccoons or something.'

Rick laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "'Raccoons don't whisper, Claire. The road stretched ahead of us, winding through the endless forest. The further we drove, the darker it seemed to get, as though the trees were swallowing the light.' The hum of the engine was the only sound, but it didn't feel peaceful. It felt like we were being hunted. After about thirty minutes, Rick tensed.

Rick laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "'Raccoons don't whisper, Claire. The road stretched ahead of us, winding through the endless forest. The further we drove, the darker it seemed to get, as though the trees were swallowing the light.' The hum of the engine was the only sound, but it didn't feel peaceful. It felt like we were being hunted. After about thirty minutes, Rick tensed.

"'Do you see that?' he asked, his voice sharp. I squinted into the darkness. At first I thought it was nothing, but then I saw them, two headlights in the rearview mirror growing brighter and closer." Someone's behind us, I said, more to myself than to him. They weren't there a second ago, Rick muttered, his voice tight. I've been watching.

"'Do you see that?' he asked, his voice sharp. I squinted into the darkness. At first I thought it was nothing, but then I saw them, two headlights in the rearview mirror growing brighter and closer." Someone's behind us, I said, more to myself than to him. They weren't there a second ago, Rick muttered, his voice tight. I've been watching.

The car behind us gained speed, closing the gap unnervingly fast. I braced myself as Rick sped up, the tires skidding slightly on the loose gravel. The headlights loomed closer, and for a moment, I thought they were going to ram us. But just as suddenly as they'd appeared, they vanished. What the hell? I whispered, twisting around to look behind us. The road was empty. Rick didn't answer.

The car behind us gained speed, closing the gap unnervingly fast. I braced myself as Rick sped up, the tires skidding slightly on the loose gravel. The headlights loomed closer, and for a moment, I thought they were going to ram us. But just as suddenly as they'd appeared, they vanished. What the hell? I whispered, twisting around to look behind us. The road was empty. Rick didn't answer.

His grip on the wheel was iron-clad, his knuckles pale in the dim glow of the dashboard. It's not over, he muttered under his breath. The road curved sharply ahead, and as we rounded the bend, the car's headlights illuminated something that made my blood run cold.

His grip on the wheel was iron-clad, his knuckles pale in the dim glow of the dashboard. It's not over, he muttered under his breath. The road curved sharply ahead, and as we rounded the bend, the car's headlights illuminated something that made my blood run cold.