A group of friends on a remote camping trip encounters a mysterious and malevolent entity in the woods, leading to a terrifying ordeal that results in the disappearance and presumed death of one friend and the psychological trauma of the survivors.
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hello everyone welcome back to the
channel if you'd like to submit a story
feel free to do so in the comments down
below or on my
email all right now let's dive into today's
story it all started as a joke isn't
that how these things always start you
think it's all fun and games until
Suddenly It's Not Looking Back I can see
all the little warning signs we
ignored but in the moment we were just a
group of
friends out for a good
time I guess we were asking for
it last summer my friends and I decided
to get away from it all there were five
of us me Eric Ryan Mia and Jess
we crammed into Eric's rusty old SUV
which groaned under the weight of our
camping gear snacks and an ambitious
supply of cheap beer the plan was simple
find a remote cabin disconnect from the
world and have the kind of Carefree
weekend we'd all been
craving the drive out was half the
fun Ryan the self-appointed class clown
of the group kept us entertained with
terrible jokes and exaggerated imp
impressions of every bad horror movie
villain you could think
of Eric ever the responsible one kept
rolling his eyes but couldn't hide his
grin Mia and Jess sat in the back seat
alternating between singing along to the
radio and teasing Ryan for his
Antics as for me I was just happy to be
there soaking in the easy camaraderie
that made everything feel lighter even
under the blistering summer
Sun the cabin we rented was as remote as
they come no Wi-fi no cell service and
the nearest neighbor was a good mile
down the road it was perfect a small
wooden structure nestled in the middle
of a dense forest surrounded by towering
trees that seemed to whisper secrets to
one another in the wind at night the
stars were so bright and close that it
felt like you could reach out and touch them
them
we spent the first evening laughing
around a campfire roasting marshmallows
and telling Ghost Stories We all
pretended weren't
creepy the trouble started on our second
day we decided to go for a hike aiming
to explore the woods and maybe find the
lake we'd heard about from the cabin's
owner the trail was overgrown but easy
enough to follow winding through Groves
of ancient trees and patches of wild
flowers that seemed almost too perfect
like something out of a painting Ryan of
course couldn't resist straying off the
path whenever he thought he'd found
something interesting it was one of
those detours that led us to the
graveyard the place appeared out of
nowhere like it had been waiting for
us one moment we were surrounded by the
endless green of the
forest and the next we were standing in
a clearing filled with crumbling tombstones
tombstones
the air felt different there heavier
colder and eerily
silent even the Birds which had been
chirping non-stop seemed to have
vanished whoo Mia said breaking the
silence this is
is
creepy nah it's awesome Ryan said
grinning we've officially found the set
of every horror movie ever made
the Tombstones were old some so
weathered that the names and dates were barely
barely
legible A few were tilted at odd angles
as though the Earth beneath them was
trying to reclaim
them but one grave stood
out the stone was clean its lettering
sharp and clear as if it had been carved
yesterday it read here lies Thomas
Whitaker who laughed himself to death
Ryan burst out laughing are you kidding
me that's real someone actually wrote
that he bent over clutching his sides as
he exaggerated his
laughter what was he laughing at the
bill for this
gravestone I couldn't help it I laughed
too we all did it was absurd and in the
middle of that Eerie graveyard absurdity
felt like a welcome
relief Mia pulled out her phone to snap
a picture of the stone while Eric and
Jess joined in posing dramatically next
to it as if they were reenacting poor
Thomas Whitaker's final
moments but Ryan of course had to take
it further he threw himself onto the
ground clutching his sides and gasping
for breath like he was in the throws of
some comedic fit oh no he cried it's
happening someone save me I'm laughing
myself to
death that's when we noticed the old man
he appeared at the edge of the clearing
so silently that none of us saw him
approach he was tall and wiry with skin
like aged leather and eyes that seemed
to pierce right through
you his clothes were
plain A Worn flannel shirt and Dusty
jeans but there was something about him
that made my skin
crawl show respect for the dead he said
his voice low and
grally do not laugh at their
fate we froze his words hung in the air
like a physical weight and for a moment
no one moved then Ryan ever The Fearless
idiot broke the tension come on man he
said still grinning it's just a
joke the old man didn't respond
he just stared at us his expression
unreadable slowly he shook his head then
turned and disappeared back into the
trees as silently as he'd
come we stood there for a moment the
laughter gone replaced by a heavy uneasy
silence I glanced at Ryan expecting him
to crack another
joke but even he looked a little
shaken still as we left the graveyard
and made our way back to the cabin we
brushed it
off it was just a weird encounter we told
told
ourselves nothing to worry
about we should have
listened we didn't talk much on the way
back to the cabin the energy we'd had
earlier the jokes the laughter was gone
replaced by an awkward
silence even Ryan was quiet which was
rare enough to be unsettling
the only sounds came from the forest the
occasional rustling of leaves the chirp
of crickets and the rhythmic crunch of
our boots on the trail it wasn't
oppressive but it wasn't comfortable
either none of us wanted to admit that
the old man had gotten under our skin
even Ryan usually the first to brush
himself the cabin came into view just as
the sun dipped below the Treetops
casting the clearing into deep
Shadow its wooden facade charmingly
rustic during the day now looked
weathered and
cold we dumped our gear on the porch a
little more hurried than usual and filed
inside without a
word it wasn't until we were sitting
around the fire pit later that night
beers in hand that the mood started to
lighten Eric threw Another Log on the
Fire sending Sparks spiraling into the star-filled
star-filled
sky all right he said breaking the
silence we need to forget about that
creepy guy let's make this trip fun
again who's got a good ghost
story Mia
groaned seriously after what happened
today you want to tell ghost
stories come on Mia Ryan said his Grand
making a comeback don't tell me the old
man spooked you he was just some cranky
local trying to scare us off probably
gets his kicks freaking out
tourists Jess nodded though she didn't
look entirely
convinced yeah he was creepy but it's
not like he's following us or
anything that was enough to get everyone talking
talking
again one by one we shared the worst
cheesiest ghost stories we could think
of trying to outdo each other with
exaggerated scares and bad impressions
of creepy
voices Ryan leaned into the role of
showman adding theatrical flare to every
story by the time we got to his turn we
were all laughing again the tension from
the graveyard slowly ebbing
away all right all right Ryan said
raising his hands as if to quiet a
roaring crowd I've got a good one it's
about this guy Thomas Whitaker heard of
him Mia groaned again but the rest of us
laughed Ryan stood up adopting a
dramatic tone as he gestured at the Fire
Light Thomas Whitaker who laughed
himself to death Legend says he's still
out there wandering the woods looking
for people to share the joke
with but if you hear his
laugh before he could finish we heard it
a faint laugh so quiet we almost missed
it it came from somewhere deep in the
woods just beyond the edge of the Fire
Light it was so sudden so unexpected
that we all
froze very funny Ryan Jess said rolling
her eyes but her voice was
unsteady you can stop
now it's not me Ryan said holding up his
hands his grin
faltered I
swear the laugh came again louder this
time it was slow and Wheezy like someone
struggling to breathe between
Chuckles the sound seemed to come from
everywhere and nowhere at once sending a
chill down my
spine I glanced at Eric who was staring
into the darkness his jaw
tight maybe it's a coyote Eric said
though he didn't sound
convinced they make weird noises
sometimes coyotes don't laugh Mia
whispered her voice was barely audible
but her words carried an edge of fear
that made my stomach
tighten for a few minutes we just sat there
there
listening the laughter circled us moving
through the
trees it wasn't constant it would start
and stop like whoever or whatever was
laughing wanted to keep us
guessing at one point it sounded like it
was right behind
me my heart slammed against my ribs as I
whipped around my eyes searching the
Shadows there was nothing there just darkness
darkness
okay this isn't funny anymore Jess said
her voice
shaking let's go inside
we didn't
argue Eric stomped out the fire his
movements quick and tense and we hurried
back to the cabin locking the doors
behind us once inside we tried to laugh
it off it's just some animal Eric said
forcing a smile or maybe there's a
campground nearby could have been other
hikers messing with
us but we all knew it wasn't
true the sound wasn't natural it wasn't
human either not
exactly and it definitely wasn't
over that night as we tried to sleep the
laughter came back I had just started to
drift off when I heard it again louder
now and more
distorted it didn't sound like it was outside
outside
anymore it seemed to Echo off the walls
of the cabin coming from every direction at
at
once I lay in bed staring at the ceiling
my heart pounding as the sound grew
closer and
closer I could hear Ryan shifting in the
bed across the room muttering something
under his
breath Jess let out a nervous laugh from
her room but it sounded forced none of
us wanted to admit we were
scared and then just as suddenly as it
had started the laughter
stopped the silence was worse it was
Heavy oppressive
like the cabin itself was holding its
breath I didn't dare move I didn't dare
breathe somewhere in the back of my mind
I knew this wasn't just a prank or a
coincidence something was out there
something was
watching I didn't sleep at all that
night the next morning we woke to find
Ryan's bed empty at first none of us
were particularly alarmed
Ryan had a habit of wandering off early
usually in search of some stupid way to
entertain himself the man practically
thrived on being
unpredictable I figured he'd gone
outside to set up some elaborate prank
or maybe he just needed some time to
cool off after last night but when we
stepped outside calling his name the
usual joking atmosphere was missing the
morning air was Heavy damp from a night
of do and the forest seemed eerily still
no bird song No rustling leaves just
silence the soundlessness made every
Ryan Echo back at us like a
taunt maybe he went down to the lake
Eric suggested slinging his jacket over his
his
shoulder he's probably just trying to
freak us
out Jess
frowned his phone still on his bed
Ryan doesn't go anywhere without his
phone Mia nodded chewing her lip that's
what's weirding me out he's probably
messing with us but leaving his
phone that's not like
him despite the gnawing unease settling
in my chest I tried to play along with Eric's
Eric's
logic let's check the lake I said worst
case he's hiding in the trees waiting to
jump out and scare us
if we play along maybe he'll get bored and
and
stop the trail to the lake was narrow
lined with gnarled roots that seemed to
reach out for our ankles as we walked
the sun had climbed higher now but the
thick canopy overhead cast the woods in
Shadow making everything feel colder
than it should have
been every so often someone would call
Ryan's name their voice cutting through
the still Stillness before Fading Into the
the
trees each unanswered shout only made
the silence feel more
oppressive when we reached the lake it
was as still as
glass no ripples no signs of anyone's
presence we spread out checking the
shore and peering into the dense brush
surrounding the water but there was
nothing no tracks no stray beer
cans not even a broken Branch to suggest
anyone had been there at
gone by the time we got back to the
cabin the tension in the group was
palpable Eric was trying his best to stay
stay
optimistic throwing out theories that
got less convincing with every
sentence maybe he doubled back and went
to the main road he said I mean he's
probably trying to hitch a ride into
town get a signal and call
someone then why wouldn't he just tell
us Mia snapped why'd he leave his phone
why' he leave
everything he wouldn't Jess said
softly her voice was barely above a
whisper but the certainty in it sent a
chill through
me we spent the next few hours searching
the surrounding Woods venturing further
F than we had that
morning I'll
admit my optimism began to crumble the
longer we
looked every tree started to look the
same their trunks stretching endlessly
into the forest like they were
multiplying just to mock
Us by the time the sun began to dip
below the Horizon the fear we'd all been
pushing down was finally bubbling to the
surface back at the cabin we sat around
the dining table the atmosphere thick
with unspoken
dread Mia hugged her knees to her chest
staring blankly at the
floor Jess kept her arms crossed tightly
her nails digging into her
sleeves Eric had his head in his hands
muttering something to himself that none
of us could
hear then as if on Q a sound broke the
silence the faint Buzz of a phone
vibrating we all
froze slowly we turned toward the noise
which was coming from the living room
Mia was the first to move creeping
toward the sound with hesitant steps it
was coming from Ryan's phone which was
lying on the coffee table where none of
us had left
it the screen was cracked but it was lit
up the gallery app open to his
photos that's not funny Mia said her
voice shaking as she picked up the
phone who put this
here none of us touched it I said I
swear she stared at the screen for a
moment before her face went pale oh my
God she whispered holding the phone out
for us to
see the last photo in the gallery wasn't
one any of us had taken it showed Ryan
lying on the cabin floor his face Frozen
in a wide unnatural
grin his eyes were Hollow lifeless
staring at something just beyond the
camera his body looked limp his arms and
legs spayed out like a discarded doll
but what made the picture even worse was
the way the light hit his
face like it was mocking us daring us to
laugh Jess let out a choked SOB backing
away from the phone as if that had
burned her Eric swore under his breath
grabbing the phone and scrolling through
the gallery as if he'd find some kind of
explanation hidden
there but there was nothing
else just that one photo time stamped
for a time when we'd all been out
looking for
him it's fake Eric said though his voice lacked
lacked
conviction it has to be someone screwing
with us
who Mia snapped who would do
this before Eric could answer the lights
flickered once
twice and then the cabin was plunged Into
Into
Darkness and that's when we heard it
again the
laughter slow Wheezy and unmistakable it
echoed through the cabin coming from
everywhere and nowhere all at
Ryan the laughter seemed to come from
everywhere at once it wasn't loud but it
was constant a Wheezy unnatural sound
that twisted my insides with every breathy
breathy
chuckle my legs were locked in place my
body frozen by the sheer wrongness of it
I could hear Jess sobbing quietly behind
me and Eric muttering under his breath a
steady stream of curses mixed with panicked
panicked
breaths Mia's hand clutched my arm
tightly her nails digging into my skin
but I didn't dare
move it's
inside Eric whispered finally his voice
trembling I wanted to argue to say it
couldn't be but I knew he was
right the sound wasn't
muffled wasn't outside the cabin
walls it was here here with us
reverberating through the air like the
hum of a fluorescent light gone
Haywire Mia broke the
silence we have to
leave and go where Eric snapped his
voice rising in Pitch the car is a mile
away and that thing whatever it is is
out there
too we can't just stay here Mia shot
back her voice cracking you heard it
Eric you saw the photo Ryan he she
trailed off unable to finish the
sentence Jess let out a shaky breath
what if it's not just
Ryan what if it's something
else her voice was barely a whisper but
the words hung heavy in the air I
swallowed hard my throat dry and
raw the laughter stopped suddenly
cutting off mid chuckle as if someone
had flipped a
switch for a moment the silence felt
like a
reprieve but then it stretched on too
long too quiet and the tension in the
unbearable that's when we heard the
knocking three slow deliberate knocks on
the front door we all jumped and Jess
let out a stifled
scream I turned toward the door my
breath catching in my throat it couldn't
be be Ryan we all knew that but the
alternative was something I couldn't
comprehend who's there I called my voice
shaky no answer just the sound of
another three knocks each one echoing
through the cabin like a hammer driving
nails into a
coffin don't open it Mia said clutching
my arm tighter whatever you do don't
don't open it Eric grabbed the fire
poker from The Hearth holding it in
front of him like a
sword if it gets in here we're not
sitting ducks we
fight I wanted to tell him that it
wasn't something we could fight but the
words died in my
throat the knock stopped replaced by the
sound of footsteps slow shuffling like
something heavy was being dragged along
the porch
they circled the cabin each step
scraping against the wooden boards
windows and then a voice Ryan's voice
hey guys open the door it said calm and
Casual like he was asking for a drink of
water come on it's freezing out
here Jess started shaking her head
Whispering oh
no Mia's grip on my arm
tightened that's not him she hissed it can't
can't
be let me in the voice said again it
sounded exactly like Ryan but there was
something off too smooth too perfect
like a recording played back on a
loop the footsteps stopped outside the
window nearest to Jess she shrieked and
scrambled away as a shadow passed over
the curtain
tall and thin almost impossibly
so the voice came again closer this
time guys what's wrong don't you recognize
recognize
me the shadow lingered by the window
unmoving it stretched upward the faint
outline of it grotesque in its
proportions the head too narrow the arms
too long it bent slightly as if peering
inside and for one terrible moment I
thought it might press its face against the
the
glass the laughter started again low and
wheey as if whoever or whatever was
outside found the whole situation
hysterical the sound of shuffling
returned moving away from the
window I moved instinctively pulling
Jess further into the corner as the
shadow disappeared into the
darkness the laughter faded replaced by
more we didn't speak for a long time
none of us knew what to
say Eric eventually lowered the fire
poker his knuckles white from gripping
it so
tightly Mia sat on the floor her knees
pulled to her chest while Jess rocked
back and forth her eyes wide and
unblinking I glanced at the clock on the
wall only 2: a.m.
morning felt a lifetime away and the
thought of enduring hours of this was
unbearable I paced the room trying to
think of something anything that could
help we need to get out of here I said
finally breaking the silence first
light we head to the car and don't look
back no one argued but the doubt in
their faces was
clear the cabin felt like a cage now the
walls too close
the Shadows too
dark even with the fire poker even with
our resolve we knew deep down that
whatever was out there wasn't something
we could
fight morning was our only
hope Mia spoke up her voice barely above
a whisper what if it doesn't wait until
morning what if it comes
back Eric sighed his shoulders slumping
then we stick together no one goes goes
anywhere alone we keep the lights on and we
we
wait Jess finally looked up her face
pale and tear streak and if it gets in
none of us had an answer for that the
unspoken truth settled over us like a
heavy blanket if it got in there was
nothing we could
do we spent the rest of the night in
Silence the weight of fear pressing down
on us the fire in the Hearth burned low
casting long long flickering Shadows
across the
room every Creek of the cabin every gust
of wind outside made us
jump and all the while the question
lingered in my
inside the minutes crawled by like hours
every tick of the clock a cruel reminder
of how far we were from
dawn the cabin had grown unbearably quiet
quiet
save for the faint crackling of the
dying fire none of us dared to move too
far from one
another Eric kept his grip on the fire
poker his knuckles stark white against
the dim
light Mia sat on the couch rocking
slightly as if to soothe
herself while Jess kept her knees tucked
to her
chest her wide eyes darting to every
shadow I kept pacing the KN of of
anxiety in my stomach tightening with
every Creek of the wooden
floor my thoughts spun in circles trying
to make sense of what we had seen what
we had heard the photo of Ryan the voice
at the door the Shadow by the
window none of it fit together in any
rational way it's testing us Mia said
suddenly her voice breaking the
silence we all turned to look at her
she was staring at the floor her arms
wrapped tightly around
herself it's trying to see what we'll do
how far we
go what are you talking about Eric asked
his voice sharp he was on edge more so
than I'd ever seen
him think about it Mia said her voice
trembling it's not just scaring us it's
it's playing with us the photo the
laughter the
voice it could have come inside already
if it wanted
to but it's waiting
waiting
watching that's insane Eric said though
the fear in his eyes betrayed
him is it Mia shot back her tone
biting tell me one thing about this that's
that's
normal just one
Eric didn't
respond none of us
did the quiet stretched out again heavy
and oppressive the fire was almost out
now the shadows in the room growing
longer and
darker I could feel the tension in the
air a pressure that made it hard to
breathe and then without warning the
front door slammed
open the sound was deafening in the
silence the force of it sending gust of
cold air rushing through the room we all
screamed jumping to our feet as the door
banged against the wall the hinges
groaning Under The
Strain Eric raised the fire poker his hands
hands
shaking but there was nothing there the
doorway was empty the forest Beyond
shrouded in
darkness close it Jess said her voice
shrill with panic Eric rushed to the
door slamming it shut in un locking it
his movements
frantic what the hell was that he yelled
spinning around to face
us before anyone could answer the
laughter started again this time it was
louder harsher and unmistakably inside the
the
cabin it echoed off the walls coming
from everywhere and nowhere all at once
the sound was maddening like nails
scraping against my
brain it's here Mia whispered her face
pale the laughter grew louder more
distorted until it felt like the walls
themselves were vibrating with the sound
I clapped my hands over my ears but it
didn't help it was in my head burrowing
deeper with every Wheezy
chuckle Make It Stop Jess screamed tears
streaming down her
face she bolted from the corner
sprinting toward the kitchen in a blur of
of
panic Jess wait I shouted my voice
cracking as I took off after her my
heart pounded in my chest as I raced
around the corner barely keeping up with
her frantic Pace but as I rounded the
doorway to the kitchen I stopped dead in my
my
tracks Jess who had been running at full
speed just moments ago was now standing
completely still in the middle of the room
room
the contrast was
jarring her arms hung limply at her
sides her shoulders unnaturally
slack the rapid motion that had driven
her moments ago was gone replaced by an
eerie Stillness that made my skin
crawl Jess I called my voice
shaking she didn't
respond her back was to me her head
tilted slightly to one side
as if listening to something I couldn't
hear I took a cautious Step Closer the
floor creaking under my weight
weight
Jess are you okay I
whispered though every nerve in my body
screamed at me to turn around and run
she turned slowly her movements
deliberate and unnaturally slow like
something out of a
nightmare when her face came into view
my stomach
dropped her lips were pulled into a
grotesque grin stretched too wide as if
her skin couldn't contain it her eyes
were wide and unblinking glassy with an unnatural
unnatural
Sheen it was the same expression we had
seen in the photo of Ryan only now it
was right in front of me Jess I repeated
my voice barely above a
whisper she burst into laughter loud and
unhinged making me jump
back gotcha she said doubling over with
Amusement you should have seen your
face what the hell Jess I shouted the
adrenaline in my veins turning to
irritation Are you seriously joking right
right
now Eric stormed into the kitchen
gripping the fire
poker you think this is
funny after everything
Jess straightened up still grinning
though her laughter started to
wne I just needed to lighten the mood
she said we're all so
tense lighten the mood Mia's voice
cracked as she appeared in the doorway
her face pale and tear
stre you think pretending to
be that is
funny Jess looked down her smile faltering
faltering
I was just trying to
help I didn't mean to scare you guys that
that
bad the tension in the room was palpable
as we stared at Jess her earlier
expression and behavior still unsettling
despite her
explanation as the others argued Jess
seemed to retreat into herself her grin
fading into something almost neutral
though her silence felt heavier than
usual I tried to convince myself she was
just embarrassed by the
Jess the Morning Light trickling Through
the Windows felt like
salvation none of us had managed to
sleep the events of the night leaving us
raw and
jittery Jess was unusually quiet but
otherwise acted normal almost too normal
like she was trying to smooth over the
tension from the night
before the rest of us didn't bring it up
each of us silently agreeing to focus on
getting out of the
cabin we head for the car Eric said
gripping the fire poker like a Lifeline
Stay Together Mia
added we packed quickly grabbing only
what we could
carry it wasn't
much the path to the car was about a
mile through dense woods but we couldn't
risk staying the woods were eerily
silent as we left the cabin
behind even the Birds seemed seemed to
have fled leaving only the sound of our
hurried footsteps crunching over leaves and
and
twigs Jess walked in front of me her
usual confident stride
subdued Eric led the group his eyes
scanning every shadow the fire poker
ready in his
hands Mia stuck close to my side
clutching a flashlight like it was her
only Shield the tension was suffocating
our paranoia the only thing chasing us
the path seemed to stretch
endlessly the dense trees making it
impossible to tell how far we'd
come when we finally reached the car a
wave of relief washed over us Eric
fumbled with the keys his hands shaking
as he unlocked the
doors Mia and Jess slid into the back
seat their tension palpable as they buckled
buckled
in I climbed into the passenger seat
next to Eric my hand shaking shaking as
I shut the door behind
me Eric quickly got into the driver's
seat tossing the fire poker onto the
floor of the passenger side before
starting the
engine the car lurched forward onto the
dirt path that would eventually lead us
to the main
road for the first hour the only sounds
were the hum of the engine and the
occasional rustling of branches against the
the
car it felt
surreal like we'd left something behind
that was still with us somehow
do you think Ryan's still
alive Jess finally broke the silence her
voice quiet but sharp enough to cut
through the
tension Eric gripped the wheel tighter
his jaw
clenching I don't
know what are we going to tell the
police Mia
asked her voice trembled and she glanced
at me as if I had the
answer we'll tell them the truth I said
though the words felt
Hollow that he went
missing that
we we saw
something something Jess echoed her tone
dripping with
sarcasm do you think they're going to
believe we ran from some whatever the
hell that thing
was Eric side his frustration bubbling
just beneath the
surface we'll deal with it when we get
to a
station right now we just have to get
there the car fell silent again the
weight of Eric's words settling over
us I stared out the window watching as
the trees blurred past their gnarled
branches intertwining like skeletal
hands my mind kept circling back to Ryan
his laugh his stupid jokes the image of
him grinning in that haunting photo
burned into to my
memory as the hours dragged on the
tension in the car shifted from Fear to
exhaustion the sun began to dip lower in
the sky casting Long Shadows across the
road Jess fidgeted in her seat glancing
occasionally at the GPS on Eric's phone
how much longer she asked her voice
tinged with
irritation Eric glanced at the
screen another hour maybe more the map
says we'll hit a highway
soon Mia sighed leaning her head against the
the
window I just want this to be
over we all do I said though the words felt
felt
meaningless none of us knew if this
nightmare would end when we reached
civilization the Golden Light of the
Setting Sun slowly gave way to the muted
Hues of
dusk the the forest seemed to change
with the fading light the Shadows
growing longer darker more
oppressive the road narrowed and the
trees pressed closer their branches
forming a canopy that blocked out the
remaining light Eric slowed the car as
the GPS directed us to take another turn
the new road was narrower
still the pavement cracked and
uneven the air inside the car grew
heavier the oppressive silence broken
only by the soft hum of the
engine it was as night fully descended
that the first haunting
returned without warning something
slammed against the windshield with a deafening
deafening
thud we all screamed the sound ripping
from our throats in
unison The Smiling figure was suddenly
there its face pressed against the glass
the grotesque grin stretched impossibly wide
wide
its Hollow dark eyes stared directly at us
us
unblinking as if it could see into the
very core of our
Terror the pale flesh of its face was
flattened against the windshield almost
translucent under the dim glow of the
Dashboard Lights what the hell is that
Jess shrieked clutching the sides of her
seat Eric's voice cracked as he yelled
hold on he floored the gas pedal and the
car lurched forward the figure clung to
the windshield for a moment longer its
grin never wavering before it slid off
with a sickening scrape its body
crumpled unnaturally as it hit the
ground but when I turned to look back it
was already standing its head tilted
slightly that terrible grin still etched
across its face as it watched us speed
darkness the car sped down the winding
Forest Road the oppressive silence
inside only broken by the occasional GPS
directions Eric's hands gripped the
wheel so tightly his knuckles turned
white and I could see his jaw set in a rigid
rigid
clench every so often he darted a glance
at the rearview mirror as if Expecting
The Smiling figure to reappear at any
moment Jess sat in the back seat her
arms crossed tightly over her chest her
gaze fixed on the window
Mia sat beside her gripping the edge of
her seat her wide eyes darting between
the passing trees and the GPS screen on Eric's
Eric's
phone neither had spoken since the
figure slid off the windshield and I
didn't blame
them my own thoughts were a chaotic mess
and every shadow outside looked like it
us finally Mia broke the silence her
what what the hell was that
thing no one
answered Jess shifted uncomfortably
pulling her jacket tighter around
herself but said
nothing Eric kept his eyes on the road
his jaw flexing as he worked through his own
own
thoughts I wasn't sure if I should try
to comfort Mia or stay silent but the
words came out before I could stop
them it wasn't human I said my voice
Hollow nothing human moves like
that Eric exhaled sharply through his
nose his version of a bitter
laugh no
kidding do you think it's following us
Jess finally asked her voice low and
edged with
fear I don't know Eric admitted but I'm
not stopping to find out
the GPS chimed again its mechanical
voice startlingly loud in the quiet
car in three miles turn
left we're not far from the highway Eric
said his voice strained but steady once
we're out of the woods we'll head
straight to the police they'll he paused
glancing in the rearview mirror
again they'll know what to do mia
scoffed Softly
you think the cops are going to believe
us that
some thing is out here chasing us what
are we even going to tell
them we tell them the truth I said
though even as I spoke the words I
wasn't sure I believe them we tell them
about Ryan about what happened at the
cabin about that
thing Jess shook her head letting out a humorless
humorless
laugh yeah
great hey officer there's a smiling
monster in the
woods that'll go over
well we don't have another option Eric
said his tone
final unless you want to go back and
deal with it
yourself that shut Jess up and the car
fell silent
again outside the trees pressed closer
their skeletal branches forming a canopy
over head that blocked out the
Moonlight the road was barely wide
enough for the car now the cracked
pavement littered with fallen leaves and
debris I glanced at the GPS
turn the tension in the car was
suffocating every bump in the road every
rustle of leaves outside made my heart
jump I kept my eyes on the road ahead
trying not to to think about the figure
its Hollow eyes and that grotesque grin
burned into my
memory but no matter how hard I
tried I couldn't shake the feeling that
we weren't
alone a sound cut through the
silence a laugh low and guttural echoing
from somewhere in the
forest it started as a single
voice but it grew multiplying into a
cacophony of horrible mocking laugh
laughter that seemed to come from every
direction at
once do you hear that Mia whispered her voice
voice
shaking how could we not Jess snapped
her face pale the laughter grew louder
closer until it felt like it was coming
from inside the
car Eric's grip on the wheel tightened
his knuckles turning even
whiter just ignore it keep calm he
muttered more to himself than to
us then something dark and fast blitzed
past the
car it was just a blur at first but it
circled back darting so close to the
windows that we all
flinched the figure moved too quickly to
see clearly a shadowy presence that
seemed to defy logic it passed over the
roof of the car the sound of its
movement a low whooshing
growl what the hell is that Jess
screamed pressing herself back against her
her
seat it's toying with us Eric said
through gritted teeth his voice
trembling just hold
on the shadow disappeared as quickly as
it had come leaving only an eerie
Stillness in its wake we all sat Frozen
barely daring to breathe our eyes
darting around as we waited for it to
return but instead of the Shadow the
Head lights illuminated something
else a massive tree had fallen across
the road its thick trunk blocking our path
path
completely the jagged ends of its
branches stretched out like skeletal
fingers and the bark was splintered as
if it had been ripped apart by some immense
immense
Force did
that just fall Mia asked her voice
barely audible Eric shook his head no
that wasn't an
accident Eric shifted the car into
reverse trying to back away from the
tree but as soon as he touched the gas
the engine sputtered and
died no no no he muttered frantically
turning the key but the car wouldn't
start the oppressive silence outside
seemed to seep into the car swallowing
every sound except Eric's panicked
breaths what now
Jess whispered her voice barely
audible before anyone could answer Mia
pointed toward the tree her hand
trembling look over there next to the
trunk all of us turned our heads to
where she was pointing and that's when
we saw him
him
Ryan he was lying on the ground just a
few feet from the splintered wood his
body was still his face pale and eerily
Serene in the glow of the
headlights oh my God I breathed my stomach
stomach
churning is he
he
alive Eric gritted his
teeth I'm not leaving him out
there he reached for the door handle but
Mia grabbed his arm no don't go out there
there
Eric hesitated his eyes darting between
Ryan's body and the Dark Forest
Beyond finally he nodded we'll check
together no one stays
alone reluctantly we opened the doors
and stepped out into the cold night air
the forest around us felt
suffocating the darkness pressing in
from every
side the sound of our footsteps on the
gravel seemed unnaturally loud as we
approached Ryan
my heart pounded so hard it felt like it might
might
Burst when we reached him it was clear
something was
wrong his body looked intact no visible
wounds or blood but his eyes were open
staring blankly at the
sky his face was frozen in a strange
expression a wide unnatural grin that
made my skin crawl
crawl
Ryan Eric called Softly kneeling beside
him he reached out to shake his shoulder
but Ryan didn't move
move
he's he's
cold Jess backed away her hands covering her
her
mouth we need to get back in the car
now Eric looked at her then at Ryan
again something in his expression
shifted and he stood
abruptly she's right let's
let's
go we hurried back to the car slamming
the doors shut behind us Eric tried the
engine again but it wouldn't turn
over damn it he hissed hitting the steering
steering
wheel just lock the doors I said my voice
voice
shaking we'll figure it
out Eric clicked the locks and we all
sat in Silence the weight of what we'd
seen settling over us like a suffocating
blanket the headlights still illuminated
Ryan's lifeless Body by the tree his
grin visible even from inside the car
none of us
spoke none of us dared to
move my chest tightened and I glanced at the
the
others none of us wanted to say it but
truth the silence in the car was
oppressive every second stretching ing into
into
eternity the headlights illuminated
Ryan's body near the fallen tree his
eerily Serene grin visible even from
this distance none of us spoke none of
us dared to it was as if we were waiting
not for something to happen but for
something to
end then the laughter
started it was faint at first just a low
chuckle Jess stiffened in her seat her
hands gripping her arms
tightly you hear that she
whispered we all nodded no one daring to
speak the laughter grew louder a
chilling Symphony of mockery that filled
the car its source impossible to
pinpoint it was low and guttural then
high pitched and hysterical as if dozens
of voices were joining in the sound
wrapped around us pressing in on all
sides drilling into our ears until it became
became
unbearable Make It Stop Mia whimpered
covering her
ears please make it
stop Eric slammed his hands on the
steering wheel damn it what do you want
he shouted into the void but the
laughter only grew louder drowning out
his voice consuming every inch of space
in the
car the sound was too much
my chest tightened and I could feel the
walls of my mind cracking under the
pressure we have to get out I
gasped we can't stay in
here Eric hesitated his eyes darting to
the dead engine then back to us finally he
he
nodded fine but stay together no one wanders
wanders
off we unlocked the doors and stepped
out into the night
the cold air hit me like a slap but it
did little to clear the suffocating
weight of the laughter that still rang
in my ears outside the sound was even more
more
overwhelming as if the entire forest was
laughing at
us I turned toward the tree expecting to
see Ryan's body lying where we had last
seen it but it was
gone where is he Jess asked her voice trembling
trembling
she pointed to the spot where Ryan had
been now just an empty patch of
ground he was right there iic said his tone
tone
disbelieving I saw him we all saw
him Mia took a shaky step closer to the
tree her eyes scanning the area Ryan she
called out softly her voice swallowed by
the cacophony of
laughter don't I warned grabbing her arm stay
stay
close we huddled together our breaths
visible in the frigid air the forest
seemed alive with shadows shifting and
twisting in the dim light of the
headlights every rustle of leaves every
Creek of the trees felt like it could be
him or worse that
thing what do we do Jess whispered her
voice barely audible over the laughter
we get back in the car Eric said
firmly we lock the doors and we wait it
out whatever this is it can't last
forever none of us argued we retreated
to the car as quickly as we could
locking the doors behind us the laughter
persisted but inside the car it was slightly
slightly
muffled still it was enough to set my
nerves on edge each peel of laughter a
dagger to my
sanity he was right there Jess muttered
rocking slightly in her seat he was
right there and now he's gone Eric didn't
didn't
respond he gripped the steering wheel
tightly his knuckles white his jaw
clenched Mia stared out the window her
hands pressed against the glass as if
trying to see into the darkness and
me I just sat there staring Straight
Ahead my mind racing with thoughts I
couldn't begin to
articulate the laughter still echoed in my
my
ears but now it was joined by a new
sound the faint rustling of something
moving outside the
car none of us
move the oppressive silence after the
laughter faded was somehow worse
it left us all on edge as if the sound
had been the only thing keeping
something worse at
Bay Jess hugged her knees to her chest
in the back seat her eyes fixed on the
window Mia sat stiffly beside her her
hand gripping the edge of the seat so
tightly her knuckles were white Eric
hadn't moved from his position at the
wheel though his hands now rested limply
in his
lap we need to call someone Mia
whispered her voice barely
audible Eric nodded without looking at her I'll call the
her I'll call the police he fumbled with his phone his
police he fumbled with his phone his fingers trembling as he
fingers trembling as he dialed when he spoke his voice was firm
dialed when he spoke his voice was firm but
but strained hello yes we need help we're on
strained hello yes we need help we're on a Forest Road near near the old campsite
a Forest Road near near the old campsite off Route 19 one of our friends is
off Route 19 one of our friends is missing and we're stranded
there's something out here please send someone
here please send someone quickly the dispatcher's voice was calm
quickly the dispatcher's voice was calm asking for
asking for details Eric answered as best as he
details Eric answered as best as he could his gaze darting nervously between
could his gaze darting nervously between the dead engine and the Darkness
the dead engine and the Darkness outside when he hung up he let out a
outside when he hung up he let out a shaky
shaky breath they're sending
breath they're sending someone we just have to wait
someone we just have to wait Jess let out a bitter laugh though it
Jess let out a bitter laugh though it lacked any
lacked any humor wait for what for that thing to
humor wait for what for that thing to come
come back for help I said though the word
back for help I said though the word felt
felt Hollow Eric looked back at us his eyes
Hollow Eric looked back at us his eyes dark with
dark with exhaustion we stay in the car we keep
exhaustion we stay in the car we keep the doors locked whatever this is it's
the doors locked whatever this is it's safer here than out there and what do we
safer here than out there and what do we tell them when they get here Jess asked
tell them when they get here Jess asked her voice Rising
her voice Rising slightly do we tell them about Ryan
slightly do we tell them about Ryan about that that thing they're going to
about that that thing they're going to think we're
think we're crazy we tell them the truth Mia said
crazy we tell them the truth Mia said firmly all of it let them think we're
firmly all of it let them think we're crazy at least we'll be out of
crazy at least we'll be out of here Jess shook her head but didn't
here Jess shook her head but didn't argue further the tension in the car was
argue further the tension in the car was thick enough to choke on none of us
thick enough to choke on none of us wanted to admit it but the thought of
wanted to admit it but the thought of seeing Ryan's body again or Worse not
seeing Ryan's body again or Worse not seeing it at all was gnawing at us what
seeing it at all was gnawing at us what do you think happened to him I asked
do you think happened to him I asked softly breaking the heavy
softly breaking the heavy silence no one answered at
silence no one answered at first then Eric said I don't
first then Eric said I don't know maybe he got up and walked
know maybe he got up and walked away walked away
away walked away Jess's voice cracked after lying there
Jess's voice cracked after lying there like that with that grin on his face are
like that with that grin on his face are you hearing
you hearing yourself do you have a better
yourself do you have a better explanation Eric snapped his frustration
explanation Eric snapped his frustration bubbling
bubbling over because I'm all
over because I'm all ears Mia's gaze was distant her voice
ears Mia's gaze was distant her voice barely above a
barely above a whisper maybe it wasn't him maybe it's
whisper maybe it wasn't him maybe it's like a trick
like a trick like that thing is trying to mess with
like that thing is trying to mess with us her words sent a chill down my
us her words sent a chill down my spine the thought had crossed my mind
spine the thought had crossed my mind but hearing it said aloud made it feel
but hearing it said aloud made it feel real too
real too real time dragged on each second
real time dragged on each second stretching into
stretching into eternity every Creek of the
eternity every Creek of the trees every rustle of leaves outside
trees every rustle of leaves outside felt like it could be the start of
felt like it could be the start of something
something terrible the laughter was
terrible the laughter was gone but the oppressive weight of the
gone but the oppressive weight of the night pressed down on
night pressed down on us suffocating and
inescapable finally after what felt like hours a faint light appeared in the
hours a faint light appeared in the distance
distance headlights relief washed over me so
headlights relief washed over me so suddenly I felt tears prick my
suddenly I felt tears prick my eyes they're here I
eyes they're here I whispered the police car pulled up
whispered the police car pulled up slowly its lights cutting through the
slowly its lights cutting through the darkness two officers stepped out their
darkness two officers stepped out their flashlights sweeping the area as they
flashlights sweeping the area as they approached one of them tapped on the
approached one of them tapped on the driver's side window and Eric rolled it
driver's side window and Eric rolled it down just enough to speak we got your
down just enough to speak we got your call the officer said his tone
call the officer said his tone professional but
professional but wary are you all all
wary are you all all right we're alive Eric replied but
right we're alive Eric replied but something's out here and our friend he
something's out here and our friend he was lying right there he pointed toward
was lying right there he pointed toward the tree but now he's
the tree but now he's gone the officers exchanged a glance
gone the officers exchanged a glance their expressions unreadable in the dim
their expressions unreadable in the dim light stay in the car one of them said
light stay in the car one of them said we'll check it
we'll check it out we watched as they moved toward the
out we watched as they moved toward the tree their flashlights cutting through
tree their flashlights cutting through the darkness the night had grown eerily
the darkness the night had grown eerily quiet as if the forest itself was
quiet as if the forest itself was holding its breath my stomach churned
holding its breath my stomach churned with Dread as I realized we were no
with Dread as I realized we were no closer to understanding what was
happening the morning sun was just starting to rise when the police finally
starting to rise when the police finally led us away from the
led us away from the scene none of us had slept we were all
scene none of us had slept we were all bundled into separate squad cars the
bundled into separate squad cars the officers exchanging clipped
officers exchanging clipped conversations on their
conversations on their radios I could hear Jess's soft crying
radios I could hear Jess's soft crying from the car ahead of me Eric sat in
from the car ahead of me Eric sat in silence beside the officer driving
silence beside the officer driving his face pale and unreadable Mia was in
his face pale and unreadable Mia was in the car behind her hands visible through
the car behind her hands visible through the rear windshield as she clutched her
the rear windshield as she clutched her knees to her
knees to her chest at the station they separated us
chest at the station they separated us into different rooms each of us was
into different rooms each of us was questioned
questioned individually the officer sitting across
individually the officer sitting across from me seemed calm his voice low and
from me seemed calm his voice low and even as he
even as he started so can you walk me through what
started so can you walk me through what happened he asked clicking his
happened he asked clicking his pen I tried to explain about Ryan about
pen I tried to explain about Ryan about the
the laughter about the thing we
laughter about the thing we saw but every time the words left my
saw but every time the words left my mouth they felt absurd like a bad dream
mouth they felt absurd like a bad dream I couldn't wake up
I couldn't wake up from the officer listened his pen
from the officer listened his pen scratching against his
scratching against his notebook when I mention the smiling
notebook when I mention the smiling figure he
figure he paused you're sure you saw this
paused you're sure you saw this person I nodded we all did it wasn't
person I nodded we all did it wasn't human it couldn't have
human it couldn't have been he exchanged a glance with the
been he exchanged a glance with the officer at the door and
officer at the door and Ryan you said you saw his body near the
Ryan you said you saw his body near the tree yes I replied my voice
tree yes I replied my voice trembling he was there we all saw
trembling he was there we all saw him but when we got out of the car he
him but when we got out of the car he was gone
was gone on the officer leaned back in his chair
on the officer leaned back in his chair his expression
his expression unreadable we didn't find any signs of a
unreadable we didn't find any signs of a body but we did find
body but we did find this he reached into a folder and pulled
this he reached into a folder and pulled out a plastic evidence bag inside was
out a plastic evidence bag inside was Ryan's phone my stomach dropped as I
Ryan's phone my stomach dropped as I recognized it the screen was cracked but
recognized it the screen was cracked but it still displayed the last photo in his
it still displayed the last photo in his Gallery Ryan's grinning face
Gallery Ryan's grinning face his eyes Hollow and
his eyes Hollow and lifeless this was found near the tree
lifeless this was found near the tree the officer
the officer continued does this mean anything to
continued does this mean anything to you I swallowed hard shaking my
you I swallowed hard shaking my head I don't know they didn't push
head I don't know they didn't push further after what felt like hours they
further after what felt like hours they let us
let us go we regrouped in the station's Lobby
go we regrouped in the station's Lobby each of us looking more drained than the
each of us looking more drained than the last Jess had dark circles under her
last Jess had dark circles under her eyes and Mia's hands were still
eyes and Mia's hands were still trembling Eric leaned against the wall
trembling Eric leaned against the wall staring at the floor as if it might
staring at the floor as if it might offer
offer answers they didn't find him Jess said
answers they didn't find him Jess said her voice barely above a
her voice barely above a whisper how could they not find
whisper how could they not find him because he's not there anymore Mia
him because he's not there anymore Mia replied her voice
replied her voice breaking I don't know where he is but
breaking I don't know where he is but he's not
he's not there Eric finally looked up his jaw
there Eric finally looked up his jaw tight we're going home all of us
tight we're going home all of us separately we're done with
separately we're done with this done with what Jess
this done with what Jess snapped Ryan's gone Eric he's gone and
snapped Ryan's gone Eric he's gone and we don't even know
we don't even know why Eric's voice was low but
why Eric's voice was low but firm I don't care whatever this is I'm
firm I don't care whatever this is I'm I'm not letting it follow me I suggest
I'm not letting it follow me I suggest you all do the
you all do the same the room fell into a heavy
same the room fell into a heavy silence none of us wanted to admit it
silence none of us wanted to admit it but he was right whatever had happened
but he was right whatever had happened it wasn't over and it wouldn't be not
it wasn't over and it wouldn't be not for a long
for a long time we didn't say much after
time we didn't say much after that Eric left first his shoulders rigid
that Eric left first his shoulders rigid as he walked out the
as he walked out the door Mia went next offering during a
door Mia went next offering during a weak apologetic smile before
weak apologetic smile before disappearing into the Morning
disappearing into the Morning Light Jess lingered for a moment her
Light Jess lingered for a moment her gaze fixed on
gaze fixed on me do you think he's still
me do you think he's still alive she
alive she asked I
asked I hesitated I don't
hesitated I don't know she nodded as if that was the
know she nodded as if that was the answer she
answer she expected then she turned and left
expected then she turned and left leaving me alone in the station's empty
leaving me alone in the station's empty Lobby
eventually I forced myself to leave as well the streets were quiet as I made my
well the streets were quiet as I made my way home the morning sun doing little to
way home the morning sun doing little to dispel the oppressive weight that hung
dispel the oppressive weight that hung over me my house once a
over me my house once a sanctuary now felt cold and unfamiliar
sanctuary now felt cold and unfamiliar as I stepped
as I stepped inside I locked the door behind me and
inside I locked the door behind me and collapsed onto the couch staring blankly
collapsed onto the couch staring blankly at the
at the ceiling the events of the past day
ceiling the events of the past day replayed in my mind a Relentless Loop
replayed in my mind a Relentless Loop that refused to let me rest I didn't
that refused to let me rest I didn't know if I'd ever feel safe again not
know if I'd ever feel safe again not really whatever we had encountered in
really whatever we had encountered in those woods it wasn't finished with
those woods it wasn't finished with us I could feel it lingering just out of
us I could feel it lingering just out of sight
sight waiting and I had no idea what to do
waiting and I had no idea what to do next I stayed there for a long time
next I stayed there for a long time staring at the flo floor trying to piece
staring at the flo floor trying to piece together everything that had
together everything that had happened but the more I thought about it
happened but the more I thought about it the less sense it
the less sense it made all I knew for sure was that we'd
made all I knew for sure was that we'd gone into those woods with five
gone into those woods with five people and we'd come out with
people and we'd come out with four Ryan's phone still had that photo
four Ryan's phone still had that photo that awful impossible
photo the events of the past few days were like a splinter in my mind
were like a splinter in my mind no matter how hard I tried to distract
no matter how hard I tried to distract myself the images of Ryan's face the
myself the images of Ryan's face the laughter and that awful smile kept
laughter and that awful smile kept resurfacing needing to make sense of it
resurfacing needing to make sense of it I decided to call a few friends I
I decided to call a few friends I trusted outside our
trusted outside our group maybe talking it out would
group maybe talking it out would help I spoke to Sarah first a childhood
help I spoke to Sarah first a childhood friend who had always been
friend who had always been level-headed as I stumbled through my
level-headed as I stumbled through my story I could feel her hesitance over
story I could feel her hesitance over the phone
the phone that's
that's intense Sarah said finely her voice
intense Sarah said finely her voice cautious are you sure it's not just your
cautious are you sure it's not just your mind playing tricks on you trauma can do
mind playing tricks on you trauma can do that it's not trauma I said almost
that it's not trauma I said almost pleading we all saw it Sarah all of us
pleading we all saw it Sarah all of us and now Ryan's
and now Ryan's gone she didn't argue further but her
gone she didn't argue further but her silence said enough I ended the call
silence said enough I ended the call shortly after feeling more alone than
shortly after feeling more alone than before my next attempt was with Mark a
before my next attempt was with Mark a friend from college his reaction was
friend from college his reaction was more
more direct sounds like you guys freaked
direct sounds like you guys freaked yourselves out he said
yourselves out he said bluntly you've been through something
bluntly you've been through something terrible yeah but don't let your
terrible yeah but don't let your imagination make it
imagination make it worse I wanted to scream to forc them to
worse I wanted to scream to forc them to understand but their reactions only
understand but their reactions only reinforced how isolated I felt
reinforced how isolated I felt eventually I gave up and turned to the
eventually I gave up and turned to the group
group chat hey how is everyone doing did you
chat hey how is everyone doing did you all make it home
all make it home okay I stared at the screen waiting for
okay I stared at the screen waiting for any sign of
any sign of Life minutes turned into
Life minutes turned into hours the only response came from
hours the only response came from Jess I'm okay just trying to process
Jess I'm okay just trying to process everything her reply did little to ease
everything her reply did little to ease my growing
my growing unease no one else even read the
unease no one else even read the message still the silence was
message still the silence was deafening by the time dusk fell
deafening by the time dusk fell exhaustion weighed heavily on me at
exhaustion weighed heavily on me at around 8 p.m. I decided to try
around 8 p.m. I decided to try sleeping maybe rest would quiet my
sleeping maybe rest would quiet my thoughts but sleep didn't come I tossed
thoughts but sleep didn't come I tossed and turned my mind a Relentless storm of
and turned my mind a Relentless storm of questions and fears frustrated I grabbed
questions and fears frustrated I grabbed my phone to check the chat again Jess's
my phone to check the chat again Jess's response was still the only activity I
response was still the only activity I tried calling Mia no answer then Eric
tried calling Mia no answer then Eric nothing even Jess didn't pick
nothing even Jess didn't pick up a knock at the door made me
up a knock at the door made me jump the sound was sharp deliberate I
jump the sound was sharp deliberate I froze staring at the door another knock
froze staring at the door another knock followed louder this
followed louder this time hey it's it's me a voice
time hey it's it's me a voice called it sounded exactly like
called it sounded exactly like Mia relief flooded me I stumbled to the
Mia relief flooded me I stumbled to the door fumbling with the lock and opened
door fumbling with the lock and opened it but when I did I stopped
it but when I did I stopped cold it wasn't Mia it was
cold it wasn't Mia it was Jess Jess I said my voice tinged with
Jess Jess I said my voice tinged with confusion I thought you can't sleep
confusion I thought you can't sleep either huh she interrupted her voice
either huh she interrupted her voice casual in
casual in light it sounded normal like the Jess I
light it sounded normal like the Jess I knew before I could say anything else
knew before I could say anything else she stepped inside without waiting for
she stepped inside without waiting for an
an invitation I turned to close the door
invitation I turned to close the door still trying to process what was
still trying to process what was happening when I turned back around Jess
happening when I turned back around Jess was standing in the middle of the room
was standing in the middle of the room her back was to me her arms hanging
her back was to me her arms hanging limply at her sides her head tilted
limply at her sides her head tilted slightly as if she were listening to
slightly as if she were listening to something I couldn't
something I couldn't hear
hear Jess I called softly my voice
Jess I called softly my voice trembling what's
trembling what's wrong she didn't
wrong she didn't answer her Stillness was unnerving the
answer her Stillness was unnerving the air in the room thick with
air in the room thick with tension slowly she turned
tension slowly she turned around her face was twisted into that
around her face was twisted into that same grotesque smile she had worn in the
same grotesque smile she had worn in the kitchen it was too wide too h
kitchen it was too wide too h H her eyes empty of
H her eyes empty of recognition my heart pounded as I
recognition my heart pounded as I stumbled back every Instinct screaming
stumbled back every Instinct screaming at me to run my mind raced pieces
at me to run my mind raced pieces falling into place the photo on Ryan's
falling into place the photo on Ryan's phone the grin the way Jess had acted in
phone the grin the way Jess had acted in the kitchen the realization hit me like
the kitchen the realization hit me like a freight train her grin widened
a freight train her grin widened stretching impossibly far she didn't
stretching impossibly far she didn't confirm or deny it but her expression
confirm or deny it but her expression said
said enough Panic surged through me as the
enough Panic surged through me as the horrifying truth dawned the others were
horrifying truth dawned the others were gone because of her because of that
gone because of her because of that thing Eric Mia they hadn't just
thing Eric Mia they hadn't just disappeared they were
disappeared they were dead I couldn't explain how I knew but I
dead I couldn't explain how I knew but I felt it deep in my
felt it deep in my bones Jess or whatever was pretending to
bones Jess or whatever was pretending to be her had killed them and now it was my
be her had killed them and now it was my turn
turn the room seemed to darken as she took
the room seemed to darken as she took another step forward my breath came in
another step forward my breath came in Shallow gasps my chest tightening with
Shallow gasps my chest tightening with fear her grin consumed my vision
fear her grin consumed my vision stretching wider and wider until it was
stretching wider and wider until it was all I could
all I could see and
see and then it all became clear to me
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