Black-Eyed Reckoning

The woods of Cannock Hollow were unnaturally still, a silence so profound it gnawed at the edges of sanity. Leaves refused to stir; no birds called. Air pressed thick and oppressive, muting the world. Daniel Cross, a wiry journalist in his late twenties, tugged his jacket free from a snagging branch, muttering under his breath. Tinker, his golden-furred rescue dog, padded ahead, her steps wary, ears twitching at every invisible cue.

“This better be worth it,” Daniel grumbled, readjusting the drone strapped to his backpack. His angular face betrayed a mix of skepticism and stubbornness, a hallmark of years chasing stories he didn’t believe in. A black beanie clung haphazardly to his head, and his plaid shirt hung loose over a faded graphic tee—a man prepared for tech and terrain but not for unease.

A mist crept between the gnarled roots of trees, curling low as if it had purpose. The absence of sound weighed on him, the world shrinking with every step. Even Tinker, usually unshakable, let out a low whine, pressing close to his leg.

“Easy, girl,” Daniel said, crouching to scratch her scruff. The dampness of her fur chilled his fingers. “This place has stories, that’s all. Nothing to—”

A child’s giggle rippled through the silence, high-pitched and melodic. It didn’t belong. A cold shiver surged up his spine as he spun around, flashlight in hand. Trees stood like sentinels, their twisted forms casting claw-like shadows. Nothing moved, yet his pulse hammered as though something watched.

Tinker barked sharply and bolted, her form vanishing into the trees.

“Tinker! No, come back!” Daniel stumbled after her, fumbling for the flashlight. Its beam sliced through the mist, revealing nothing but endless trunks and roots. Shadows danced at the edges of his light, their movements elusive, taunting.

Another giggle came, closer this time, pulling him to a halt. His hand tightened on the flashlight as a figure emerged from the haze. A girl stood barefoot, her white dress frayed and clinging to her slight frame. Black hair hung in stringy locks, her face pale as moonlight. Her eyes—solid black, devoid of whites—locked on his, empty of innocence, full of something far older.

“Hey,” he called, swallowing hard. “Are you lost?”

Her head tilted, studying him with an expression he couldn’t read. She stepped closer, reaching out with a hand that was far too thin, fingers unnaturally long. He stumbled back, nearly tripping over a protruding root.

“What… what do you want?” he stammered, though he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer.

She blinked, slow and deliberate, before vanishing into the mist without a sound. 

Daniel stood frozen, flashlight trembling in his grip. He struggled to make sense of what he’d seen, rational thoughts warring against instinctive fear. His legs finally moved, propelling him toward the clearing ahead. The air grew heavier with every step, as though the woods sought to stop him.

Reaching the clearing, he realized something was wrong. The trees were taller, their branches gnarled into grotesque shapes that clawed at the sky. The mist thickened, swallowing paths he had moments ago been certain of. 

“No, no…” he muttered, circling in desperation. His hand darted to the drone, snapping it free and launching it skyward. It whirred as it climbed, its camera feed glowing on his phone. 

Static crackled across the screen. A faint image of motionless figures appeared—children standing among the trees, black eyes fixed on the drone. The screen cut to black. 

“Tinker!” His shout felt swallowed by the mist. 

A bark rang out, faint and distant, pulling him forward. Relief surged, though his gut twisted at the sound’s peculiar quality, a distortion that didn’t belong in any natural world. He pressed on, muscles aching as the oppressive silence returned, broken intermittently by distant murmurs. These grew louder with every step, forming a rhythmic, dissonant chant. The words escaped comprehension, their intent seeping into his mind.

Then he saw her—Tinker, seated at the base of a gnarled oak. His pace quickened, hope surging. But as he neared, dread replaced it. The black-eyed girl stood behind Tinker, her hand resting lightly on the dog’s head.

“Get away from her!” Daniel yelled, his voice breaking. The girl’s expression remained unreadable, but her eyes pierced through him. 

He rushed forward, flashlight raised like a weapon. Before he could close the distance, the ground shifted beneath him. He stumbled, regaining his footing to find the clearing gone. The oak, the girl, even Tinker had vanished. He was alone in an unfamiliar stretch of forest.

“No,” he breathed, shaking his head. “No, no…”

Voices returned, sharper this time, words emerging from the whispers. *“Do you remember, Daniel? Do you remember what you’ve done?”*

Visions overwhelmed him—faces he had forgotten, choices buried under justifications and indifference. Pleading voices, betrayed trust, all returning like ghosts from his own past. The black-eyed children weren’t random—they were mirrors to his sins, a reckoning.

“I’m sorry…” he murmured, knees hitting the cold earth. “I didn’t know. I didn’t mean…”

The voices softened, leaving a silence steeped in judgment. A bark cut through again, sharper and closer. His head snapped up, hope rekindled.

He rose, steps hesitant at first but gaining purpose. He didn’t understand this place, but clarity grew with each step. He could no longer rely on gadgets or reason alone. Faith in something unseen—resilience, loyalty, hope—was his only guide now. 

As he pressed deeper into Cannock Hollow, the shadows thickened, and the air carried the faintest sound of children’s laughter. Somewhere, the black-eyed figures watched, their gaze unblinking.  

And yet, through it all, he moved forward.  

Reflections of the Forbidden

The Obscura Museum loomed, a forgotten god in the heart of the city—a sprawling Gothic behemoth of stone and iron, its spires piercing the night sky. Gargoyles perched on ledges, leering down at Lila Morgan as she approached the heavy wrought-iron gates. A flickering lamppost cast her shadow across cracked pavement. Adjusting the leather satchel cutting into her shoulder, she squared her stance and clutched her press pass.

“I’ll expose whatever you’re hiding,” she muttered under her breath, brushing an auburn strand behind her ear. Her fingers trembled, but she pressed on.

Tonight’s event—Patrons’ Day—had a reputation among underground circles. Artists whispered of its exclusivity, occultists revered it as sacred, and conspiracy theorists swore by tales of dark rituals. Lila had built a career unraveling enigmas, but this one felt heavier, its weight pressing against her ribs.

#

Inside, the museum exhaled ancient air. Shadows spilled across polished marble floors, and faint scents of wax and decay clung to the walls. Glass cases displayed relics defying explanation—alien shapes of bone and metal, their purposes inscrutable. Paintings with gilded frames watched her every step, their eyes following with uncanny precision.

“Ah, the press arrives,” a voice murmured behind her.

She turned sharply. Callum Veyl emerged from the shadows, a figure too poised for comfort. His tailored coat framed a wiry frame, and his pale, aristocratic features carried an air of menace. Silver rings adorned his fingers, each glinting in the dim light as he gestured grandly.

“You must be Lila Morgan,” he said, a thin smile curving across his lips. “I’ve read your… entertaining work.”

“And you must be Callum Veyl,” she replied, forcing a smile. “Curator of this charming house of horrors.”

His laugh flowed smoothly, carrying an edge of serpentine delight. “Charming, yes. Horrors? A matter of interpretation. Tonight, Patrons’ Day celebrates art, ambition, and, dare I say, courage.” His gaze lingered as if unwrapping her thoughts.

Her muscles tightened. “I’ll decide for myself.”

“By all means.” Veyl inclined his head, a predator acknowledging prey. “But curiosity often entangles the unwary.”

With a flourish of his coat, he vanished into the sea of guests. Lila exhaled, her pulse quickening. The man exuded charisma, yet it felt razor-sharp.

#

The museum’s depths revealed a surreal procession of eccentrics: artists draped in velvet, women adorned with sigils painted across their skin, a man wearing a crown of thorns. Artifacts glowed faintly in vitrines, statues loomed ominously, and paintings seemed alive with implied motion. 

One room drew her as if summoned. Inside, a towering black mirror dominated the space, framed in tarnished silver. Candles surrounded it, casting flickering light on its surface. Unlike other mirrors, it reflected nothing but her.

She stepped closer, unable to look away. Her reflection moved with an almost imperceptible delay, a subtle, disconcerting lag.

“This is where reality starts to blur,” said a soft voice behind her.

Lila stiffened, turning. A woman with violet-streaked hair and a worn leather jacket leaned casually against the doorway. 

“You shouldn’t stare too long,” the woman added.

“Who are you?” Lila asked.

“Wren. Artist. Outcast from this little cult. And you?”

“Lila. Journalist.”

“Of course you are.” Wren’s smirk carried a sardonic edge. “Well, journalist, the mirror doesn’t show truth. It shows what it wants.”

Before Lila could respond, her reflection shifted. The face staring back was hers—but altered. She wore a ragged coat, soot streaked her face, and her eyes brimmed with anguish. The scene around her showed a desolate wasteland.

“What—” Her fingers brushed the mirror’s cold surface. The world fractured into darkness.

#

Light returned, revealing an ashen wasteland. Twisted, skeletal trees clawed at the horizon, and black spires jutted from the ground. The air burned cold, carrying an eerie hum that filled her ears. In the distance, a low growl rose.

She turned to find a hulking creature—an amalgamation of flesh and bone, its hollow eyes glowing faintly. Its jagged teeth glistened with hunger.

She ran.

The earth cracked beneath her feet. The air tugged at her lungs. Panic clawed at her mind as the beast’s snarls grew closer.

“Lila!” a voice called, sharp and urgent.

She skidded to a halt. “Wren?!”

The artist appeared, pulling her behind a crumbling pillar. “I told you not to touch that damn thing!”

“What is this place?” Lila’s voice wavered.

“Callum’s playground,” Wren said bitterly. “A trap for the curious. You’re not the first.”

“And how do we get out?”

“Not alone.”

#

In the Black Mirror Room, Callum Veyl watched the artifact ripple faintly. His expression was inscrutable, but his eyes glinted with satisfaction. Behind him, a figure stepped forward—red curls framing a wary but determined face.

“I think I can help,” the woman said softly.

Veyl turned, his voice sharp. “Who are you?”

“A witch,” she replied. “And I’ve had enough of your games.”

#

Inside the mirror realm, Lila and Wren pushed through shifting landscapes of torment. Images of Lila’s deepest regrets clawed at her—relationships broken, ambitions sacrificed. Wren wrestled with her own ghosts—dreams abandoned, faith lost. Every step weighed heavier, yet they pressed on, gathering fragments of hope amid despair.

“Destroy the mirror,” Wren said, her voice raw.

Lila hesitated, gripping her phone—a fragile link to the outside world. “If I lose this—”

“Some things are worth losing.”

Tears blurred her vision. She hurled the phone into the mirror. The shattering echoed like a scream as light exploded, consuming everything.

#

Lila opened her eyes. She lay on the museum’s marble floor, shards of the mirror glinting around her. Wren stood nearby, bruised but alive, while the witch muttered an incantation that carried an air of finality.

Callum’s voice drifted from the shadows. “You’ve destroyed a masterpiece.”

“No,” Lila said, rising unsteadily. “I revealed the truth.”

As she stepped into the cold night air, the world felt lighter yet more fragile. The museum’s silhouette receded behind her, but its presence lingered like a scar.

The Serpent's Masquerade

The following is based on an internet theory...

First Draft

Rain slicked the streets of Arkbridge, puddles glinting under flickering streetlights. Amara Linwood tightened her jacket around her lean frame, hazel eyes darting across the deserted avenue. Damp auburn hair clung to her face as she quickened her steps, the chill biting through her layers. Rain once muted the world’s chaos, but tonight it suffocated her, a shroud over the unknown.

Her sneakers splashed through puddles as she approached the high-rise where Caleb Drayton lived. Graffiti faded into lifeless gray on the walls, echoing the city’s decay. She stopped at the entrance, her hands trembling slightly as she pressed the buzzer.

A sharp voice crackled through the intercom. “Who is it?”

“It’s me. Open up.”

A long pause followed, then the lock clicked.

Inside, the air smelled of mildew. Dim emergency lights barely illuminated the narrow stairwell. She climbed quickly, each step creaking in protest. On the fourth floor, Caleb stood in the doorway, framed by the bluish glow spilling from his apartment. His wiry frame, tangled black curls, and sharp features gave him the look of someone carrying the weight of decades, not twenty-eight years.

“You look terrible,” he muttered, stepping aside.

“And you never leave this place,” Amara replied, brushing past him. 

Cables snaked across the floor, feeding a chaotic array of monitors and scavenged tech. Screens bathed the room in cold light, casting strange shadows on bookshelves overflowing with titles on conspiracy theories and neural algorithms. A half-eaten bowl of noodles balanced precariously atop a stack of manuals.

Caleb bolted the door behind her. “What’s so important?”

Amara pulled a crumpled envelope from her pocket and threw it onto his desk. “Look.”

He flipped through the photographs inside, his sharp eyes narrowing. The faces of prominent figures stared back at him, their eyes reflecting an unnatural, reptilian gleam.

“This some kind of prank?” he asked, though unease crept into his tone.

“They’re real,” Amara said, her voice steady. “I checked.”

His gaze flicked back to the photos. “And?”

“They’re controlling everything—media, governments, corporations. Every disaster, every war, it all leads back to them.”

Caleb scoffed, tossing the pictures onto a pile of wires. “You’ve been watching too many late-night conspiracy shows.”

“I’m serious, Caleb,” she said, voice rising. “Months of research led me here. These people aren’t human.”

“Say, for argument’s sake, you’re right. What do you expect me to do? I’m not some hero.”

“You’re the best hacker I know,” Amara pressed. “I need you to dig deeper, find proof. We can expose them.”

“They’d kill us before we hit ‘send,’” Caleb retorted, pacing. “If they’re this powerful, we don’t stand a chance.”

Amara leaned against the cluttered desk, her face set with determination. “I can’t do this alone. I need you.”

His shoulders sagged. “Fine. But don’t blame me when this goes sideways.”

#

The first attempt ended in disaster. Caleb breached a server tied to a major media conglomerate, but the system retaliated, triggering an alert. Within minutes, black SUVs screeched to a halt outside his building. Amara and Caleb fled into the labyrinth of Arkbridge’s alleys, cold sweat clinging to their skin.

Huddled behind a dumpster, Caleb muttered, “We’re way out of our depth.”

Amara’s jaw clenched. “We try again.”

#

The next lead brought them to a secret gala hosted by Elise Carr, a media mogul with connections to the cabal. Posing as servers, they infiltrated the opulent ballroom. Chandeliers cast golden light over velvet-clad elites, their laughter a dissonant hum. Beneath the glamour, Amara sensed something twisted—hands moving too fluidly, eyes glinting unnaturally under the crystal lights.

Amara maneuvered through the crowd, her tray of champagne glasses steady despite her hammering pulse. She caught sight of Caleb at the edge of the room, gesturing subtly toward a guarded door. Before she could act, a tall man blocked her path, his presence chilling. 

“You don’t belong here,” he said, his voice low and sharp.

Amara’s heart pounded. She searched for a response, but Elise swept in, spilling champagne across his suit. “Apologies, sir,” she said smoothly, her face a mask of innocence.

The distraction worked. Amara slipped away, but her confidence wavered.

#

The breakthrough came when Caleb uncovered a vulnerability in the cabal’s network—an ancient system amplifying their control through nodes scattered across the city. Destroying them would sever their grip on humanity, but it came at a cost. 

Under the factory ruins housing the final node, Elise stayed behind to delay their pursuers. Her sacrifice bought Amara and Caleb precious moments, but Caleb fell to a reptilian enforcer before they reached the core.

Alone, Amara faced the pulsating structure. Energy rippled through the chamber, oppressive and alien. The air carried a heavy charge, tugging at her instincts to turn back. Destroying this would shatter the cabal’s influence, but it might unravel the fragile systems holding society together.

“I believe in them,” she whispered. Her fingers hovered over the device Caleb had built, a crude, brilliant weapon of light and code. Activating it flooded the room with searing radiance. The node crumbled, a low hum dissolving into silence as the ground trembled beneath her feet.

#

When the dust settled, the cabal’s control fractured. The world woke with uncertainty but also freedom. Amara’s name spread quietly, her sacrifice a spark for humanity’s resilience. Though scars remained, the city began to rebuild—not just its streets but its collective spirit.

The Haunting of Azazel’s Embrace

The following is based on a recently published freedom of information response...

The sky above Glasgow bruised into deep purples and burnt oranges as the evening's chill spread across the streets. The city, once vibrant with summer’s warmth, felt cold, oppressive. Eleanor stood on the corner of Buchanan Street, her chest tight. She adjusted the strap of her worn leather bag, a reflexive action that did nothing to ease the ache inside her. Her gaze was fixed on Azazel's Embrace, a building once a quaint community center, now warped and twisted. The stonework was cracked, gnarly, as if alive, carved with dark symbols that pulsed faintly in the dying light. The air hummed with an unnatural energy, one that prickled her skin. It clung to her, ominous, suffocating. 

Eleanor stepped forward, the sharp click of her shoes ringing against the cobblestones. The sounds of distant traffic hummed in the background, muted by the eerie stillness that surrounded the alley. She was here to uncover the truth, to expose the sinister force lurking beneath the charity’s façade. She had tried to warn the authorities, the council—no one listened. All dismissed her as paranoid, too consumed by the “dark thoughts” of a social worker with a penchant for conspiracy. But as she approached the entrance, a sense of unease twisted in her gut. They had all underestimated what was happening within these walls. They had no idea of the horrors brewing under the guise of salvation.

The door groaned as she pushed it open. The smell hit her immediately—incense, stale wood, and something else, something faintly metallic, sharp. The lobby was vast, empty, save for pictures of women, their eyes glazed, too vacant. Above them, the sign reading Hope and Healing seemed cruelly ironic. No warmth filled the space, no comfort. It felt wrong, the promises of redemption hollow.

“Ms. Sinclair,” a voice purred from the shadows, pulling her attention. Eleanor stiffened. The woman emerged from the hallway, her frame tall and angular. Her face was obscured by dimness, but her outline sharp and foreboding. She stepped into the light, revealing features chiseled, almost too perfect—a sharp jaw, high cheekbones, lips twisted into a smile that felt predatory. Her eyes were unnaturally wide, gleaming in the dark. 

“I’ve been expecting you,” she said, her voice smooth, a silky threat underlying every word.

Eleanor’s throat tightened. “I’m here to see the women. I need to speak with them.”

The woman’s smile widened. “Of course. But you must understand, Ms. Sinclair, not everyone is ready to face the truth. Some prefer the comfort of illusion.”

Eleanor nodded but said nothing. She followed the woman down a long hallway, the air thick, dense with something unnatural. The walls were lined with grotesque images—twisted depictions of women bound, their faces frozen in agony, their bodies bent in unnatural poses. Every inch of the building felt foreign, sickening. The deeper they ventured, the colder it grew, the shadows pressing closer.

They stopped before a door, and the woman turned to face Eleanor, expression unreadable. “This is where they are kept,” she murmured. “The lost. The broken. The ones touched by darkness.”

Eleanor’s hands clenched at her sides. Her heart thundered in her chest. She stepped forward, the chill in the air biting into her skin. The door creaked open, and a wave of cold hit her face, sweeping in with an undeniable sense of decay.

Inside, the room was dim, lit by flickering candles casting long, tremulous shadows on the walls. In the center, a circle of women sat, their heads bent low, murmuring softly to one another in a language Eleanor couldn’t place. The words were too soft, barely audible, but the tone… it was wrong. An unsettling chant filled the air, and the hairs on her arms stood on end.

One woman lifted her head, her pale face gaunt, eyes sunken and wide with fear. “They told me I was chosen,” she whispered, voice trembling. “They said the spirits would cleanse me.”

A chill washed over Eleanor as her stomach twisted. This wasn’t healing. It wasn’t salvation. It was manipulation—exploiting their trauma to pull them deeper into Azazel’s grip.

The woman at Eleanor’s side stepped forward, eyes gleaming with a cold, distant light. “You should leave, Ms. Sinclair. These women are beyond saving. They’ve made their choice.”

Eleanor’s throat burned with fury, but she steadied her voice. “Not all of them have,” she said, stepping closer to the group. “They don’t have to make this choice. They don’t belong to you.”

The woman’s smile faltered, then returned—colder, more menacing. “You’re a fool, Ms. Sinclair. These women belong to the dark now. They always have. They always will.”

Before Eleanor could respond, the room grew darker, as though the very shadows were alive, shifting, breathing around them. The whispers of the women grew louder, layering over one another in a chant. The walls seemed to close in. The air thickened with something suffocating, pressing against her chest, stealing her strength.

No, she thought. I won’t let them win.

With all the strength she could muster, Eleanor turned to run. Her feet hammered against the floor as the whispers followed, twisting in the air around her, pressing her, suffocating her. She reached for the door, but it wouldn’t open. Panic seized her chest. She was trapped.

The woman appeared before her, blocking her escape. Her eyes glowed faintly now, an eerie light reflecting from within. "You cannot escape," she whispered. "You’ve already chosen. Just like them."

“No,” Eleanor rasped, her fists clenched. "I won’t let you destroy them. I will expose you."

For a moment, the woman’s face softened, pity flickering across her features. Then, without a word, she stepped aside. “Go then. But remember—you cannot fight what has already been set in motion.”

Eleanor stumbled out into the street, gasping for air, the night wrapped around her like a cloak. The city around her stood still, as if waiting. She had failed, at least for now. The power of Azazel’s Embrace was insidious, all-consuming. But Eleanor’s resolve didn’t waver. She would fight, even if it meant walking through this darkness again and again.

As she walked into the night, the shadows trailed behind her, watching, waiting, knowing this was far from over.

The Hunter's Lament

The following is based on a report in Monroe, Connecticut...

The midnight chill settled deep into Declan Wylde’s bones, gnawing past layers of worn leather and flannel.  His breath fogged in the icy air as he pushed through dense undergrowth.  Shadows shifted as his flashlight flickered, casting erratic beams through towering pines that leaned close, as if intent on guarding secrets.  High above, slivers of moonlight sliced through the canopy, painting everything in shades of silver and shadow.  He paused, straining to catch any sound that might lead him to the source of the howl that had shattered the silence.  But the forest was mute, the silence thick and unnatural, broken only by far-off barks echoing faintly.

Declan’s rugged frame, broad and weathered by years as a wildlife ranger, stood firm.  His graying hair and the scar that traced his jawline bore stories of encounters he barely survived.  But tonight held a different kind of tension, one that pressed down on him, almost like a warning.  He tightened his grip on the flashlight; its weak, flickering beam his sole comfort.  Declan had tracked mountain lions, wolves, even bears in his time, but this was unlike anything he’d known.

That howl—raw and guttural—had felt like it ripped through the night itself.  It lingered, its echoes dark and haunting before dissolving into oppressive quiet.  The locals, in hushed tones, spoke of strange creatures glimpsed in the forest, beasts that belonged to legends.  Declan had dismissed such tales as the wild imaginings of those living too close to the unknown.  But here, tonight, with that terrible sound still hanging in the air, even his skepticism wavered.

He thought of Mara’s warning, her voice low, serious.  “Declan, don’t be a fool,” she’d said, her eyes fierce beneath silvered bangs.  “Some things aren’t meant to be found.” Her gaze had been weighted, haunted, as if she knew more than she’d admit.  She had always been the one to pull him back from his reckless impulses, to remind him of things unseen.

The sharp crack of a branch brought his senses snapping back.  His eyes darted left, his pulse spiking.  He raised the flashlight, squinting through the murk.  A dark shape moved among the trees, massive, fluid, shifting at the edge of his vision.  He caught a fleeting glimpse of something—matted fur, reflective eyes gleaming with a strange intelligence.

“Who’s there?” he called, voice rough, breaking the silence.

Nothing.  He took a step forward, feeling an inexplicable pull, something beyond reason drawing him deeper.  He should turn back, heed Mara’s words, but curiosity burned hotter than caution.  The shadows thickened around him, pressing in with a cold that stung his lungs and chilled his resolve.

And then he saw it.

The creature stood beyond the reach of his flashlight, a towering silhouette that melded with shadow.  Its eyes gleamed faintly, an unnatural brightness holding a predatory intelligence that churned his insides.  Its form was vaguely wolf-like, twisted and stretched, an animal shape dragged from nightmare.  Low and crouched, muscles rippled beneath a coarse, bristled coat, watching him with an intensity that froze him in place.

Declan forced himself to speak, his voice little more than a whisper.  “What…are you?”

The creature tilted its head, its eyes narrowing in a disturbingly human way that made his skin crawl.  Silence hung thick between them, a silent, terrifying bond that seemed to reveal more than words ever could.  Then, in a voice low and rumbling, as if dredged from the depths, it spoke.

“Witness.”

The word vibrated through him, chilling him deeper than any winter’s night.  His flashlight flickered again, the beam trembling before dying completely, plunging him into pure darkness.  Only those eyes remained, twin embers fixed on him, dissecting him with a depth that left him feeling flayed open, helpless.

He swallowed, his throat parched.  “Why…why are you here?”

A growl rumbled from its chest, resonant and low, as if it held the weight of a coming storm.  It took a step closer, and he could make out the curve of its elongated claws, sharp even in the dark.  The voice returned, softer, carrying a mournful tone.

“You sought me, human.  The forest remembers.  Shadows remember.  I am bound here, bound to the lost, to the forgotten.”

Declan’s fingers drifted to the silver cross around his neck, warm against his skin, a comfort passed down from his mother when he was a child.  He took another step back, pulse racing.  This wasn’t some animal, nor a creature of nature; this was something ancient, something woven into the land itself.

“Mara warned me,” he murmured, barely aware he’d spoken aloud.

The creature’s eyes flickered, a glimmer of recognition flashing in its gaze.  “Ah, the woman.  She knows us.  Her blood remembers.”

Declan’s heart jolted.  “What…what does that mean?”

But the creature’s attention drifted, as though drawn by a force beyond them, something that pulled it back into the forest’s depths.  It released a low growl, more frustrated than angry, before locking eyes with him again, a burning intensity in its gaze that both anchored and terrified him.

“You are not the first, and you will not be the last,” it said, its voice layered with echoes, with something that spoke of agelessness.  “Leave this place, human.  Go while the forest allows mercy.”

Declan couldn’t move, rooted by a strange fascination.  “Tell me why you’re here.  Why haunt these woods?”

The creature’s stance shifted, almost weary, as if bearing the weight of endless years.  “There are things older than your gods, older than your fears.  I am bound to this place, to memories, to those who came before.  Leave, or the forest will claim you, as it has claimed countless others.”

Before he could speak, the creature stepped backward, dissolving into shadows, its form fading until he wondered if he’d imagined it all.  But crushed leaves underfoot and a lingering, wild scent reminded him he hadn’t.

His flashlight flickered to life, casting a weak glow on the empty clearing.  Heart racing, he brushed his fingers over the cross as he turned back, the creature’s warning lingering in his mind, an echo that would haunt him for as long as he breathed.

When he broke from the trees and stumbled onto the familiar path to Ashmoor, Mara’s voice returned to him, soft, sad, as if she’d always known what waited for him in the dark.

“Some things aren’t meant to be found,” she’d told him.

And as he looked back into the depths of the forest, he understood.

The Midnight Curiosity of Elara Quinn

The following is based on a report from Notre Dame...

Under the star-streaked Indiana sky, Elara Quinn paused, casting a wary glance over her shoulder as she made her way back to campus.  She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, fighting both the chill and a strange instinct she couldn’t shake.  A sophomore with a knack for mysteries, Elara’s auburn hair tumbled in waves, framing curious green eyes that seemed to cut through the ordinary.  Tonight, however, something extraordinary caught her attention.

Across Wilson Drive, tucked in a dark recess she’d never noticed, stood a squat, bunker-like building.  Featureless and menacing, its steel doors looked locked tight against intruders.  She’d never seen anyone go in or out—until tonight.

A golf cart roared past, jostling her heart rate, her phone clock blinking 3:17 a.m.  Before she could look away, a shadowy figure slipped through the gates, moving with practiced ease, as if familiar with every step.  She held her breath, adrenaline quickening, and whispered to herself, “Area 42… What’s in there?”

The next day, she couldn’t let it go.  Between classes, Elara scoured campus forums, pestered anyone who might know, but answers kept evaporating the closer she got.  All she gathered were whispers about strange experiments, unsettling sounds at night, and an obsession with something called "Boom Boom" sauce in the dining hall.  She cornered Theo, her best friend and fellow Glynn Honors student, into investigating that night.  Tall, lanky, and sporting a perpetually amused expression, Theo followed her out, half-terrified and half-intrigued.

“I’m telling you, Elara,” Theo hissed as they skulked across the damp grass near the utility plant, his glasses fogging up in the chill.  “It’s probably an old storage room or something.  We’re gonna get busted.”

“It’s not just some storage room,” she whispered back, her eyes gleaming with excitement.  “Someone snuck in here at three in the morning.  Doesn’t that seem off to you?”

Before Theo could argue, a rough voice cut through the darkness.  “You kids better not be snoopin’.” A flashlight beam blinded them as a groundskeeper stepped forward, face etched with suspicion.  He jabbed the flashlight toward them, an unspoken threat.  “Ain’t nothin’ here but trouble.”

They backed off, Theo practically dragging her away, but as they retreated, Elara’s gaze lingered on the building, noticing the East Utilities Plant sign she hadn’t before.  She didn’t buy it.  Something waited inside.

---

A few nights later, Elara returned, alone this time.  She told herself she was “just going to look,” but with all black clothes and laced-up sneakers, she’d come prepared for more.  She crept along the building’s side, trailing her fingers along the cold, rough walls.  The steel door she’d seen that shadow slip through was locked, but she pulled out a bobby pin, heart hammering, and set to work.  After tense minutes, she felt a click.  She froze, scanned the campus around her—dim streetlights casting long shadows, everything still and silent, but an uneasy sense of being watched prickled at her skin.

She slipped inside.

The hallway stretched before her, dimly lit and unnervingly quiet.  White walls reflected the faint yellow glow of emergency lights, sterile and barren.  Her steps, muted by the rubber soles of her sneakers, felt almost deafening against the silence.  A faint smell of disinfectant clung to the air, tinged with something metallic.

Moving deeper, she caught faint echoes: the hum of machinery, muffled voices she couldn’t quite make out.  She strained to hear, but the voices drifted off as she moved closer.

A faint hiss filled the silence.  She stopped, pressing her hand against the wall, fingers trembling.  A door hung slightly ajar nearby, spilling out flickering light from a faulty bulb.  She eased it open a fraction, peering in to see a room lined with metal tables, strange apparatuses cluttering countertops, and a metal vat in the center filled with some thick, dark substance.  Its bubbles released a faintly sweet, pungent smell that tickled her nose.  Above it, a cracked sign read Boom Boom Sauce in faded letters.

“Elara, what are you doing?” The whisper came from directly behind her, and she stifled a scream.  She spun to find Theo, his face pale and eyes wide with worry.

“Theo!” she whispered, but his focus was fixed on the bubbling vat.

“I came to stop you from doing something stupid, but… is that the Boom Boom sauce?  Why’s it in here?”

“Forget the sauce, look around!” she urged, pointing to another door across the room.  Thick and reinforced, it stood slightly ajar, spilling a pulsing, unnatural glow out into the dim space.  

Theo swallowed, voice shaking.  “Elara, this isn’t worth it.  We should go.”

Her curiosity outweighed her fear.  “We’re close, Theo.  Don’t you want to know?”

Reluctantly, Theo nodded, and they crept toward the door.  The chill radiating from the room pricked their skin.  She pushed it open, and they stepped inside.

The walls glowed with an otherworldly light, symbols etched into the concrete pulsing in eerie patterns.  But what froze her blood was the figure standing in the room’s center, back turned.  Dressed in a lab coat splattered with dark stains, its head cocked unnaturally to one side, as if listening.  Elara and Theo stood, paralyzed.

The figure’s head twisted in a stomach-churning angle, staring at them with hollow, empty eyes.  Its face was gaunt, skin stretched tight over bone.  It lifted one bony finger to its lips, as if demanding silence.

Elara gripped Theo’s hand hard enough to hurt.  “Run,” she breathed.

They bolted, their feet slapping against the hard floor as the strange hiss behind them escalated into a low, chilling laugh.  As they neared the exit, a deafening alarm blared, the building coming alive with flickering lights and a chorus of clicking locks engaging all around.

Theo yanked her through the door as it swung shut behind them.  They collapsed onto the cold pavement outside, the night air sharp and bracing.  For a long moment, they sat in stunned silence, staring at each other, raw horror in their eyes.

“What… what was that?” Theo whispered, his voice nearly lost in the night.

Elara shook her head, numb, her gaze drifting back to the building.  In the doorway, the figure stood silhouetted, watching them with those hollow eyes, empty yet somehow full of dark intent.  They had seen something unspeakable—something ancient and deeply wrong.

As they staggered back to their dorms, hearts pounding and minds reeling, Elara knew they had woken something.  And whatever lurked in those dark halls was not finished with them yet.

Where the Pines Breathe

The following is based on sightings in the Appalachia region...

The Appalachian night clung to Calla Greer, its chill sinking deep through her sweater and into her bones.  Her flashlight barely penetrated the dense blackness, casting thin silver beams between towering pines that loomed as silent giants, their branches reaching out, eager to snatch her.  She tugged her sleeves down, trying to ignore the unease pricking her senses.  The forest had always been familiar—a place of childhood memories.  But tonight, it felt strange, the shadows deeper, more secretive.  Her grandmother's warning replayed in her mind, curling through her thoughts.

Never whistle after dark.

An owl hooted in the distance, and Calla’s shoulders tensed.  She swept the flashlight across the trail, her pulse quickening.  The ground beneath her boots was damp and uneven, the air laced with the earthy scent of decaying leaves and pine.  She tried to focus on her task, but that old Appalachian superstition hummed in her ears like a song she couldn’t shake.  Part of her wanted to turn back, but she forced herself onward, the cool night air biting her cheeks.

Snap.

A sharp sound sliced through the silence, and she froze, gripping the flashlight tighter.  "Hello?" she whispered, barely louder than the wind stirring the branches.  Her own voice sounded strange, foreign.  When silence answered, she laughed nervously, the sound hollow.  "Just the wind, Calla," she muttered.

But then she heard it—a voice, soft, like a breath brushing past her ear from the shadows.

"Calla..."

She stopped, heart stuttering.  The voice didn’t belong to anyone she knew, and she’d been alone since leaving her friends at the trailhead.  She swung her flashlight around, its beam piercing the dark, revealing nothing but trees and shadows.  "Hello?" Her voice was barely audible, swallowed by the quiet of the woods.

A flicker of movement caught her eye, and she spun, the light darting across the trees.  But nothing was there, silence pressing around her.

She squeezed her phone in her pocket, pulling it out and lifting it with a shaky hand, thumb hovering over the camera.  She snapped a picture, the flash casting an eerie glow that disappeared as quickly as it came.  She looked at the screen.  The photo showed only twisted streaks of branches, blurred and indistinct.

The voice came again, this time curling through the cold night air.

"Calla...  come back..."

A shiver crawled up her spine.  Every instinct screamed for her to leave.  But something—a flicker of stubborn bravery, or maybe a reckless curiosity—held her in place.  She cleared her throat, forcing herself to call out, "Who… who’s there?" Her words hung in the air, suspended in the cold.

She took a cautious step back, her boot slipping on a patch of slick leaves.  She caught herself against a tree, the flashlight jerking wildly in her hand, its beam brushing over the shape of an old cabin barely visible between the trees, its silhouette blending into the dark, like it had grown out of the forest itself.

She’d never seen it before, but the sight pulled her forward, curiosity outweighing caution.  The cabin was small, sagging, its windows empty and dark.  The wooden slats were rotting, sinking into shadows that clung to the structure.  A low mist seeped from the ground around it, swirling at her feet as she approached.  She raised her phone again, snapping another photo, but the image showed nothing clear, blurred into a haze of shadows and broken lines.

A warmth drifted through her thoughts—her grandmother’s lined face, her dark eyes serious, warning her, "Things walk in these woods that don’t belong in the light.  Stay close to the trail, and never answer if you hear your name at night."

Her grandmother’s voice did little to ease her nerves as she stood in front of this abandoned relic.  She took a step closer, her throat tightening as faint footsteps creaked from inside.  The silence grew louder, pressing in, making it hard to breathe.

The voice returned, closer now, almost at her ear.  "Calla…”

She turned, swinging her flashlight, heart pounding.  Nothing—only the silent woods, trees standing as dark sentinels.  Her voice cracked as she whispered, "I’m not afraid of you."

But the words felt empty, a lie she barely believed.  She took a step back, her boot scraping gravel, and something shifted in the air, a heaviness settling over her.  She fumbled for her grandmother’s old talisman on her necklace, clutching it tightly, her lips forming a silent prayer.

With every whispered word, her heartbeat slowed, her breathing steadied.  She took another step back, then another, until she felt the firm ground of the trail beneath her.  The voice didn’t follow this time, but a weight remained among the trees, watching, waiting.

The first light of dawn crept through the branches, casting a silvery glow over the forest floor.  Calla let out a shaky exhale, the darkness finally retreating as the sun stretched over the mountains.  She glanced back, catching a last glimpse of the cabin nestled between the trees, hidden in the thinning mist.  But it was silent, a forgotten shadow.

She returned to the trail, relief washing over her.  The forest felt normal, though memories clung to her like cobwebs.  She touched her necklace, murmuring a silent thank-you to her grandmother.

Yet, as she walked away, she could still feel it—an unseen presence lingering, watching from beyond the light, a reminder that the old stories held truths woven into the bones of the Appalachian woods.