The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the quiet town of Eldervale. A group of friends, Elena, Max, and Jaden, were gathered around a flickering campfire in Max’s backyard, nestled against the edge of the foreboding forest. Elena, fiddling with a loose thread on her jacket, broke the silence. ‘Do you ever wonder what’s really in that forest? My grandma used to say it’s haunted by whispers of the past.’
Max leaned forward, intrigued. ‘Haunted? Come on, El. It’s just trees and a few wild animals. I’m not buying into ghost stories.’
Jaden, ever the skeptic, scoffed. ‘Please, if there were ghosts, they’d want to hang out in a place with more life than a bunch of old oaks.’
Elena chuckled but felt a chill run down her spine. ‘Then let’s go explore it tomorrow! I’ve heard stories of an old cabin deep in there. Maybe we can find something interesting.’
Max exchanged reluctant glances with Jaden. ‘Are you serious? What if we get lost?’
‘It’ll be fine,’ Elena insisted with a determined sparkle in her eyes. ‘We’ll bring flashlights and stick together. It’ll be an adventure!’
The next morning, the trio set off, backpacks slung over their shoulders and curiosity in their hearts. The trees loomed overhead, creating a sense of unease that sent shivers down Jaden’s spine. ‘Elena, I really don’t feel good about this. What if we encounter something… creepy?’
‘You watch too many horror movies,’ Max laughed, trying to lighten the mood. ‘Just remember, ghosts don’t do well in daylight.’
As they ventured deeper, the air grew thick with anticipation. Leaves whispered secrets, and shadows danced at the periphery of their vision. Suddenly, they struck a small clearing where they found a rusted sign half-buried in the soil. ‘Old Mill Cabin’ it read, with a single arrow pointing deeper into the woods.
Jaden rolled his eyes, but his heart raced with pulse-pounding curiosity. ‘What kind of mill are we talking about?’
Elena’s excitement was palpable, ‘Let’s find out! This is actually happening!’
They followed the path indicated by the sign until they stumbled upon the timeworn cabin. The walls, covered in moss and vines, seemed to hide stories long forgotten. ‘Well, here we are,’ Max said, taking a step closer.
Elena pushed the door open, the hinges creaking ominously. Inside, the air was stale, and dust motes danced in the sunlight filtering through the broken windows. Jaden muttered, ‘This place gives me the creeps.’
Ignoring him, Elena stepped further in, discovering old photographs and newspapers scattered about. One photo caught her eye—a family posed outside the cabin decades ago. ‘Look at this! They look so happy,’ she exclaimed.
Max picked up a newspaper clipping. ‘Wait, listen to this. It says the family disappeared without a trace! The last sighting was right around here.’
A shiver ran down Jaden’s spine. ‘Okay, that’s enough for me. Let’s head back before we find out what happened to them.’
But as they backed away, a loud crash sounded from outside. They rushed to the door, heartbeats racing. A shadow darted past the trees, too fast to discern. ‘Did you see that?’ Elena whispered, eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement.
Max, now pale, nodded slowly. ‘Guess we’re not alone after all…**