Chapter 4: Shadows of Whispering Pines
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Eun-Kyung stood in the expansive hotel lobby, her heart fluttering like a moth caught in a glowing lantern. The Whispering Pines Hotel was her father's pride; he maintained every corner, ensuring its charm and allure beckoned families from all over. Today, however, the air felt heavy, almost electric, as if secrets were trapped in every shadow.
It's common for a loving father like Kwan to call out for his children, but today, his voice echoed in soft richness while Eun-Kyung’s twin brother, Travis, was by her side. As the two ventured further into the labyrinth of polished marble floors and patterned wallpapers, the hotel widened its embrace, swallowing them deeper into its embrace.
“Let’s go explore!” Eun-Kyung beamed. Her father had always warned them to stick close, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Travis narrowed his eyes. “But what if we get lost?” He glanced nervously around as if daring the space to ignite his worries.
“Don't be such a scaredy cat!” Eun-Kyung giggled, lightly shoving him.
They wandered into the elevator. The chrome doors whispered shut, and as they descended, the lights flickered—and with them, a strange chill washed over Eun-Kyung.
“Did you feel that?” she asked, blinking rapidly. Travis shrugged, his mild discomfort evident.
The second floor welcomed them with faded charm, adorned with age-old pictures of families who once graced these halls. But there was something unnerving about their eyes—they seemed to gleam with stories untold, memories haunting the whispers of silence.
As they crept deeper, Eun-Kyung stumbled upon an open room. An ethereal glow beckoned her from within. She eased closer, peering into the dimly lit room, where shadows swayed, dancing at the corners of her vision.
“Eun-Kyung, let’s go back!” Travis’s voice quivered, and Eun-Kyung turned, ready to tease him again. That's when she saw them—the Level One Spirits. Gentle beings wreathed in soft light, adorned in wisps akin to cotton candy.
“They’re…beautiful,” she breathed, awe sparkling in her wide eyes.
“They’re tilting their heads at us!” Travis exclaimed, eyes glued to the playful spirits. “Can they hear us?”
Eun-Kyung focused, feeling an otherworldly connection tingling in her fingertips. “They say they want to play!”
But the atmosphere shifted—the air chilled as shadows lengthened, accompanied by a scratching sound behind them. Eun-Kyung cringed, her spirit-panicking at the sudden darkness that settled in.
“Travis, we need to go!” Her heart raced as they scampered down the corridor, but eerie shadows slithered along the walls, their Level Four presence palpable, seeking to draw them apart.
“Help!” Travis yelled, stumbling. His twin sister whipped around, her instinct kicking in to save him.
Emerging from the shadows were the Level Two Spirits. Tantrum-like creatures, their bodies malformed and edged with sharpness like broken branches, lunged toward them. Their wicked joys echoed through the hollow hallways as they scratched at the air, desperate for a taste of fear.
“Eun-Kyung, run!” Travis shouted, panic spilling from his lips as he fought to stand.
She hesitated, a battle within her. The gentle spirits urged her to stay, to free Travis from the chains of dark will hiding beneath the childish veneer of hotel hallways.
In a whirl of chaotic energy, a blend of laughter and terror entwined, and the last thing she saw before reality shattered was an expanse of shadows overlapping, cloaking her brother from view—and then everything went dark.
The Whispering Pines Hotel resumed its quiet existence. Kwan and Lexi searched through nights filled with unending worry, and whispers of the lost twins spread like wildfire among patrons. Some even dared to say—to this day—that the shadows still lingered, waiting for another set of curious footprints to wander too close… to the shadows of Whispering Pines.
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