Lost in the night
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On a moonlit night in late October, Kora and Delphine found themselves in the heart of Maplewood Forest, a place rumored to be haunted by spirits from a bygone era. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, and a cool breeze rustled the leaves above, creating an eerie symphony that sent shivers down Delphine's spine.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kora asked, her brown wavy hair illuminated by the silvery moonlight. She tugged nervously at her sweater, trying to ward off the chill creeping into her bones. Though she was known for her confidence, a hint of fear flickered in her eyes.
"Oh, come on, Kora! Stop being such a scaredy-cat," Delphine replied, rolling her eyes. Her short, wavy hair bounced as she took a few steps further into the forest, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She often rushed headlong into things without thinking, and the thrill of the night adventure pushed her forward.
"I just think we should be careful, especially after hearing those stories," Kora said, crossing her arms. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows. "You know, the ones about the lost souls wandering these woods?"
Delphine shrugged off her friend's concerns. "It’s just stories! We’re not going to find any ghosts here." But deep down, she felt the thrill of her imagination running wild. What if there was something lurking in the trees? She quickly dismissed the thought and pressed on.
The two friends ventured deeper into the forest, their laughter echoing through the trees. The path beneath their feet twisted and turned, eventually leading them to an old, decrepit cabin hidden among the overgrown foliage. Its windows were boarded up, and vines curled around the door like skeletal fingers, but it had a strange allure.
"Look at that place! It’s perfect for a little exploration," Delphine exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.
Kora hesitated. “I don’t know, Delphine. It looks really old. What if it’s dangerous?”
"Don’t be a baby," Delphine replied with a mischievous grin, opening the creaky door and stepping inside.
Inside, the cabin was dark and dusty, filled with remnants of a forgotten past. Old furniture sat in disarray, and cobwebs hung like curtains from the ceiling. Delphine's heart raced with a mix of fear and exhilaration. She felt a sense of adventure she couldn’t resist.
Kora followed cautiously, glancing over her shoulder as if expecting something to leap out at them. "This place is giving me the creeps," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"See? You’re scared!" Delphine teased, but Kora shot her a glare, her expression a mix of annoyance and fear.
They began to explore, Kora carefully navigating the unstable floorboards while Delphine dashed from room to room, searching for anything interesting. In the far corner of what used to be a living room, Delphine spotted an old, dusty journal. The leather cover was cracked and worn, but she could make out the initials "M.L." embossed on the front.
“Hey, look at this!” she called out, excitement lighting up her face. Kora walked over, curiosity piqued despite her lingering fear.
As Delphine opened the journal, the air in the room seemed to grow colder. The pages were filled with frantic handwriting, detailing the author’s descent into madness. The entries spoke of shadows moving in the corners of the author’s vision, whispers echoing in the silence, and an insatiable feeling of being watched.
"Kora, this is creepy," Delphine said, her earlier bravado waning as she read the chilling words. "It’s like they were being haunted."
Kora's eyes widened. “We should leave. Now.”
“Just a few more pages!” Delphine insisted, flipping through the brittle paper. Each entry grew more erratic, describing the writer's attempts to flee from the darkness that surrounded him. Suddenly, the last entry read: “They’re here. I can feel them. If you find this journal, you must run. Do not look back.”
Delphine felt a chill run down her spine, and the laughter they shared moments ago faded into an uncomfortable silence. “Okay, maybe we should go,” she murmured, her voice shaky.
As they turned to leave, a loud crash echoed from upstairs, sending both girls jumping. “What was that?!” Kora squeaked, her heart racing.
“I don’t know!” Delphine shouted, panic rising within her. “We have to get out of here!”
They rushed toward the door, but as Delphine reached for the handle, it felt cold and unyielding. “It won’t open!” she exclaimed, fear flooding her voice.
Kora pushed against it, her mind racing. “We’re trapped!”
Just then, they heard a low whisper that seemed to emanate from the very walls of the cabin. “Leave this place…” it hissed, sending chills through both girls.
“Did you hear that?” Kora gasped, her eyes darting around the room.
“Yes!” Delphine whimpered, feeling her heart pound in her chest.
At that moment, Kora glanced back at the stairs leading to the second floor. “We have to check upstairs. There might be another way out!”
“Are you crazy?” Delphine exclaimed, shaking her head. “We should just wait by the door!”
Kora, however, was already moving toward the staircase. “Delphine, come on! We can’t just stand here.”
With a reluctant sigh, Delphine followed, her gut twisting with anxiety. They climbed the rickety stairs, each creak making Delphine’s heart race faster. As they reached the top, the whispering grew louder, echoing in their ears.
“Leave this place…”
Kora moved cautiously down the narrow hallway, peering into dark rooms. The shadows seemed to reach out to them, and Delphine couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes watching from every corner. “Kora, we really need to go back!” she pleaded.
“Just one more room!” Kora insisted, determination shining in her eyes.
Delphine rolled her eyes, but deep down, she admired Kora’s bravery. They entered the last room at the end of the hallway, where the air was thick with dust and the scent of decay.
A faint glow caught Delphine's eye, and she gasped as she saw a flickering candle on a small table. “Look!” she said, pointing.
As Kora stepped closer to the candle, Delphine felt a cold breeze swirl around her, and the whispers intensified. “Leave…”
Kora picked up the candle, inspecting it closely. “What is this doing here?”
Suddenly, the room grew colder, and the door slammed shut behind them, plunging them into darkness. “Kora!” Delphine shouted, panic rising within her.
“I can’t see anything!” Kora exclaimed, her voice trembling.
In the pitch-black room, the whispering escalated into a deafening roar. Shadows danced around them, swirling and twisting, closing in on the two friends. “Leave this place… now!”
“Run!” Delphine screamed, lunging for the door. She yanked at the handle, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Help!” Kora shouted, her voice filled with terror. “What do we do?”
In a moment of desperation, Delphine kicked the door with all her strength. The door rattled, and suddenly, it flew open, sending them tumbling into the hallway. They didn’t look back as they sprinted down the stairs, the whispering growing fainter behind them.
As they burst out of the cabin, the cool night air hit them like a wave of relief. They collapsed on the ground outside, gasping for breath.
“What just happened?” Kora panted, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Delphine shook her head, her heart still racing. “I don’t know, but we need to get as far away from here as possible.”
They scrambled to their feet and raced through the woods, the trees towering around them like silent guardians. The whispering faded into the distance, but the fear lingered in their hearts.
Once they reached the edge of the forest, they turned back to look at the cabin. The moonlight bathed it in an eerie glow, and for a brief moment, they thought they saw a shadowy figure standing in the window, watching them.
“Did you see that?” Delphine asked, gripping Kora’s arm tightly.
“Let’s go,” Kora urged, pulling Delphine away.
They ran all the way home, their laughter replaced with breathless gasps and whispers of fear. That night, they lay in their beds, haunted by the memories of what they had encountered in the cabin.
And though they vowed never to speak of it again, they both knew that Maplewood Forest held secrets darker than they had ever imagined—secrets that would linger in their minds long after the shadows had faded.
84Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfApH7Li0Un
