As I drove up the driveway, I noticed the shadowy forest that loomed behind my new home. It was so dark compared to the land that held my new house; there was not a sliver of sunlight beneath the leafy canopy.
I shuddered as I thought of the story of Hansel and Gretel, and how the wicked witch had tried to cook them in her oven. I knew I wouldn't be wandering into the woods at the rear of my house unless I thought there was a definite purpose to.
The ground underneath the trees was covered in tiny ferns and shrubs of all kinds. I couldn't see an obvious trail leading into the darkness and I wondered if anyone had ever bothered to explore it; and if so, had they returned?
Once I was inside and all my boxes were piled into my room, I sat at my window and looked at the deep, dark wood. Out of no where, a faint humming sound filled the air. I didn't recognise the voice, and it didn't seem to be coming from anywhere near.
The noise continued for at least two more minutes, each second fading into the distance ever so slightly more. I didn't make anything of it at first; it could have just been a bird or something like that. I only began to be interested when I heard the same tune the next day and for a whole week after that.
I figured out it had been coming from the forest behind my house; and no matter how many times I asked my parents if I could go and find out what was making the noise, they stuck with the same reply.
"No Genevieve, we don't want you to get lost in there." So eventually I gave up; if they wouldn't let me explore, I just wouldn't tell them.
Luckily my parents were going away for the weekend; they had a business meeting in the city so I would be left home alone. "A perfect chance to go wandering in the woods," I thought to myself.
Before my parents left the house the next day, they gave me the whole "don't answer the door", "don't answer the phone if you don't recognise the number", "do not go into the woods" talk. Like what they say is going to stop me; I knew what I was going to do this weekend, and I intended to stick to my plans.
As soon as they were out of sight, I ran out to the edge of the gloomy forest in search of some kind of trail. The ground under the giant trees was covered in pine needles and ferns and there was no obvious tracks leading into the wilderness. I decided to walk up the border of the woods in case there was a hidden trail I hadn't noticed.
That when I saw it. Just up ahead was an unkempt opening, there was an obvious trail behind it, but only seemed to go on for the next couple of meters. The rest looked to be overgrown.
I ran up to the grassy gap and stood staring into the darkness. The only noise that I could hear was whooshing of the ice cold wind that surrounded me. I shuddered as a shiver ran up my spine. I didn't realise how cold it had gotten lately.
I pushed the low branches out of my way and stepped into the dark. My eyes eventually adjusted and I could just make out the leaf covered, overgrown trail that I would follow.
The trail became clearer in some parts, and totally disappeared in others. I was deep into the woods now and the silence was driving me insane. Then there was a sudden rustling sound to my right. I froze dead in my tracks, I was terrified. I had no idea what could be out here, for all I knew, I could have been followed by a psycho. The irritating silence was again broken by the thud, thud, thud of my racing heart.
I stood, shaking from fear, for a minute or so before I decided to continue hiking through the forest. I weaved around ditches and fallen trees, each time making it back to the faint track.
After what seemed like hours, I heard the humming noise that had got me interested in the forest in the first place.
This time it was different though, I could just make out a voice. It sounded like a young girls- humming the same tune over and over.
