Haunted Secrets

Haunted 2

Mia's POV

As I finished packing my things, I could hear the soft footsteps of my yaya behind me. She was helping me fold clothes and prepare for the trip, but her silence was thick with unease. After a while, she finally spoke.

“This trip to the forest is dangerous, Mia,” her voice was low, laced with concern.

Her words pulled my attention away from my bag. “Yaya, the house is big enough. I mean, I feel uneasy too, but...” I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my voice. “We’ll be fine. Right? It’s just a shoot.”

I forced a laugh, trying to shake off the growing sense of dread that seemed to cling to my chest. Yaya gave me a small, sad smile, as though she didn’t believe me. As we finished packing, the distant sound of a car horn echoed through the house.

“They’re here.” I grabbed my bag, but Yaya stopped me. Her hands trembled as she fastened a silver necklace around my neck. I looked down at the strange symbol hanging from it—it wasn’t anything I recognized.

“What’s this for?” I asked, my brow furrowing.

“Keep it on. It might help you,” she said cryptically, her voice heavy with some hidden meaning. I wanted to ask more, but the sound of another honk cut me off. Manong carried my bag downstairs, and I followed him outside to where the van was waiting.

Third was leaning against the side of the van, grinning as he saw me approach. He opened the door for me, and as I climbed in, I immediately felt Monica’s sharp gaze on me. She was sitting in the middle row, her arms crossed, glaring daggers.

I shot her a look and rolled my eyes.

“Do you have a problem?” Monica snapped, her voice dripping with hostility.

I matched her tone. “Do you have a problem with me?” I arched an eyebrow, refusing to back down.

Monica scoffed. “Tch.”

“Really? It’s not even morning yet, and you’re already fighting?” James called out from the back, grinning as if amused by the tension.

Third slid into the driver’s seat, glancing at us through the rearview mirror. “Are we ready to go?”

Leo, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, laughed. “Bro, just start the engine. We’ve been ready for hours.”

Third glanced at me again, concern in his eyes. “Mia, did you forget anything at home?”

I quickly scanned my bags, shaking my head. “N-no. Everything’s here.”

He smiled, but there was something strange about the way he looked at me, like he was seeing through me. I quickly looked away, feeling my cheeks burn under his gaze.

“Alright, let’s go,” he said, starting the engine.

As the van rumbled to life, I found myself staring blankly out the window. The night had swallowed the sky, and only the headlights cut through the darkness as we drove deeper into the forest. Monica was on her phone, clearly texting someone. Belle, on the other hand, had fallen asleep on my shoulder, her breathing soft and steady.

I checked the time. It was already past 9 PM. The hours had flown by, and we were nowhere close to reaching our destination.

“Where are we now?” I asked, breaking the silence.

Gelo turned around from the front. “Still awake, huh?”

Third glanced at me again through the rearview mirror. Leo had already dozed off between them. “We’re in the middle of the forest,” Third said. “Not much further now.”

I nodded, but a strange unease began creeping up my spine. The trees outside looked like shadows, their branches twisted in unnatural shapes. The forest was so dark, so quiet—it felt like the world had fallen away, leaving only us behind.

“You should get some sleep,” Gelo suggested.

I shook my head. “I’ll sleep later.”

“Mia, just sleep already,” Third’s voice was calm but commanding.

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and before I could stop myself, my eyes began to grow heavy. I drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

---

I was standing in the middle of the forest, surrounded by nothing but darkness. The trees loomed over me like towering figures, their branches curling like claws. I spun around, searching for something—anything—but there was only the overwhelming silence.

Suddenly, an old woman emerged from the shadows, her face obscured by a veil of mist. Her voice crackled through the air, like the sound of leaves crunching underfoot.

“You’ve entered a place where you don’t belong,” she rasped. Her voice echoed around me, making my heart race.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice trembling.

She stepped closer, her face still hidden, but I could feel the cold chill of her presence. “You won’t make it out. None of you will.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “No... that’s not true!”

She raised a gnarled finger, pointing directly at me. “You won’t survive.”

“No!” I screamed, bolting upright, my heart racing, my body drenched in sweat.

---

“Mia, are you okay?” Gelo’s voice pulled me back to reality. His face was full of concern as he leaned closer.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. “It was... just a nightmare,” I muttered, though I could still feel the old woman’s words ringing in my ears.

Monica snickered from beside me, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Nightmare? How fitting.”

I ignored her, focusing instead on the van’s window. “Are we here yet?” I asked, my voice shaky.

Third slowed the van to a stop, and when I stepped out, I froze. The house stood before us, looming like a dark sentinel. It was much larger than I had imagined, but there was something... off about it.

The air was thick with tension, and a cold wind blew through the trees, making the branches creak ominously. My chest tightened as I stared up at the house, a sense of dread settling deep within me.

We weren’t supposed to be here.

:>yshanggabi