Five courageous kids are living ordinary lives in a town known by its gothic-like tranquility, a town where nothing unusual ever happens... Well, at least that's what they believed when their friends went missing in the foggy forest, and when he ret...
The forest was silent on this blue, damp day as the sun was covered in dense clouds, making the sky look bright and cold.
The air was cool and crispy. It was filled with the sweet aroma of cedar trees and the earthy scent of moss. It smelled like all the time but today, it was more pronounced and the branches dripped moisture from a morning's thunderstorm.
Ground searchers in yellow vests have been dispatched by the authorities, increasing the chances of finding Theo.
The group was all wearing raincoats due to the damp environment and felt water droplets slapping the top of their fiber hoodies.
Despite searching for Theo for three days, they could not find any trace of him. Not even another single piece of his belongings was found on the ground. Some even concluded that Theo had wandered off to the nearby chasm and plunged into the massive rocks below.
They continued looking in the general area where they had discovered the bracelet lying on the ground. The gang split off from the other searchers, accompanied by several adults, while Theo's parents joined the others.
The ground cover in this part of the forest is primarily fern, but so dense in spots as to resemble a gentle green that rippled softly in the forest breeze. At least this time, instead of shorts, they were all donning jeans to protect their legs from the ferns.
They walk around a large moss- covered stump then they hear a low, rhythmic thumping noise as a white-bellied helicopter flies over the trees.
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Right after they clambered over a fallen tree to stumble into a more mossy-covered area, they came across a large rock up ahead, which rose from the green earth with a protruding summit. They walked closer to it, and they were venturing to the edge of a precarious gap that tore the trees apart like deep scars and fragile flesh.
This chasm stretches on forever, is about 60 feet wide, and has a never-ending darkness far below where the mist creeps down. Michael lays down on his stomach to look down the terrifying drop. He picks up a small pebble and throws it, he doesn't hear it hitting the bottom.
Boyd stood next to the rocky summit, trying to peer into the dark abyss below. He looks to his left, and his eyes land on something on the rock. Once he tore some of the wet moss from the side, he discovered another carved symbol. This one, however, was a stick man, or something resembling a twana.
But before he could say something, he was quickly cut off by a lady in a yellow vest
"Alright, let's keep moving," one of the searchers said. "We can't afford to waste any more time."
Michael stood up as he rubbed his hands together, and everyone moved along the edge of the chasm, then back into the forest's interior.
"I wonder if Theo had slipped down there," Jon remarked.
"Don't even make me consider that," Gabby uttered as she encircled herself in her arms.
"Just speculating. It is not like I want him dead."
A radio crackles to life with a burst of clarity.
"Team one, do you copy?" The voice was distorted but discernible.
"Copy, command," a lady said onto the radio.
"Any sign of the boy?"
"Negative. We just came across a drop-off, that's all. I'll let you know if we find anything."
"Copy that."
The connection was lost once more.
One of the searches lifts up a megaphone at their mouth level and shouts out Theo's name, with each cry reverberating throughout the forest.
As they moved down a slope, something with a large tail raced directly in front of them. Quickly vanishing into the overgrown bushes. It looked like a large rat, maybe an opossum. It's the first animal they've seen in this forest.
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Just when they reached the bottom of the slope, their eyes met the outline of a person on the ground beyond a dried bush. The moving fog and the low light could be playing tricks on them, but they need to make sure if it's really their friend.
Just when they stood beside the dried bush, their bodies were filled with disbelief! It was indeed Theo, lying on his side in the middle of a red mushroom circle.
They know he's still alive because his chest kept rising and falling. He appeared as though he had fought a pack of coyotes, based on his state.
His exposed skin was covered in minor cuts and bruises. He is missing one shoe and has a tattered shirt and pants that are smeared with dirt.
One of the searcher grabbed the radio and said, "Teams two, we have found the boy! I repeat! We have found the boy!" The other searchers responded as a static followed on the other line.
"Copy that. We'll be there as fast as we can."
Gabby felt to her knees and started patting his face, trying to get him to open his eyes. She repeatedly yells his name, but he was unresponsive. Boyd unzips his chest bag and hands Gabby a bottle of water. She quickly removed the cap and poured water it all over his face. The cold water instantly revived him. His eyes went from one person to another, slowly coming to the realization that he had been found...
