Into The Fog

chapter three

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The night was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves as the wind whispered through the trees. The sky above was a canvas of deep indigo, studded with countless stars, each one twinkling like distant diamonds. A crescent moon hung low, casting a gentle, silvery glow over the world below.

Lexi sat on her bed, her room dimly lit by a single lamp on her nightstand. The soft light cast shadows that danced along the walls, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't shake the image of the girl she had seen in the forest earlier that day. Raven-haired, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the world, the girl had appeared like a phantom among the trees, only to vanish just as quickly.

Who was she? Where had she come from? These questions swirled in Lexi's mind, refusing to let go. She replayed the encounter over and over, trying to grasp at any detail she might have missed. The girl's expression had been unreadable, yet there was something hauntingly familiar about her, something that tugged at Lexi's heart in a way she couldn't explain.

Just as she was lost in these thoughts, a voice broke through the quiet of her room.

"Lexi! Dinner's ready!" her mom called from downstairs, her voice warm and inviting.

Lexi blinked, startled back to reality. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of unease, and made her way downstairs. The aroma of roasted chicken and freshly baked bread filled the air, a comforting contrast to the mystery that had been occupying her mind.

As she sat down at the table, her dad looked at her with a curious expression. "So, Lexi, where were you today? You were outside for quite a while."

Lexi hesitated, her heart skipping a beat. She didn't want to mention the girl, didn't want to sound crazy or invite more questions. "I, um... I went to the café for a bit," she said, her voice slightly uncertain. "And then I went to the forest... just for a walk."

Her mom frowned slightly, concern flickering in her eyes. "The forest? You know you need to be careful, Lexi. It's easy to get lost in there, especially if you go too far."

"I know, Mom," Lexi replied, managing a small smile. "I didn't go far, I promise."

Her mom nodded, the worry easing from her face. The conversation shifted to lighter topics as they ate, the warmth of family and good food gradually melting away the tension that had settled in Lexi's chest. By the time dinner was over, she felt more at ease, the mysterious encounter with the girl seeming like a distant memory.

After clearing the table and bidding her parents goodnight, Lexi made her way back to her room. The night seemed even quieter now, as if the world itself was holding its breath. She turned off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness, and slipped into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

But sleep didn't come easily. Her mind wandered back to the girl in the forest, and she found herself staring at the large window that looked out toward the trees. The forest loomed in the distance, a dark silhouette against the night sky.

Then, something caught her eye.

Lexi sat up slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. There, by the edge of the forest, she could just make out a figure. It was faint, barely visible through the darkness, but she knew immediately who it was. The raven-haired girl.

She was sitting on a fallen log, her back to the house, staring out at the lake that lay just beyond the trees. In her lap, she cradled something small and delicate. A bunny, or maybe a cat? Lexi couldn't tell from this distance, but the sight filled her with an odd sense of longing.