𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 // ᵐⁱᵏᵉ ʷʰᵉᵉˡᵉʳ ¹

03

𝟬𝟯
𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆
𝗴𝗼𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗲!

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐊𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃, blotting out what little light remained as the sun dipped below the horizon. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves, a scent that clung to Elise's clothes and skin as she trudged deeper into the forest. Each step was careful, calculated, as she navigated the uneven terrain, her senses heightened in the oppressive silence that surrounded her.

The forest had always had an unnerving quality, but tonight, it felt different. The shadows seemed to stretch and writhe with a life of their own, and every rustle of the leaves set her nerves on edge. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, though she told herself it was just her imagination. The thought of turning back flickered briefly in her mind, but she pushed it away, determined to see this through.

As she moved further into the woods, the trees grew closer together, their twisted branches interlocking above her like the bars of a cage. The ground beneath her feet was soft and uneven, dotted with roots that seemed intent on tripping her up at every step. She stumbled occasionally, catching herself on nearby trunks, the rough bark scraping against her palms. Despite the growing discomfort, she pressed on, driven by a mix of curiosity and the stubborn refusal to admit she was scared.

The sounds of the forest surrounded her— the distant hoot of an owl, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. But beneath it all, there was something else, a subtle undercurrent that made her skin prickle. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Elise paused for a moment, leaning against a tree to catch her breath. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, the cool air stinging her lungs. She took a moment to scan her surroundings, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pierce through the gloom. The darkness was thickening, and the once-familiar forest was becoming increasingly alien and foreboding.

As she stood there, catching her breath, her thoughts drifted back to why she had ventured out here in the first place. She wasn't one to involve herself in things like this—searching for missing kids wasn't exactly her idea of a good time. But staying at home, with Steve acting like the king of the world, had been unbearable. Besides, the idea of being recognized for something other than being "King Steve's Little Sister" had a certain appeal. Maybe, for once, people would see her as something more than just a footnote in her brother's life.

The snap of a twig somewhere to her left jolted Elise from her thoughts, her head whipping around to face the source of the sound. Her heart pounded in her chest as she strained to listen, her body tensing. The noise had been close—too close for comfort. She stayed perfectly still, her breath catching in her throat as she waited for whatever was out there to reveal itself.

The seconds dragged on, each one stretching out into an eternity as the silence pressed in around her. Then, just as she was about to convince herself that it was nothing more than an animal or a falling branch, she heard it again—the unmistakable sound of voices, faint but distinct.

Elise's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing. She wasn't alone out here. Someone else was in the woods, and by the sound of it, they were getting closer. Instinctively, she crouched down, pressing herself against the tree trunk as she listened. The voices were growing louder, more distinct, and she could now make out fragments of conversation.