Tera moved cautiously through the dense forest, her senses on high alert. The trees loomed overhead, their twisted branches weaving a dark canopy that blotted out most of the light. Each snap of a twig underfoot sent a shiver down her spine. She had to find Eric and Isaiah-she had to bring them home.
The air was thick with dampness and decay, adding to the oppressive feeling of the wilderness. The forest felt alive, almost as if it were closing in on her with every step. The map in her pocket was her last hope. She just needed to stay focused.
As she navigated the narrow path, her heart skipped a beat when she spotted a figure ahead. At first, it was only a shadow among the trees, but as she neared, the shape became clearer. Tera's breath caught in her throat as the figure stepped into the dim light.
The person standing before her was tall and thin, almost skeletal. Their skin was splotchy, pale, and covered in grime. Greasy strands of hair clung to their gaunt face, and the overpowering stench of decay, sweat, and earth hit Tera like a punch to the gut. She fought back the urge to gag. This person hadn't seen a bath-or possibly human contact-in ages.
Flies buzzed around the figure, landing on their exposed skin and crawling over the grime-coated rags they wore. The clothes were tattered and filthy, hanging loosely from their bony frame. Patches of what might have once been fabric clung to them, now just rags soaked in dirt and who knew what else. Their bare feet were dark with grime and calluses so thick it seemed they'd never worn shoes.
Tera's stomach churned, but she held her ground. Her voice came out steady, though her insides trembled. "I'm looking for Eric and Isaiah. Do you know where they are?"
The stranger's bloodshot eyes flickered with a strange intensity as they looked her up and down. "Eric... Isaiah..." they repeated, their voice hoarse, as if the words hadn't left their lips in years. The corners of their mouth twitched into a grotesque smile, revealing yellowed teeth. "NO... NO ONE HERE BY THOSE NAMES... JUST ME. JUST THE WOODS."
Tera swallowed hard, trying to keep her resolve. "They're close. I know they are. Please, I just need-"
The stranger's expression twisted into something darker, more deranged. Their eyes darted around the trees, as if someone-or something-was watching. Their breath quickened, and their twitching became more erratic. "YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE," they hissed, their voice rising to a near-scream. "THE VOICES... THEY SPEAK IN WHISPERS. THEY CALL. THEY DEMAND... THEY ARE HUNGRY. FUCKING HUNGRY!"
The stranger's voice lowered to a guttural rasp, and they began to chant in a language Tera couldn't understand. The words were harsh and discordant, dripping with a sense of malevolence. "HUSH... HUSH... THE SHADOWS ARE CALLING... DARK AND DEEP, THE SPIRITS ARE CRAWLING..."
Tera's heart raced as the chanting continued. The forest seemed to close in around her, the air thickening with an almost tangible sense of dread. She took a step back, her hands trembling.
"STOP IT! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
The stranger's eyes glowed with a feverish light. "THE FOREST SPEAKS... IT KNOWS... IT WATCHES YOU. IT SEES YOUR FEARS. IT FEEDS ON YOUR PAIN. SHIT, IT FEEDS ON IT!"
Suddenly, the stranger lunged at her with surprising speed, their filthy hands clawing at her. Tera stumbled backward, barely dodging the attack, but the stranger was relentless. Their fingers dug into her arms like claws, their breath hot and rancid against her face.
The world around her blurred as she struggled to push them off. Her heart pounded in her chest as they snarled and snapped at her like a wild animal, their nails scraping against her skin, drawing blood.
