The Ash Hollow Curse

Chapter 1: The Disappeared

In the remote town of Ash Hollow, nestled in a valley surrounded by brooding mountains, a thick fog perpetually clung to the landscape, swallowing light and sound. Once a thriving settlement in the late 1800s, the town had withered into a near-ghost town over the years, its few remaining residents bound by a sinister legacy. Dark rumors echoed through its narrow, winding streets—whispers of disappearances, of things that roamed the forests, of an ancient evil that had long held the town in its grasp.

Detective Simon Graves, a man hardened by years of working cold cases and brutal crimes, had seen enough to make him skeptical of anything supernatural. He was sent to Ash Hollow to investigate the latest in a string of disappearances, though the reports were vague and riddled with superstition. Three locals had vanished without a trace within the past month, but the town was slow to involve the outside world.

Simon arrived at dusk, the fog dense and oppressive, like the town itself was conspiring to keep its secrets hidden. The buildings were old, their wood warped and rotting, as though time had forgotten this place. The air was thick with the smell of decay and mildew.

"Welcome to Ash Hollow," a woman's voice startled him.

Simon turned to see a local woman standing at the gate of the inn where he was supposed to stay. Her name was Margaret, an elderly woman with sharp, haunted eyes and a weathered face that spoke of years spent in the shadow of something far worse than mere age. She seemed to know more than she was letting on, but Simon didn't press her—yet. He figured the town's mysteries would reveal themselves soon enough.

"The disappearances," Simon said, trying to break the silence, "How often does this happen?"

Margaret's expression tightened. "Every few years. First one goes, then another, and another. It's the woods. Always the woods."

The detective made a note to visit the forest in the morning. Tonight, however, he wanted to get a sense of the town, talk to locals, gather as much information as possible. But even as he walked the narrow streets, he felt the weight of unseen eyes watching him from the shadows.