The Haunting of Windgrave Hospice

Chapter 1: The Road to Nowhere

Part 1: "A Change of Plans"

The car hummed along the narrow country road, the headlights slicing through the early evening fog that clung to the surrounding trees. Will, in the driver's seat, kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other fiddled with the radio dial, searching for a station that wasn't playing static. Next to him, Alex scrolled through his phone, trying to get a signal, but the bars stubbornly refused to appear.

In the back seat, Lucy and Zoe were immersed in a discussion about the party they were headed to—a Halloween bash thrown by some of their classmates out in the countryside. The kind of party that was supposed to be legendary, full of scares, laughs, and memories they'd talk about for years.

"Did you see how Jenna decorated her place last year? I heard this year's going to be even crazier," Lucy said, her excitement barely contained. She had chosen to dress as a vampire, complete with fake blood on her lips and a black cape that draped over her slender shoulders.

"Yeah, and apparently, they've got a whole haunted maze set up in the barn," Zoe added, adjusting the witch hat that kept slipping over her eyes. "It's going to be epic."

Will smirked as he glanced at them in the rearview mirror. "As long as we actually get there. You sure this is the right way, Alex?"

Alex looked up from his phone and shrugged. "It's what the GPS said earlier. We're out in the sticks, man. Nothing but trees and cows for miles."

"Well, let's hope we don't run into any killer clowns or chainsaw-wielding maniacs," Will joked, though his grin faltered slightly as the road ahead seemed to disappear into a wall of fog.

"Or the ghosts of lost hikers," Alex said with a smirk, trying to keep the mood light.

Zoe rolled her eyes, but there was a trace of unease in her voice. "Let's not jinx it, okay? We're just here to have a good time."

The road twisted and turned, the fog thickening with every passing minute. The trees loomed closer to the edges of the road, their bare branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The further they drove, the less they saw of the world outside—just a swirling grayness that seemed to close in around them.

"Are we sure we're going the right way?" Lucy asked, her voice tinged with nervousness now.

"I think so," Alex replied, but there was doubt in his tone. "It's been a while since we saw any signs."

Suddenly, the car lurched, and a loud clunking noise echoed from beneath the hood. Will frowned and slowed down, the engine sputtering as if it were struggling to keep going. The headlights flickered.

"What the hell?" Will muttered, pulling the car over to the side of the road. The engine coughed one last time before dying completely, plunging them into silence.

For a moment, no one spoke. The four of them sat there, staring out at the fog-shrouded trees, their breath visible in the sudden cold.

"Great," Alex finally said, breaking the silence. "Now what?"

Will tried the ignition, but it didn't even crank. He glanced at Alex, then back at the girls. "Looks like we're not making it to that party after all."

"Can you fix it?" Zoe asked, her eyes wide.

Will shook his head. "I don't know what's wrong with it. Might be the battery, or the alternator, or something else. I'll have to check under the hood."

Alex sighed and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Guess we're not calling for help either," he said, holding up his phone to show the others the lack of signal.

"Perfect," Lucy muttered, pulling her cape tighter around herself. "Stuck in the middle of nowhere on Halloween night. Just our luck."