The Reyes Family (SHORT STORY)
Charlie never expected a simple walk in the woods to change everything.
Bored and looking for adventure, they stumble upon a hidden treehouse-lived-in, mysterious, and oddly inviting. But when its owner, a bright and curious girl named Selam Reyes, shows up at their doorstep the next day, Charlie is pulled into something far bigger than a childhood hideout.
What starts as innocent fun-dinners with the warm and welcoming Reyes family, late-night talks, and trips to the market-soon takes a chilling turn. A local circus has rolled into town, bringing with it more than just dazzling performances. Whispers of eerie coincidences, long-buried secrets, and a lurking presence tie the circus, the Reyes family, and a shadowy cult together.
And somehow, Charlie is now part of it all.
What have they walked into? And more importantly-can they walk back out?
TW: mild language, cults, hallucinations,
