3:57 AM
Inside The Forest

Autumn was an admirable season, the wind was gentle but still somewhat breezy, and leaves crumpled into the forest's dirt waiting to be crushed by passers.

Oftentimes it would rain and people stayed indoors due to that, not able to comprehend the beauty that came with the season. Maybe there was a reason for that, after all, true beauty can never really be seen by people who don't appreciate it.

Even a camera couldn't capture its true beauty and that was the beauty of it.

Nights in Crescent Hills were however a different story. Quiet, yes, but always busy with residence caught up in things no one dared to talk about.

They spend countless nights looking for any information about the recent disappearance cases. If you asked, they certainly thought these were connected somehow. But with little to no proof, nothing could be done other than mourn for the losses.

Lane's worn-out, black lace-up boots creep around the forest quietly. Avoiding the cluttered dried leaves or dead branches that lay over the thick muddy dirt.

"Floyd!" Light from her flashlight shined brightly into whatever direction it was pointed to.

Nonetheless, she still sensed a bone-chilling tingle. The way the light only made a circular part of the visual lit up like a vignette filter on an image gave her an uneasy feeling.

When he didn't respond to her calling she wondered if she was too late? The scream he let out wouldn't leave her mind no matter what, it was so vivid. Her breathing was anything but controlled, was he going to die? Is he already dead?

In a desperate attempt to reach him, she shouted again, "Floyd! Where are you...?"

Crunch

Her body reacted promptly to the sound, spinning to the left to see where it came from. Mouth opened but no words left it, not a single noise came out of her lips.

Lane stood frozen in place, breathing heavily, eyes wide.

Could it be? "Floyd? Is that-"

She felt her soul leave her body in an instant. The sight was enough to scar her for the rest of her life.

His body—Floyd's folded, spine cracked in ways it shouldn't even be possible, body—dropped from the top of a tree towering above her.

The disfigured body hit a thick branch, snapping, before plunging to ground, upon impact the body notably sent a loud cracking noise.

Then something else jumped down after him, its tall figure hovered over Floyd menacingly.

Don't Look. Don't Look.

She took a step back, careful to not attract the attention of it, then she made a break for it.

Flashlight left unattended on the floor, the light slowly dying, becoming a part of the darkness. Pushing past all the leaves and branches in her way.

Not caring if it scratched her or not, because she knew whatever it was back there was not human nor ghost. It was something entirely different, something that lurked within the darkness.