Whispers in the Dark

My fingers trembled as I reached for the note, my breath shallow. The paper was rough under my fingertips, the ink smudged but still readable. A suicide note. But not Sam’s. My name was at the bottom. My heart pounded against my ribs. This has to be a mistake. A cruel joke. Maybe i am dreaming. Lightning flashed again, illuminating the empty field around me. My shadow stretched across the wet grass—but Sam’s shadow was gone. The wind howled in my ears. A whisper. “Run.” I spun around, eyes darting in every direction. The trees loomed in the distance, silent and unmoving. The air felt heavy, thick with something unseen. I have to get out of here.. I slipped that piece of paper into my pocket before taking a step. How am I supposed to get out from here? My shoes sinking slightly into the damp earth. The trees loomed ahead tall, ancient, their branches twisting together like clawed fingers. The deeper I looked, the less I could see. The forest swallowed the light, leaving only shadows stretching between the trunks. A chill crawled up my spine. When did I end up here? I didn’t remember walking into a forest. But here I was, surrounded by towering trees, their rough bark blackened by the rain. I took another step. A branch snapped beneath my foot, the sound unnaturally loud in the silence. No birds. No insects. No rustling leaves. Just emptiness. Then—a whisper. Soft. Faint. It curled through the air like smoke. “You shouldn't be here.” I stopped breathing. The whisper hadn't come from behind me. It came from the trees. The shadows shifted. A figure? No.. just the wind. Or at least, that's what I told myself as my heartbeat pounded in my ears. I turned my head slightly, glancing over my shoulder. And that's when I saw it. A set of footprints. Not mine. Fresh. Leading deeper into the trees. My hands curled into fists. I wasn't alone.. I swallowed hard, my breath uneven as I followed the footprints. Each step felt heavier than the last. The trees grew denser, their shadows stretching long and twisted under the pale moonlight. The footprints led me through the thick undergrowth, past gnarled roots and damp soil. Then.. suddenly there were no more trees. I stopped. Before me stood a massive cave entrance, its jagged mouth yawning open like a beast waiting to swallow me whole. The air around it was colder. Too cold. My throat tightened. The footprints ended right at the entrance. I hesitated. “Go in.” A voice. Sam’s voice. My breath hitched. It hadn’t come from behind me. It came from inside the cave. I took a shaky step forward, peering into the darkness. The cave was deep.. too deep. The shadows inside seemed to pulse, shifting like something alive. A single drop of water echoed from within. The sound stretched, long and hollow. Then, beneath the dripping water, I heard something else. Breathing. Slow. Ragged. Not mine. Someone—or something was inside. I should have turned back. I should have run.. I hesitated at the entrance, my breath shallow. The cold air from inside the cave curled around me like invisible fingers. The dim glow ahead flickered, casting shadows that crawled along the jagged walls. I stepped forward. The first thing I noticed was the smell.. damp stone mixed with something metallic. Blood. The walls were covered in deep, erratic scratch marks, as if someone had clawed at the stone with bare hands. Some scratches were fresh, others faded. Layers of desperation. My throat tightened. How many people had been here before me? Then my eyes fell on the ground. A pair of clothes, crumpled and torn. The fabric was soaked in dark, dried blood. The same outfit Sam was wearing the day before he died. A lump formed in my throat. Sam had been here. I turned toward the dim light source, my heart hammering. A small lantern sat in the corner, flickering weakly. Someone had left it burning. Which meant someone else had been here recently. A gust of cold air rushed past me, and for a second—I swore I heard breathing again. Low. Right behind me. I spun around. Nothing. Just the deep, empty tunnel stretching further into the darkness. Then a whisper. “You found it.” Sam’s voice. I swallowed hard, my fingers clenching into fists. “What happened to you?” I whispered back, my voice barely audible. The lantern flickered violently. The shadows shifted. Then, from deeper inside the cave something moved. A rustling sound. Footsteps. Not mine. And then a voice. Not Sam’s. “You shouldn't have come here.”

The light went out.

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