Title: The Lost Path
The chartered bus rolled along a winding forest road, filled with the cheerful chatter of twenty-five Ridgewood University students. They were on their annual road trip, a much-needed escape from classes, heading towards the renowned Lake Haven retreat. The trip had been uneventful—until the GPS lost its signal.
"Looks like we’re off the grid for a bit," said Mark, their driver, tapping the blank screen.
No one thought much of it. Just another detour. But when the bus veered left onto an unfamiliar path, the atmosphere inside shifted. The forest outside thickened, darkening the road ahead.
"Mark, are you sure this is the right way?" asked Lisa, the trip coordinator.
"The main road was blocked," he replied. "This should connect back. No worries."
As the sun dipped lower, the air grew unnervingly cold. Shadows stretched long and menacing. Then they saw it—a weathered wooden sign at the roadside. It read: Raven's Hollow – 3 miles ahead.
"That’s not on the itinerary," muttered Daniel, peering out.
"Sounds like the start of a horror story," joked Jake. No one laughed.
The deeper they traveled, the more unnatural things became. The trees seemed to twist inward, their gnarled branches forming claw-like shapes. A strange mist slithered across the ground. Then the bus jolted violently.
"Damn it!" Mark swore. "Something’s wrong."
The engine sputtered and died. The bus rolled to a stop. Darkness wrapped around them like a suffocating shroud.
"Alright, everyone, stay calm," Lisa urged, though her voice trembled. "Let’s figure this out."
Mark turned the key again. Nothing. The headlights flickered, then went out. The bus was now a cold, lifeless shell in the middle of nowhere. Then, a sound drifted from the trees.
A child's laughter.
Whispers slithered through the forest.
"Nope. Nope. Nope! I am NOT staying here!" Mia, usually the bravest, jumped to her feet.
"Relax," said Ethan, her boyfriend. "It’s just the wind."
The sound came again—closer. A soft giggle, unnatural in the empty night.
"I need to check outside," Mark said, grabbing a flashlight. "Stay put. Lock the doors. I’ll be right back."
The door hissed open. Mark stepped into the misty darkness. They watched his flashlight beam bob through the trees. A moment later, his voice echoed back.
"Hey! There’s an old house ahead! Might be a phone inside."
Lisa hesitated, then nodded. "We should go together. Safety in numbers."
The students filed out cautiously. The forest was alive with eerie sounds—rustling with no wind, whispers that weren’t theirs. The house emerged like a specter, old and decayed, its windows hollow and lifeless. The door creaked open on its own.
"Nope. Not a fan," Jake muttered.
"Me neither," Sophie whispered, gripping Daniel’s arm.
Inside, the air was thick with decay. Broken furniture lay scattered, dust swirling in their flashlight beams. Then Lisa noticed something chilling—a framed photo on the mantel. It showed a group of young people in outdated clothes. College students.
"Guys…" she whispered. "Look at this."
Then a voice behind them rasped, "You came back."
A girl stood in the doorway—pale, eyes hollow, her clothes torn and filthy. Their flashlights flickered as they illuminated her face.
"Who… who are you?" Daniel stammered.
"You have to leave. Before they take you too," she warned. "The road… it’s not real. It only leads here. It only lets people in. Never out."
A bloodcurdling scream erupted outside. The students bolted for the door.
The bus was gone.
The road was gone.
Only the endless forest remained.
"No. No. NO!" Mia shrieked. "Where’s the bus?!"
A deep growl rumbled from the trees. Shadows slithered between the trunks. Red eyes glowed in the dark.
"Run!" Ethan shouted.
They sprinted toward the house, but the girl blocked the doorway, shaking her head. "You can’t hide. It knows you're here now."
"What does?" Lisa asked, breathless.
"The Hollow. It feeds on the lost. And you… you belong to it now."
Then the laughter returned—louder, all around them. The whispers merged into a chilling chant, something ancient, something starving.
And the last thing they saw before the darkness swallowed them—was their own faces, staring back from the photograph on the mantel.
Post a Comment