FOREST CAMP

A cool breeze rustled through the towering pine trees as Ayaan scanned the message on his phone again.

"Forest Camp '25—A weekend of adventure, fun, and thrill. Are you in?"

It was from his best friend, Vikram. Their college group had been planning a weekend getaway deep in the woods, far from the city’s chaos. Ayaan wasn’t exactly thrilled—he hated the idea of spending nights in a dense forest—but peer pressure did its magic.

"Fine, I’m in," he texted back.

Little did he know, this trip would become his worst nightmare.

The group of seven—Ayaan, Vikram, Riya, Meera, Suraj, Alok, and Tanya—arrived at the forest camp by late afternoon. The camp was located in a remote area, miles away from the nearest village.

The caretaker, an old man with deep wrinkles and a blank expression, greeted them.

"Welcome. Stay within the marked area. Do not wander off after dark," he warned. His tone was unsettling.

The group exchanged nervous glances but laughed it off. "Old people love their superstitions," Vikram joked.

They set up their tents near a small clearing. The sky dimmed as they lit a bonfire and shared ghost stories, unaware that something in the forest was already watching them.

The first scream came around midnight.

Ayaan woke up abruptly, heart pounding.

"Did you hear that?" Meera whispered from the next tent.

Before he could respond, Tanya unzipped her tent and stepped out. The others followed, gathering around the bonfire’s dying embers.

"It sounded like a woman," Suraj muttered.

Just then, a chill ran through the air. The trees seemed taller, their branches stretching like skeletal fingers. In the distance, they heard it again—soft, sorrowful crying.

"Someone might be lost," Riya suggested.

"At this hour?" Alok scoffed.

Despite their fear, curiosity won. They grabbed their flashlights and followed the sound into the woods.

As they walked, the crying grew fainter. The deeper they went, the more unnatural the forest felt. The trees were too still, the silence too deep.

Then, they found it.

A worn-out wooden cabin, hidden behind dense bushes. Its door was slightly open, creaking with the wind.

"No way. We’re not going in," Meera whispered.

Vikram smirked. "Scared?" He pushed the door open.

The inside smelled of damp wood and decay. Cobwebs covered the corners, and broken furniture was scattered across the floor. On the wall, strange symbols were carved into the wood.

Then—

A shadow moved.

Tanya gasped. A figure stood at the far end, its head tilted unnaturally.

A woman, dressed in white, with hollow eyes.

She didn’t move.

She didn’t breathe.

Then, she screamed.

The sound shattered the air, piercing through their ears. The group bolted, running back through the forest, stumbling over roots and rocks.

Ayaan dared to glance back—the woman was chasing them, floating above the ground, her mouth unnaturally wide.

"Move! MOVE!" Vikram screamed.

They reached their tents, panting, and collapsed onto the ground. The forest was silent again, as if nothing had happened.

"We’re leaving at dawn," Ayaan said, voice shaking.

No one argued.

They decided to stay in one tent together for safety. Hours passed, and just when they thought they were safe—

The whispering began.

Soft. Raspy. Right outside their tent.

"Why did you come?"

Ayaan held his breath.

A shadow moved outside the fabric, circling them. The tent began to shake violently.

Then—silence.

Morning arrived.

But something was wrong.

Vikram was missing. His sleeping bag lay empty. His shoes, his phone—everything was still there.

They searched frantically, but there was no trace of him. The caretaker refused to help.

"Your friend is gone. You should leave before it takes more of you," was all he said.

With no other choice, they left.

Vikram was never found. His name became another lost whisper in the haunted forest.

And Ayaan? He still dreams of the woman’s hollow eyes, waiting for him to return.

💀The End💀

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