CHAPTER ONE: THE ARRIVAL

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, as Ella parked the car in front of the large cabin. She turned to her friends, her enthusiasm infectious. “Welcome to our autumn getaway! Isn’t it perfect?”

The group spilled out of the car, laughter and chatter filling the crisp mountain air. Mark, her childhood friend, slipped an arm around her shoulders. “You always find the best places, Ella. Just hope the ghosts don’t mind our company!” he teased, earning a good-natured roll of the eyes from Jasmine, who was already snapping photos for her piece in the local journal.

Tom, her boyfriend, unpacked the high-tech gadgets they'd brought along, scoffing at the cabin’s rustic charm. “This is nice and all, but I doubt it has Wi-Fi. We’re going to be cut off from reality.”

Rachel remained quiet, sketching the surrounding trees with gentle strokes as a warm breeze rustled the leaves. Her gaze drifted towards the dense woods, a flicker of something inscrutable in her eyes. Ben, the business person, arrived with his usual bravado, boasting about his latest deal, clearly trying to keep the attention on himself.

That night, over glasses of wine, stories of local legends surfaced, sparked by Tom’s playful skepticism. “Ghosts? Please, it’s just wind and creaky floors. There’s nothing here to fear,” he joked, a grin plastered on his face.

But as the fire crackled and shadows danced on the walls, Ella felt a chill crawl up her spine at the stories’ darker turns—tales of a family that vanished, whispers of secrets buried in the woods.