Web of lies

Voices from the Past

Rhea’s heart raced as the creature stepped forward, its eyes glinting like twin stars in the moonlight. It was not an animal but a shadowy figure, shrouded in darkness, with features indistinct but menacing. Panic surged through her, and instinctively, she took a step back, her thoughts racing—what was it, and what did it want?

“Rhea!” a voice called from the shadows, cutting through her terror like a knife.

She squinted, struggling to recognize the figure in the dim light. “Who are you?” she managed to gasp, her breath hitching in her throat.

“It’s me, Zara!” The voice was familiar but filled with a desperation that made Rhea’s heart sink.

“Zara?” Rhea’s eyes widened as the figure stepped closer, revealing her childhood friend’s face, pale and drawn. Memories flooded back—carefree days spent playing in the park, laughter echoing in the summer sun. But the person before her now was a ghost of the girl she once knew.

“What are you doing here?” Rhea asked, bewildered. “I thought you… I thought you were gone.”

“I was,” Zara replied, her voice trembling. “But I had to come back. I thought you were in danger.”

Rhea’s mind raced. She remembered the rumors that had swirled around Zara’s disappearance—how she had vanished without a trace, leaving nothing but questions in her wake. The town had mourned, whispered of curses and shadows, but now here she stood, a specter of the past.

“What danger? What do you mean?” Rhea demanded, glancing back toward the cabin, where the thud of footsteps echoed in the distance.

“There are things in the woods—things that prey on fear and darkness. They’ve been waiting for you,” Zara said, her voice low and urgent. “You have to trust me. We need to get out of here before it’s too late.”

Rhea’s heart raced, torn between the familiar warmth of her old friend and the fear creeping up her spine. “But I saw you… I thought you were dead. How are you even here?”

“I was lost for a long time,” Zara replied, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “But I found a way back. I was drawn to this place, to you. I tried to warn you, but I was too late.”

A distant crash sounded from the cabin, followed by a muffled scream that sent a chill down Rhea’s spine. “Zoya!” she gasped, panic surging through her. “I have to go back! She’s in trouble!”

“Don’t!” Zara shouted, stepping in front of her. “You can’t go back. You have to leave this place. It’s a trap, Rhea. They want you.”

Rhea shook her head, her heart torn. “But Zoya is my best friend! I can’t just abandon her!”

Zara reached for Rhea’s arm, her grip surprisingly strong. “Think, Rhea! What happened when I disappeared? How many people were hurt? You can’t save everyone. You have to save yourself first.”

A flood of memories rushed back—whispers in the hallways, glances over shoulders, the heaviness in the air when Zara had vanished. Rhea had been too young to understand the darkness that had encroached upon their town, but now she could feel it, a palpable weight pressing down on her.

“Then what do I do?” Rhea asked, her voice trembling.

Zara hesitated, her eyes darting toward the cabin. “There’s a path through the woods that leads to the road. If we can make it there, we can get help. But we have to hurry.”

Rhea nodded, her heart racing with fear and urgency. “Okay. Let’s go.”

As they turned to move, the ground shook beneath them, and a low growl resonated from the depths of the forest. Rhea’s pulse quickened, her instincts screaming for her to flee.

“Stay close!” Zara urged, her voice cutting through the tension. “We have to stick together!”

They darted deeper into the woods, the trees looming ominously above them, their branches whispering secrets in the night. Rhea could feel the shadows closing in, an oppressive weight that threatened to swallow her whole. The darkness was alive, pulsing with a malevolent energy that made her skin crawl.

“Why didn’t you warn me before?” Rhea panted, her legs burning as they ran. “If you knew I was in danger, why didn’t you come back sooner?”

Zara glanced back at her, her face pale. “I tried! But the forest—it doesn’t let go easily. It binds you to its secrets, to its darkness. I had to fight to break free, and now that I’m here, I can feel it trying to pull me back.”

Rhea’s heart sank. “What do you mean?”

“There are voices,” Zara whispered, her eyes wide with fear. “From the past. They call to me, urging me to return. They want to reclaim what was lost. You have to resist them, Rhea. You can’t listen.”

Suddenly, Rhea felt a presence behind them—a cold wind that rustled the leaves, sending a shiver down her spine. The shadows flickered, twisting and shifting, and she heard faint whispers that seemed to echo from the depths of the woods.

“Zara!” Rhea cried, panic rising in her chest. “What is happening?”

“It’s them!” Zara shouted, fear etched across her face. “We have to keep moving!”

They sprinted through the underbrush, branches scratching at their skin, the whispers growing louder, more insistent. Rhea’s mind raced, grappling with the realization that the forest was alive, aware of their presence.

“Don’t listen to them!” Zara urged, her voice strained. “Focus on the path!”

But Rhea’s mind was a whirlpool of doubt. She remembered the tales of the woods—how they drew people in, how they fed on fear and despair. The thought of being trapped here, of becoming another lost soul, sent chills down her spine.

“I can’t!” Rhea gasped, stumbling over a root. “I can’t do this!”

“Rhea!” Zara turned, grabbing her shoulders. “You have to fight! You are stronger than this! We can’t let them win!”

With a sudden burst of energy, Rhea broke free of the shadows that threatened to consume her. She squared her shoulders, determination flooding her veins. “You’re right. We can’t give up!”

They pressed on, the path ahead opening slightly as they moved deeper into the woods. Rhea felt the oppressive darkness recede, but the whispers still clung to her, haunting her thoughts.

Suddenly, Zara stopped, her eyes widening in fear. “Rhea, look!”

Ahead of them stood a figure—a dark silhouette, cloaked in shadows, its presence looming like a storm. Rhea felt her heart race, panic coursing through her veins.

“Who are you?” she shouted, her voice trembling. “What do you want?”

The figure remained silent, the air thick with tension.

“Rhea, we can’t stay here!” Zara urged, pulling at Rhea’s arm. “We have to go around!”

But Rhea was frozen, her eyes locked onto the figure, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her. As the shadows shifted, a face began to emerge—one that she recognized all too well.

“Zara?” Rhea whispered, her heart pounding. “What’s happening?”

But Zara’s expression twisted in horror. “No! You have to run! That’s not who you think it is!”

Before Rhea could process her friend’s warning, the figure stepped forward, revealing a face that sent a wave of dread through her. It was someone she had thought lost forever—a face from her past.

“Rhea,” the figure said softly, a voice dripping with familiarity. “I’ve been waiting for you.”