Part 2: Small Cottage

As we stepped cautiously into the abandoned cottage, its weathered wooden frame standing stoically amidst the encroaching jungle, a sense of unease settled over us like a heavy shroud. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves outside and the occasional flutter of wings as bats took flight from their roosts.

The interior of the cottage was dimly lit, sunlight filtering through cracks in the walls and casting long shadows across the bare wooden floor. Cobwebs hung like drapes from the ceiling, while the musty scent of decay lingered in the air.

Sarah's voice pierced the silence, her words echoing off the walls as she called out into the empty space. But there was no response, save for the creaking of floorboards beneath our feet.

Suddenly, Sarah's hand shot out, grasping my arm with a strength born of fear. "Jim, did you feel that?" she whispered, her eyes wide with alarm.

I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest as I scanned the dimly lit room for any sign of movement. "I didn't feel anything," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

But Doctor Will, ever the astute observer, lay down on the wooden floor, his ear pressed against the cool surface as he listened intently. After a moment, he rose to his feet, a furrow forming between his brows.

"There may be no sound, but there's definitely a scent," he said, his voice low and measured. "A scent of... something."

Sarah's brow furrowed in confusion. "But who could have lived here?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

I ventured a guess, though the words felt inadequate even as they left my lips. "Perhaps it was once home to villagers, before the jungle reclaimed it," I suggested, though the idea seemed far-fetched even to my own ears.

But Sarah shook her head adamantly, her eyes narrowing in thought. "No, it couldn't have been villagers," she insisted. "There's something else going on here."

I glanced around the dimly lit room, the shadows seeming to dance in the corners of my vision. "Whatever it is, we need to proceed with caution," I said, my voice tinged with apprehension.

With that, we pressed on, our footsteps echoing through the empty halls as we searched for clues amidst the abandoned remnants of a life long forgotten. Little did we know, however, that our search would lead us down a path fraught with danger and intrigue, where the line between reality and superstition blurred like the edges of a dream.