ʕ•̫•ʔ---Direction

But as we all stared at the water, that gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach grew stronger. 

Something about this place felt... off. 

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, like the forest was watching us.

"I don't like this," Jiuge muttered, her eyes darting around the clearing. "It's too quiet, too... empty."

I sighed, pulling the buggy into park. "Well, this looks as good a place as any to test our theory," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Everyone, stay close and keep your guard up."

Jiuge crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "Right, because standing next to a mysterious lake in a creepy, soundless forest has never gone wrong in any story ever."

"Wow, fantastic spot to meet our doom, Carl," Agnos quipped, hopping out of the buggy with an infuriating amount of nonchalance.