SHADOWS OF THE FOREST

Chapter Three

It had been a week since Sun moved to the small, isolated town, and yet she couldn't shake the unease that had settled deep within her bones. Each night was worse than the last, as the strange noises coming from the woods seemed to grow louder and closer. Despite her attempts to explain them away as just wildlife, there was something unnatural about the howls and growls that echoed in the darkness.

Sun lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her fingers drumming absently on her phone. She hadn't been able to sleep much since she arrived—having really weird dreams and her mind constantly replaying the odd events of the past week. Her phone buzzed on the pillow, and she glanced at the screen, relieved to see that Maya was calling.

"Hey," Sun answered, her voice heavy with fatigue. "You won't believe the noises I've been hearing again."

Maya's concerned face filled the screen as the video call connected. "Still? I thought you'd get used to it by now. Maybe it's just the wildlife there being more... active?"

Sun sighed, shifting in her bed. "I don't know, Maya. It's not just the howling. It's everything. The people in this town act weird, too. Like, no one seems to talk about the noises, and when I bring it up, they just brush it off like they're not concerned. My uncle says it's nothing, but he's been acting strange too. He's never home anymore.Something is off somehow or maybe I'm just being paranoid"

Maya frowned and shook her head. "No,you're not,it definitely doesn't sound normal. Maybe I should come over sooner, just to keep you company. I can stay for a few days, help you adjust to things."

The thought of Maya coming over filled Sun with relief. "Yeah, I think I'd like that. You'd love it here during the day—it's beautiful. It's just... these nights."

"Well, it's settled then," Maya said, her smile soft and reassuring. "I'll book a flight tonight and be there tomorrow. You'll see, once I'm there, you won't feel so spooked."

"Thanks, babe," Sun said, her heart easing slightly. "I'll let my uncle know you're coming."

They talked for a few more minutes before saying their goodnights, and Sun rolled out of bed, feeling a bit lighter at the thought of Maya arriving. The house was still, eerily quiet as it always was at this hour. She made her way around the cottage to find her uncle and let him know about Maya's visit.

"Mike?" she called, her voice echoing slightly in the empty hallway. There was no response.

She checked the living room first, expecting to find him on the couch where he usually watched TV, but the room was empty. The kitchen was dark, no sign of any recent activity. A growing sense of unease crept over her as she wandered through the rest of the house, calling his name. The house felt colder than usual, almost as if something was missing.

"Mike?" she tried again, this time louder. Still nothing.

Sun paused at the door leading to the garage, hoping to see his car parked inside, but when she opened it, her heart sank—his truck was gone. That was odd. Mike wasn't one to leave the house without saying something, especially not at night. It wasn't like him to be gone without a word.

She grabbed her phone, dialing his number. It rang several times before going to voicemail. Sun's stomach twisted in a knot, an unsettling feeling rising within her.

"Where are you?" she muttered to herself, her voice echoing in the empty kitchen. She stood there for a moment, listening to the quiet hum of the house, her eyes darting toward the window that overlooked the dark forest. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she heard a howl in the distance.

What the hell is going on in this place?

As she walked back to her room, her mind raced with questions. Mike's behavior over the past week had been odd—he'd been more secretive, disappearing for hours at a time without explanation. And now, he was gone in the middle of the night without a word.

Sun sat back on her bed, glancing at her phone one more time before deciding to call it a night. Whatever was going on, she'd figure it out tomorrow. Maya would be here, and they could talk to Mike together. She tried to shake off the unease and pulled the covers over herself, hoping for a few hours of sleep but as usual,it was useless,she tossed and turned for one hour before she drifted off and had a senseless dream,she dreamed that the wolves had a party and she was made the waitress,she was made to serve and clean up after all of them while they had fun,the way they laughed in their howl-like manner made her sprang up in terror,sweating wildly. Fear had made her remain in bed with her blanket tucked tightly around her and up to her chin,she shut her eyes tightly and fell into a dreamless sleep this time.

The Woods:

Elsewhere in the dense, shadow-filled forest, a woman sprinted through the trees, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps. The thick foliage scratched at her skin, the underbrush tangling around her legs as she tried to put as much distance between herself and her pursuers as possible. But they were relentless.

The growls of wolves echoed behind her, their snarls getting closer and closer. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline fueling her as she pushed herself to run faster, harder. The trees loomed over her like shadows, the darkness of the forest seeming to swallow her whole.

A wolf lunged at her, snapping at her heels, and she barely managed to dodge it, stumbling over a fallen branch. She cursed under her breath, her eyes scanning the dense trees for somewhere to hide.

There—a large tree, its trunk thick and wide enough to provide some cover. She darted toward it, pressing her back against the bark, trying to steady her breathing. Her heart pounded in her ears, the sound almost drowning out the growls of the wolves as they circled closer. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to stay still, to stay quiet.

For a moment, everything was silent. The howls ceased, the growls faded. She dared to open her eyes, peeking around the tree trunk. Nothing. Maybe they had lost her.

Then, from the shadows, a low growl reverberated through the air, sending a chill down her spine. She turned, her eyes widening as a massive figure emerged from the darkness. This wasn't an ordinary wolf—its body was massive, towering over her, its glowing red eyes locking onto hers with deadly intent.

The woman's breath caught in her throat as the creature lunged at her, its fangs bared. She barely had time to scream before a gunshot rang out, the sound echoing through the forest.

The werewolf staggered, a silver bullet lodged in its chest, and it let out a pained, guttural howl that pierced her ears before collapsing onto the forest floor.

From behind the trees, a figure stepped forward—Mike, his shotgun still smoking from the recent shot. His expression was grim, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for any more threats. The remaining wolves had scattered, retreating into the shadows at the sight of him.

"Come on," Mike said gruffly, his voice low as he reached down and hauled the woman onto her feet. She was still trembling, her body shaking with adrenaline and fear. "We need to get out of here."

The woman nodded, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts as Mike threw her over his shoulder with ease, carrying her away from the scene. He cast one last glance at the fallen werewolf before retreating into the trees, his steps silent and quick. They disappeared into the dense forest, the darkness swallowing them whole.

The morning sky was pale, tinged with grey clouds as Sun and Mike made their way down the winding road toward the bus station. The atmosphere inside the car felt heavy, almost as if the town itself was cloaked in a fog of secrets that hung between them.

Sun glanced at her uncle from the passenger seat, trying to make sense of the new bruises and fresh animal scratches on his arms and legs. They hadn't been there the previous day, and the marks looked deep, as if they had come from something more dangerous than just a casual stroll in the woods.

"Where were you last night?" she asked, her voice casual but laced with suspicion. Her eyes traced the faint red lines running across his forearm.

Mike didn't look at her immediately, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. "I went for a walk," he finally said, the response quick and shallow. "Needed some fresh air."

She narrowed her eyes, knowing fully well that wasn't the truth. There was enough fresh air around the cottage since it was basically in the forests but she remained quiet and watched the landscape ahead. The scratches were too telling, and the vague explanation only deepened her doubts. Still, she decided not to push. Not yet, at least. There would be time to pry later when Maya wasn't around, when the tension between them didn't feel like it could snap at any second.

The drive to pick up Maya was silent after that. Even the radio stayed off, and Sun's mind wandered between the strange occurrences she'd been experiencing since arriving in town: the unsettling sounds from the forest, the odd behavior of the townspeople, and now her uncle's sudden secretiveness. It felt like something was building, something she couldn't fully comprehend yet, but it was growing closer by the day.

When they finally arrived at the bus station, Maya's smiling face was a welcome relief. Sun greeted her girlfriend with a warm hug, trying to let the tension in her body melt away in the embrace. Maya was a reminder of home, of normalcy. If anyone could help her make sense of this strange place, it was Maya.

"You look tired," Maya commented as they loaded her bags into the back of the car.

Sun offered a small smile. "Just a bit. The town's a little...different than I expected."

Maya gave her a curious look but didn't push. "Well, I'm here now. We'll figure it out."

As they drove back to the house, Maya chatted about the trip, unaware of the lingering silence between Sun and Mike. Sun's eyes kept darting to her uncle, noticing how his knuckles gripped the steering wheel just a little too tightly, how his face seemed more tense than usual.

Back at the house, Sun helped Maya settle in, but there wasn't much time to relax. She had work at the café, and though part of her didn't want to leave Maya behind, she needed the distraction.

"Make yourself at home," Sun said with a smile. "I'll be right back after my shift."

Maya waved her off, promising to explore the house and maybe take a walk around the neighborhood while Sun was gone. Sun couldn't help but feel a pang of worry as she left. Something felt off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

At the Café

The familiar smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries greeted Sun as she stepped into the café. For a moment, it felt like she could breathe again, like she had stepped back into normalcy. She made her way behind the counter, quickly changing into her work uniform.

As she was fastening her apron, the bell above the café door jingled. Instinctively, she turned to greet the customer. "Welcome to—"

Her words faltered when she saw who it was. Shawn.

The smile that curved his lips was both charming and unnerving. He walked over to the counter with the easy confidence of someone who had everything under control, as if the world itself bent to his will.

"Morning, Sun," Shawn said, his voice low but carrying a certain weight. He leaned on the counter, his gaze steady on her. "How about an espresso?"

Sun swallowed and nodded, feeling a strange flutter in her chest as she prepared his order. She wasn't sure if it was nerves or something else, but being around Shawn made her feel uneasy. There was something about him—something beneath the surface—that set off alarms in her mind.

As she handed him the espresso, Shawn didn't move away. Instead, he studied her for a moment, as if he could hear her heartbeat.

"Why are you so nervous?" he asked, his voice soft, but his eyes sharp.

Sun blinked, taken aback. "I'm not—"

"Your heart is racing," he interrupted. The smile he wore widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I can hear it."

She stared at him, unsure of how to respond. How could he possibly know that? Was it just a guess, or something more?

Shawn leaned in a little closer. "You're interesting, Sun. I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now."

Sun's grip tightened on the coffee pot she was holding, her unease growing. "I have a girlfriend," she said, hoping to shut down whatever this was.

Shawn chuckled, clearly unbothered. "I know. I'm not asking for anything serious. Just lunch. A friendly meal, that's all."

She shook her head. "I'm not interested."How did he know she had a girlfriend?

His smile never wavered. "I don't take no for an answer, Sun. I'll keep asking until I get what I want."

For a moment, the room felt colder. Sun's pulse quickened again, and she was sure he could hear it. There was something predatory in his words, in the way he looked at her. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Shawn straightened up and casually tossed a few bills on the counter.

"I'll see you around, Sun."

And just like that, he was gone.

Sun watched as Shawn disappeared down the street, her heart still pounding in her chest. She had dealt with persistent customers before, but Shawn was different. He wasn't just persistent—he was dangerous. She could feel it in the way he spoke, the way his eyes lingered on her just a moment too long.

What did he mean when he said he didn't take no for an answer?

Her mind raced with questions, and for a moment, she thought about calling Maya to tell her what had just happened. But what would she say? That she was unnerved by a customer? It sounded ridiculous, even to her. And yet, the feeling of dread remained.

The rest of her shift passed in a blur, her thoughts consumed by Shawn's strange behavior. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, even when the café was empty