Whispers Beneath The Weeping Tree

There was no place to relax—danger surrounded them from all sides, above and below. The air itself felt heavy with tension, every shadow hiding the potential for death.

The safest option, if one could call it that, was a massive tree standing alone in the center of the clearing. Its thick, gnarled trunk rose into the sky, branches stretching wide like skeletal arms.

It was different in a way that was unexplainable. Its sheer size and presence made it feel ancient, almost otherworldly, as if it had been here long before the forest grew around it.

It stood tall and massive its branches curved downward covered with leaves as if it was weeping . The bark was rough and weathered, etched with deep scars from storms and time itself. The branches swayed slightly in the cold wind, leaves whispering faintly in the eerie silence..it seemed sad

Ezra craned his neck upward, his lavender eyes narrowing as he studied the towering giant. "Well… that looks sturdy enough. At least nothing will sneak up on us from below if we're up there."

Shirley's steel-gray eyes scanned the tree warily. "It's better than being out in the open, but don't let your guard down. Anything that big is bound to have something nasty living in it."

Neither of them wanted to linger on the ground any longer. With silent agreement, they began their cautious approach toward the colossal tree, their steps muffled by frostbitten leaves and brittle twigs. The branches above creaked faintly, like an old house settling in the night.

Shirley paused at the base of the tree and looked at Ezra. "Can you climb?"

Ezra crossed his arms, his expression flat. "No."

"Well, you'll learn now," Shirley said, swinging his bag over his shoulder with practiced ease. Without another word, he stepped forward, grabbed hold of a low branch, and hoisted himself upward with surprising agility for someone his size. His boots scraped against the rough bark as he maneuvered higher, his movements steady and confident.

Ezra hesitated, staring up at the towering tree and the maze of branches above. His stomach twisted as he considered the climb.

"And if I can't?"

Shirley paused mid-climb, glancing down at him with a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Then you're more than welcome to stay down here and be dinner for whatever's sniffing around. Though, honestly, I doubt they'd want you. You probably taste like burnt wax."

Ezra scowled. "Burnt wax? Seriously?"

But Shirley was already climbing higher, his focus shifting back to securing his grip on the next branch. The faint creak of wood and the rustle of leaves filled the silence as he disappeared further into the darkness above.

Ezra let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his hands together for warmth before reaching for the lowest branch. "Alright, fine. But if I fall and die, I'm haunting you, old man."

With a grunt, Ezra grabbed onto the rough bark and began pulling himself upward. His arms trembled as they took on his full weight, and his boots scrabbled against the bark for a secure hold. Splinters bit into his palms, and his muscles screamed in protest with every upward pull.

The tree creaked faintly under their combined weight, and the wind's sharp chill bit into Ezra's exposed skin. After only a few feet, his grip slipped, and he tumbled back onto the frostbitten ground with a dull thud.

"Damn it!" Ezra hissed, his breath fogging in the cold night air.

"Stop whining and try again!" Shirley's voice called from above. "Less complaining, more climbing!"

Ezra's jaw tightened as frustration bubbled up inside him. His eyes flicked upward, determination flaring in their depths. With a sharp inhale, he lunged for the branch again, fingers locking tightly around the rough bark.

This time, he climbed slower, his movements more deliberate. His arms ached, his shoulders burned, and his legs shook with every pull upward, but he refused to let go. Inch by inch, he ascended, his breath coming in sharp gasps, clouds of vapor escaping into the freezing air.

Then… the silence came.

Not just any silence—the eerie, suffocating stillness that swallowed all sound. No rustling leaves. No distant calls of animals.

Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

Ezra froze, clinging tightly to the tree as his breath hitched in his throat. His wide eyes darted downward, meeting Shirley's. The older man was leaning slightly out from his branch, his steel-gray eyes sharp and focused as he scanned the area below them.

Shirley's hand shot out in a sharp gesture—a signal. Climb. Now.

Ezra didn't need to be told twice. His trembling arms protested, but he pushed himself upward, gripping branch after branch. The wood scraped against his palms, and splinters jabbed into his fingers, but he ignored the pain.

The thuds came next. Distant, heavy footfalls—rhythmic and deliberate. They echoed faintly, carried on the biting wind. Each impact seemed to resonate deep within the earth, vibrating through Ezra's chest.

The air grew colder. Frost spiderwebbed across the bark, glistening faintly in the moonlight. Ezra's breath came in short, sharp gasps as the oppressive chill settled into his bones.

'Higher. Just a little higher.'

The branches above groaned faintly under Shirley's weight as he climbed higher as well, his focus unwavering.

Ezra dared a glance downward—and instantly regretted it. The edge of the clearing was no longer empty. Shadows slithered and shifted at the treeline, forms too large and twisted to be mere animals. Glowing yellow eyes blinked in and out of view, peering into the clearing with predatory focus.

A guttural growl echoed from somewhere in the darkness below, deep and resonant, like a heavy drum being struck.

Ezra's chest tightened, and his fingers dug into the bark until his knuckles turned white.

"Don't stop!" Shirley's voice hissed from above, sharp but steady. "Keep climbing, Ezra!"

With a final burst of strength, Ezra hauled himself onto the next branch, his boots scraping against the bark. He could hear Shirley's faint grunts above him as the older man continued climbing, neither of them daring to stop.

Below them, the shadows closed in on the base of the tree. The faint glow of yellow eyes multiplied, and the guttural growls grew louder.