Chapter 26 : Spirit Guide…

As we set off after our ghostly guide, something in the air... changes…. like walking into an invisible wall of static electricity.

My skin prickles, and I can feel every hair on my arms standing up. The air feels thick, almost syrupy, humming with an energy that makes my teeth vibrate.

"Do you feel that?" I whisper, though I'm not sure why I'm whispering.

Maybe because the forest has gone very quiet, like it's holding its breath.

Before anyone can answer, I feel something; a deep, rhythmic pulsing beneath my feet.

It's nothing like a rumbling sensation; it's slower, a bit more deliberate.

Like... like something massive is breathing under the earth.

The sensation travels up through my boots, making my knees wobble slightly.

Jay stumbles beside me, his hand shooting out to grip my shoulder. His fingers dig in a bit too hard, but I don't mind… It helps ground me in this increasingly surreal moment.