Twelve

The streets of Southwest Atlanta were calm at this hour, bathed in the dimming light of the evening sun. They passed through the historic neighborhoods, old brick houses standing quietly against the backdrop of changing skies.

The car rolled onto McDonough Boulevard SE, a stretch lined with warehouses and scattered businesses. Peter tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as they crossed the railway tracks near Lakewood Heights, the streets here quieter, almost desolate.

'You guys sure about this?' Peter asked his voice light but laced with hesitation.

'You're the one who suggested it,' Adi shot back, eyes fixed on the GPS.

Anne, sitting in the back, shivered slightly. 'I just hope we don't run into any trouble.'

As they merged onto Moreland Avenue SE, the scenery slowly shifted from city streets to patches of trees and open spaces. The traffic lights flickered red and green, and the roads stretched emptier the closer they got.

A few more turns onto South River Industrial Boulevard SE led them past industrial lots and quiet back roads. The surroundings grew eerily still. The sky was now turning a deep orange, the sun dipping lower, casting long shadows across the pavement.

The car rumbled over the uneven road as they neared their destination.

Peter kept his eyes on the road, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel, while Anne stared out of the window, her expression unreadable.

Adi sat in the back, scrolling through Dan's old messages on his phone, hoping for some last-minute clue.

As the GPS signaled their arrival, Peter pulled the car into a small, nearly empty parking lot. The Constitution Lakes Park sign stood at the entrance, slightly weathered but still visible. Beyond it, a narrow dirt trail led into the dense woods, where the infamous Doll's Head Trail awaited.

Anne adjusted the cap on her head, pulling it low to avoid attention. 'So, this is it?' she murmured, stepping out and stretching.

Adi shut the car door behind him. 'It's quieter than I expected,' he said, his voice low. The park was empty except for the rustling leaves and distant chirping of birds. There were no other visitors, no joggers or hikers.

'Yeah, well, most people don't show up right before sunset,' Peter muttered. 'Kinda adds to the whole horror vibe, don't you think?'

Anne shot him a glare. 'Great. Just what I needed—another horror movie scenario."

Peter smirked. 'Relax. It's just a walking trail with creepy doll heads everywhere. Totally normal.'

Adi sighed. 'Let's just go. If Dan was here before his death, there has to be something—his phone, a clue, anything.'

They followed the winding path into the woods. The further they walked, the thicker the trees became, their shadows stretching unnaturally long under the dimming sky. The air grew cooler, carrying the earthy scent of damp leaves and old wood. The deeper they went, the stranger the scenery became.

And then, they saw them.

The first doll's head sat on a wooden plank, its plastic skin dirt-streaked, its eyes dull and lifeless. It was missing an arm and had been positioned in a way that made it look like it was watching them.

Anne shuddered. 'Okay, that's just messed up.'

'Welcome to the Doll's Head Trail,' Peter said, grinning, though even he seemed unnerved.

As they walked further, the creepy displays increased—doll heads impaled on sticks, plastic limbs sticking out of the ground, a tiny porcelain baby doll half-buried in the mud, its mouth twisted into a permanent smile. Some of the pieces had been turned into full-blown art, sitting on makeshift wooden platforms with scribbled messages around them.

Who walks among the lost? One sign read.

Beware the silent ones.

Leave something behind, or take a piece of the story.

Anne stopped abruptly, hugging her arms. 'Seriously, people do this for fun?'

Peter chuckled nervously. 'Some say it's art. Some say it's haunted. Either way, we keep moving.'

Adi's eyes scanned the area, his pulse quickening. 'Dan was here… somewhere in this mess. His phone could be—'

Suddenly, the wind howled through the trees, making the hanging doll heads sway slightly. One of them creaked as it moved as if turning to face them.

Anne grabbed Adi's sleeve. 'Let's find that damn phone and get out of here."

Peter took a deep breath. 'Yeah. Time to search.'

And with that, they ventured deeper into the trail, the dolls' hollow eyes following their every move.

Peter was walking ahead, flashlight in one hand, the other tucked into his jacket pocket. 'If Dan dropped his phone here, we need to think—where would it be?'

Anne, still clutching Adi's sleeve, muttered, 'Not in plain sight, that's for sure. If it was, someone would've picked it up by now.'

Adi nodded, glancing down at the ground. 'What if it's hidden? He was filming something, right? Maybe he saw something he shouldn't have, and that's why the phone is missing.'

Peter hummed in thought. 'Good point. But how do we get the footage on the laptop then?'

Crack.

They all stopped.

A twig had snapped somewhere behind them.

Peter slowly turned his head. Anne stiffened. Adi felt his pulse hammering in his ears.

Nothing moved.

Just the silent dolls, swinging ever so slightly in the wind.

Anne exhaled, barely above a whisper. 'Please tell me that was an animal.'

Adi swallowed. 'Keep walking.'

They were walking close to each other for safety, sun was almost out now.

'Guys, it's getting dark now' said Anne in her sacred shaking voice

'Few more minutes' said Adi

As they were walking, they saw a not-so-tall structure. They started to walk close to it.

'What the hell is it?' said Adi

'Maybe an abandoned house' answered Peter 'but how is it here?'

The building seemed like an old house, an abandoned two-story structure with a haunting, eerie appearance. The wooden exterior was weathered and discolored, with faded gray paint peeling away to reveal the aged wood underneath. The roof was steep and covered in dark, worn shingles, with a dormer window on the second floor that appeared broken, adding to the unsettling aura.

Surrounding the house is a dense forest of leafless trees, their twisted branches reaching toward the overcast sky.

'Guys, it's more like a haunted house and this place is more like a horror movie set' Anne's voice and eyes shaking with fear 'Let's come in the morning'

'Ok fine' said Peter 'let's go'

As they were turning back Adi saw something on a tree, 'wait guys' he said a little loud

'What?' asked Peter

'Come here' said Adi and moved forward toward that tree

Peter and Anne followed, their footsteps crunching against dead leaves. As they got closer, the carved words became clearer—DR.D.

'God, it's Dan's nickname which we both gave him' said Peter 'Do you think he wrote it?'

'Who else can?' replied Adi

'Start looking for it, it must be here' said Peter

They all started to find the phone near the tree.

Adi moved cautiously, his eyes scanning the ground. Then—his foot slipped. His heart lurched as he stumbled forward, catching himself just in time. He looked down, expecting to see a rock.

But it wasn't a rock.

It was a phone.

He picked it up – It was Dan's phone. He knew it by the cover. 

He switched it open, but it was still charged. He called both Peter and Anne near him. After waiting for a minute, the phone opened.

His pulse pounded in his ears. 'Guys,' he whispered. 'It's Dan's phone.'

Peter and Anne rushed to his side, their eyes wide with shock.

Adi pressed the power button. The screen flickered—then lit up.

It was still charged. Its bright screen was glowing their feared faces.

Now, the secret was going to reveal itself.