Welcome to Graven Town

"The mist is not merely air and water—it is memory, grief, and things best left unseen. Tread carefully, for it remembers you even if you try to forget it."

— Anonymous

Ellie Brooks gripped the steering wheel tighter as her rusted blue hatchback rolled past the faded wooden sign that read Welcome to Graven Town – Population 1,972. The words were barely legible, weathered and cracked like they'd been left out to decay for decades. Beneath the sign, someone had spray-painted in red: "Leave while you can."

She glanced in the rearview mirror at Joey, her nine-year-old son. His headphones were snug over his ears, and his face was buried in the handheld game console she'd given him to keep him distracted during the long drive. He didn't look up, didn't notice the ominous graffiti or the way his mother's knuckles had turned white.

"Almost there, buddy," Ellie said, forcing cheer into her voice. Her throat felt dry. She'd been practicing this line for hours, hoping to convince herself as much as him. This is a fresh start. A clean slate. We need this.

Joey didn't respond, but she wasn't surprised. He'd been like this ever since the divorce—quiet, distant, like he was retreating into his own little world. Ellie told herself it was just a phase. Kids were resilient, right? He'd bounce back once they settled into their new life.

As they drove deeper into town, Ellie took in her surroundings. Graven was the kind of town that felt like it had been forgotten by time. The main street was lined with squat brick buildings, their windows fogged with grime. A diner with a faded neon sign that read "Mabel's Eats" sat next to a hardware store, which looked like it hadn't seen a single customer in weeks. An old man on a creaky rocking chair sat outside a general store, his gaze following the car as it passed. Ellie waved instinctively, but he didn't wave back.

The air felt heavier here, like the fog that clung to the edges of the road wasn't just mist but something alive, watching. It wrapped around the trees and crept closer to the ground, swallowing the edges of the town in a quiet, suffocating embrace.

"This place is… different," Ellie murmured to herself, her stomach twisting. The online ad for the rental house had made Graven look quaint, almost charming—like a peaceful slice of Americana. But now, seeing it in person, it felt anything but peaceful. It felt like a place where secrets were buried deep, and the people were too afraid to dig them up.

"Mom," Joey said suddenly, his small voice breaking the silence.

Ellie blinked and glanced at him in the mirror. "Yeah, honey?"

"Why is everything so… gray?" He took off his headphones and peered out the window. His face was pale, his green eyes wide with curiosity and something Ellie couldn't quite place. Fear? No, she told herself. He's just tired from the drive.

"It's just the fog," she said, keeping her tone light. "It's pretty common in places like this. It'll burn off by the afternoon."

Joey didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the window again, watching as the trees gave way to a cluster of old houses, each one more decrepit than the last. Ellie spotted their new home at the end of the narrow street, its peeling white paint and sagging porch making her stomach sink. It looked better in the pictures.

"Well, here we are," she said, pulling into the gravel driveway. The tires crunched loudly, breaking the eerie silence. "Home sweet home."

Joey unbuckled his seatbelt but didn't move to get out. He just sat there, staring at the house with a frown. "It looks… scary."

Ellie forced a laugh. "It just needs a little TLC, that's all. Come on, let's check it out."

Grabbing her keys, she stepped out of the car and stretched, the cool air biting at her skin. Joey followed reluctantly, clutching his game console like it was a lifeline. Ellie walked up to the front door and unlocked it, the old hinges groaning in protest as it swung open.

The inside was just as worn as the exterior. The hardwood floors were scratched, the wallpaper was faded and peeling, and the whole place smelled faintly of mildew. Ellie tried to see the potential, but it was hard. The house felt… wrong, like it wasn't just old but something more. Something deeper.

Joey shuffled in behind her, his sneakers squeaking on the floor. He wrinkled his nose. "It smells weird."

"It's just old," Ellie said, setting her purse down on the dusty kitchen counter. "Once we get everything cleaned up, it'll feel like home. Why don't you go pick out your room?"

Joey hesitated, glancing toward the staircase at the far end of the hall. It loomed in the dim light, the shadows seeming to stretch and twist as the fog outside pressed against the windows. He didn't move.

"Joey," Ellie said softly, kneeling in front of him. "I know this isn't what you're used to. But we're going to make this work, okay? You and me. A team."

He nodded slowly, but his eyes never left the staircase. Finally, he turned and started up the steps, his small frame disappearing into the shadows. Ellie watched him go, a knot forming in her stomach. She told herself it was just her imagination, that she was projecting her own doubts onto him.

But that night, as she lay awake in the unfamiliar bed, she heard it—the sound of soft, shuffling footsteps. At first, she thought it was Joey, but when she checked his room, he was fast asleep. The noise came again, louder this time, echoing down the hall. Ellie froze, her heart pounding. She held her breath, straining to listen.

And then she heard it: a faint whisper, just barely audible over the creak of the floorboards.

"More… people…"

Ellie's blood ran cold. She backed into her room, shut the door, and locked it. She told herself it was nothing, just the wind or the house settling. But deep down, she knew better.

Graven Town wasn't just a new beginning. It was something else entirely.