The trees had always spoken, but now… she understood them.

At first, it was a whisper to the winds, a shiver in the leaves. Then the words came- low, ancient, laced with something hungry. They spoke of roots that stretched beyond time, of things buried deep, still breathing beneath the soil.

“You are one of us now,” they sighed through the brittle branches. “And, so they will come for you too.”

...

The darkness is where they thrive. They anticipate that sudden jolt of adrenaline that spikes when you hear footsteps shuffling closer and closer to you, and then suddenly holt.

They know you notice it, even when you choose to ignore the obvious signs. They can smell the fear leaking from your pours. It makes them salivate to the very thought of it.

The lonely souls that choose to walk alone a...

Jack never imagined the startling outcome that awaited him at the top of the beanstalk. All Jack could think about was, “I need to earn enough to cover this month's rent,” especially given the grave condition of his parents' health. Unbeknownst to him, they had fallen victim to the Bubonic Plague, a relentless disease ravaging his small seaside town.

Yet, that was far from the extent of his worri...