We left the school grounds in a long line, our footsteps crunching softly against the blanket of fallen leaves.
No one was as talkative as they had been the night before.
Even Conrad, who somehow always had something to say, remained unusually quiet.
The further we walked from the school, the quieter everything became.
Behind us, Bailey Girls' Academy slowly disappeared behind the trees until the building was completely swallowed by the forest.
"Alright, everyone," Mr. Martin called, stopping at the edge of a narrow trail.
He turned to face us, his expression more serious than I'd ever seen it.
"Listen carefully."
Every conversation immediately died.
"This is not a nature walk."
His eyes swept over each of us.
"We're looking for students who ignored direct instructions and wandered into these woods."
He paused.
"If we all stay together, we'll cover very little ground."
"So we're splitting into smaller search teams."
A ripple of nervous whispers spread through the students.
"Each group will consist of five students and two teachers."
"You are not to leave your assigned group."
"You are not to wander off."
"And if you see—or hear—anything unusual…"
He looked directly at us.
"You tell one of us immediately."
No one laughed.
No one even smiled.
"Understood?"
"Yes, sir," we answered.
Teachers began calling out names.
One group headed west.
Another followed a trail leading north.
A third disappeared toward a rocky hillside.
Then—
"Kennedy."
"Parker."
"Jeffrey."
"Conrad."
"…Destiny."
Mr. Martin motioned for us to join him.
Standing beside him was Miss Diane Nilsson.
She smiled warmly as we approached.
"Looks like we're together."
Out of all the teachers in Bailey Falls…
Miss Nilsson was my favorite.
She actually listened.
If a student said they weren't comfortable doing something, she respected it instead of dismissing it as laziness.
Teachers like her were rare.
She adjusted the straps of her backpack before smiling at us.
"Ready?"
None of us answered.
I wasn't sure anyone really was.
…
Miss Nilsson took the lead.
Kennedy, Parker and I walked closely behind her.
Jeffrey and Conrad followed a few steps behind us while Mr. Martin remained at the very back, making sure nobody fell behind.
The deeper we ventured into the woods…
The colder it became.
It wasn't normal.
The autumn breeze had disappeared completely, yet icy air wrapped itself around my arms like invisible fingers.
I rubbed my sleeves.
Goosebumps prickled across my skin.
"You cold?"
Kennedy whispered.
"A little."
She rubbed her own hands together.
"It's weird."
"I thought it was just me."
I nodded.
"So did I."
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
The only sounds were our footsteps disturbing the carpet of dead leaves beneath us.
No birds.
No insects.
No squirrels darting through the trees.
Nothing.
It was…
Wrong.
Forests weren't supposed to be this quiet.
Every instinct in my body screamed that something wasn't right.
The farther we walked, the stronger that feeling became.
It settled heavily inside my stomach like a stone.
I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd been here before.
Not physically.
But…
In my dreams.
The twisted trees.
The strange silence.
Even the smell of damp earth felt painfully familiar.
Without realizing it, I'd slowed my pace.
My eyes darted from tree to tree.
Every shadow suddenly looked like it could be hiding someone.
Or…
Something.
I swallowed.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
It felt as though unseen eyes were following our every movement.
Watching us.
Waiting.
I quickly glanced over my shoulder.
Nothing.
Just Conrad walking beside Jeffrey.
He noticed me looking.
"You okay?"
I forced a smile.
"Yeah."
He frowned slightly but didn't press further.
We continued walking.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours.
Every fallen branch made me jump.
Every rustle of leaves sent my heart racing.
I hated this place.
More than that…
I feared it.
Because deep down…
I knew.
This wasn't just any forest.
This was the forest.
The one from my dreams.
The one where I'd met Harold and Charity.
The one where that thing had chased me.
My breathing became uneven.
What if it was real?
What if Harold had been telling the truth?
"It's a dream…"
"But it isn't."
His words echoed inside my mind.
I clenched my fists.
No.
This was reality.
Broad daylight.
Teachers.
Friends.
There was no way that creature would appear now.
…Right?
A loud crack echoed somewhere deeper in the forest.
Everyone froze.
Miss Nilsson immediately raised a hand, signaling us to stop.
"What was that?" Parker whispered.
Nobody answered.
Another crack.
This time closer.
Mr. Martin scanned the trees.
"Probably a deer."
His voice sounded confident.
His eyes didn't.
We waited.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Nothing.
"Keep moving," he finally said.
The group reluctantly obeyed.
But I couldn't stop looking toward the direction the sound had come from.
Something about it bothered me.
It hadn't sounded like an animal.
It had sounded…
Deliberate.
Like someone had stepped on a branch.
On purpose.
A chill crawled down my spine.
For just a fraction of a second…
I could've sworn I saw something standing between two distant trees.
Tall.
Perfectly still.
Watching us.
I blinked.
It was gone.
My pulse hammered against my ribs.
Maybe…
Maybe I was imagining things.
Maybe the dreams were finally getting to me.
I hoped that was all it was.
Because if it wasn't…
Then whatever I'd seen…
Had seen me first.