The Final Toll - Day 6 #25DaysOfChristmas

Day 6: The First Disappearance

The chilling words echoed in Megan’s mind, repeating themselves over and over as if the cabin itself were whispering them into her soul.

"You’re mine now."

They had all heard it. That voice—twisted, unnatural—seeped through the cracks of the cabin, curling around their bones like ice. The oppressive silence that followed was far worse. Megan stood frozen in place, her breath coming in shallow, panicked bursts. Her hands trembled as she clutched her jacket tighter around her, trying to hold on to the last remnants of warmth in the freezing room.

Tom was still holding the chair above his head, his muscles tensed, his expression twisted in disbelief. He stared at the door as though waiting for something to burst through it. The tapping had stopped, but the words lingered, heavy and thick in the air, like the presence of something far older and darker than they could comprehend.

Nate was pale, his eyes wide as he stepped away from the door, his back pressing into the wall. Lisa was shaking uncontrollably in the corner, her knees pulled to her chest as she rocked back and forth, muttering something under her breath—too soft for Megan to hear.

“What... what was that?” Nate finally broke the silence, his voice cracking.

Megan shook her head, her mind still reeling. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “But whatever it is... it’s not going to stop.”

Tom finally lowered the chair, his face pale but determined. “We need to break a window and get out of here. Now. No more talking. We leave.”

He moved quickly to the window, this time not hesitating as he swung the chair with all his strength. The glass shattered with a deafening crash, sending shards scattering across the floor. Cold air rushed in, biting at their skin, the howl of the wind louder than ever.

Tom leaned out the broken window, checking the drop to the ground below. It wasn’t far—maybe six or seven feet—but the snowdrifts outside were deep enough to cushion their fall.

“Alright,” he said, turning back to the others. “We’re getting out through here. We’ll hike back to the village. Maybe we missed something the first time. Maybe someone’s still there.”

Megan nodded, though the idea of going back to Raven’s Hollow sent a shiver down her spine. The village had been empty—eerily so—and she had the distinct feeling that the presence haunting them stretched beyond the cabin’s walls. Still, she knew they had no choice. Staying here was a death sentence.

Tom climbed out first, his feet sinking into the deep snow with a soft thud. He glanced around, motioning for Megan to follow.

One by one, they climbed through the window, the bitter cold cutting through their clothes, the snow crunching beneath their boots. The wind was fierce, howling through the trees, whipping at their faces as they stood outside the cabin, looking back at the dark, ominous structure. The forest seemed to press in on them from all sides, the trees towering overhead, their branches black against the gray sky.

“Which way?” Lisa asked, her voice shaking.

Tom pointed toward the narrow path leading back into the woods. “We’ll take the road back to the village. It’s the only option.”

Nate was quiet, his face pale and drawn as they set off, the snow crunching beneath their feet. Megan felt a gnawing sense of dread with every step they took, her mind racing with questions she didn’t dare voice. Was the village really the answer? Or were they walking straight into the heart of whatever malevolent force was hunting them?

They walked in silence for what felt like hours, the weight of their situation pressing down on them like a vise. The snow was falling harder now, thick and heavy, and the wind roared through the trees, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead.

After a while, Lisa fell behind, her pace slowing as she struggled through the deep snow. Megan glanced back at her, her heart sinking at the sight of her friend’s pale, trembling face.

“Lisa, are you okay?” she asked, stopping to wait for her.

Lisa nodded, but her eyes were wide with fear, and Megan could see the panic rising in her. “I’m fine,” she said, though her voice shook. “I just... I can’t stop thinking about that voice. About what it said.”

Megan swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. She had been thinking the same thing, but voicing those fears out loud made them all the more real. She reached out, squeezing Lisa’s arm in reassurance. “We’ll get out of this,” she said, though the words felt hollow.

Tom and Nate had stopped ahead, waiting for them to catch up. Tom’s expression was tight, his jaw clenched as he looked around at the darkening forest. “We need to keep moving,” he said. “We’re losing daylight.”

They pressed on, the wind howling around them, the trees swaying ominously overhead. The snow was coming down in blinding sheets now, the path ahead barely visible. Megan kept her eyes on Tom’s back, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, trying to block out the rising fear in her chest.

It wasn’t long before the feeling of being watched returned, stronger than ever. Megan glanced over her shoulder, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes scanned the tree line. Nothing. Just the endless stretch of snow and trees, but the sensation was unmistakable—something was there, lurking in the shadows, watching their every move.

“Do you feel that?” Lisa whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.

Megan nodded, her pulse quickening. “Yeah. I feel it.”

Tom stopped suddenly, holding up a hand to silence them. They all froze, their breath hanging in the air, their eyes darting around the dark forest.

“Do you hear that?” Tom asked, his voice low.

Megan strained to listen, her heart pounding in her ears. At first, there was nothing but the sound of the wind and the creaking of the trees. But then, faintly, from somewhere deep in the woods, came the unmistakable sound of footsteps.

They weren’t alone.

Megan’s heart raced, her stomach twisting with fear. The footsteps were slow, deliberate, coming closer with each passing second. The others heard it too—Lisa’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with terror, and Nate took a step back, his face pale.

“We need to move,” Tom whispered, his voice tight. “Now.”

They started walking again, faster this time, their footsteps hurried and frantic. But the sound of the footsteps behind them grew louder, keeping pace with them, closing the distance.

Megan’s breath came in short, shallow gasps as they moved through the snow, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced back again, her eyes scanning the trees, but she saw nothing. The footsteps were there, echoing through the forest, but whatever was making them remained hidden in the shadows.

“Tom,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “It’s getting closer.”

“I know,” Tom muttered through gritted teeth. “Just keep moving.”

They broke into a run, their boots sinking into the deep snow, the cold biting at their faces. The wind howled around them, and the footsteps quickened, matching their frantic pace.

Then, without warning, Lisa screamed.

Megan spun around, her heart leaping into her throat as she saw Lisa standing still, her eyes wide with terror. “Lisa, come on!” she shouted, but Lisa didn’t move. Her gaze was fixed on something in the distance, her face pale as death.

Megan rushed toward her, grabbing her arm. “Lisa, we have to go—”

But Lisa didn’t respond. Her body was rigid, her eyes locked on something in the trees.

Megan followed her gaze, and what she saw made her blood run cold.

A figure stood at the edge of the woods, barely visible through the swirling snow. It was tall—too tall—and its limbs were long and twisted, its body draped in shadows. The same figure they had seen in the cabin. The same figure that had been watching them.

“Tom!” Megan screamed, her voice cracking. “It’s here!”

Tom and Nate turned, their eyes widening as they saw the figure. Tom grabbed Lisa’s arm, pulling her back, but she didn’t budge. Her eyes were glazed over, her body stiff.

“Lisa, snap out of it!” Tom shouted, shaking her. But Lisa didn’t move. It was as if she was frozen in place, her mind locked in some horrific trance.

And then, before anyone could react, the figure moved.

It shot forward with unnatural speed, its body contorting as it closed the distance between them in seconds. Tom grabbed Lisa, pulling her toward him, but it was too late.

The figure reached out with its long, twisted arms, its shadowy form wrapping around Lisa like a vice. Her scream pierced the air, sharp and agonizing, before being cut off abruptly as the figure dragged her into the trees.

Megan’s heart stopped. “Lisa!” she screamed, lunging forward, but Tom held her back, his grip tight on her arm.

“We can’t—” he gasped, his voice breaking. “We can’t go after her.”

Nate was trembling, his eyes wide with terror. “What just happened? What just happened?”

Megan struggled against Tom’s grip, her chest heaving with sobs. “We can’t just leave her! We have to go after her!”

But the figure was gone, and so was Lisa. The only sound that remained was the howling of the wind and the faint echo of footsteps fading into the darkness.

 

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