The first rays of dawn painted the village in hues of orange and gold, but the usual warmth of morning felt muted. The forest seemed to loom closer than it had the day before, its trees standing like silent sentinels, guarding secrets best left undisturbed.
Kail woke with a start, his dreams a tangled mess of indistinct shapes and muffled screams. He sat up, blinking away the haze, and glanced at the others. Sandra hummed softly as she kneaded dough at the table, while Elara still lay sprawled under her blanket, snoring lightly.
"Kail," Dial's voice broke the quiet.
Kail turned to see Dial leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed. His usual calm was tinged with something else—concern, maybe.
"You looked like you were fighting a bear in your sleep," Dial said. "Bad dreams?"
"Something like that," Kail muttered, swinging his legs off the bed.
"Hmm." Dial didn't press further. "Walter's heading out to check the northern fence. He wants us to come along."
Kail groaned. "Another fence? Can't we do something less boring for once?"
"Maybe if you didn't mess around so much, we'd get done faster," Dial replied with a smirk.
Kail smirked back, grabbing his boots. "Race you there, then?"
The northern edge of the village was quieter than usual. Walter was already inspecting the fence, his weathered hands running along the wooden posts.
"Morning, boys," he called without turning around.
"Morning," Dial replied. Kail gave a half-hearted wave, his attention already drifting to the forest beyond.
It was still. Too still.
Kail stepped closer to the tree line, his curiosity outweighing his caution. The forest felt...different. The air was heavy, almost oppressive, and the usual rustle of leaves and chirping of birds was conspicuously absent.
"Don't wander off," Walter said sharply, his tone cutting through the quiet.
"I'm not wandering," Kail replied, though he took a step back toward the fence.
Dial joined him, his expression serious. "You feel it too, don't you?"
"Feel what?" Kail asked, though he already knew the answer.
Dial hesitated. "It's like the forest is...watching."
Kail opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden snap of a twig made both boys whip their heads around. A shadow darted between the trees, too fast to make out.
"Did you see that?" Kail whispered.
Dial nodded, his hand unconsciously gripping the small knife at his belt.
"Boys!" Walter's voice startled them. "Get over here."
They turned to see him motioning them back toward the fence. Reluctantly, they obeyed.
By the time they returned to the village, the unease from the forest lingered like a bad taste.
"Something's not right," Kail said, glancing over at Dial.
"You're just noticing that now?" Dial replied dryly.
They made their way to the central square, where villagers bustled about their daily routines. The normalcy felt almost jarring after the quiet tension of the forest.
"Maybe we should tell someone," Dial suggested.
"Tell them what?" Kail asked. "That we saw a shadow and got spooked?"
Dial frowned but didn't argue.
Elara spotted them from across the square and ran over, her face flushed with excitement. "You two! Come on, we're playing explorers!"
"Not now, Elara," Dial said, his voice sharper than intended.
Elara's smile faltered. "Why not?"
"Because we're busy," Dial replied.
Kail put a hand on her shoulder, softening the blow. "Maybe later, okay?"
Elara pouted but nodded. "Fine. But you'd better not forget."
The day passed in a blur of chores and whispered conversations. By evening, the sense of unease had spread. Even the adults seemed more subdued, their laughter quieter and their gazes often drifting toward the forest.
Sandra served dinner with a forced cheerfulness that fooled no one. Kail poked at his food, his appetite dulled by the nagging feeling that something was coming.
After the meal, the family gathered around the hearth. Walter spoke of mundane things—weather, repairs, plans for the coming week—but his tone was distant.
Kail sat quietly, his mind racing. He thought of the shadow in the forest, the silence, the way the air seemed to press down on him like a physical weight.
When the others finally turned in for the night, Kail stayed by the fire, staring into the flames.
Hours later, he woke to the sound of distant screams.
For a moment, he thought he was still dreaming. But as the screams grew louder, more desperate, he realized the nightmare had spilled into the waking world.
Kail bolted upright, his heart pounding.
"What's going on?" Dial's voice came from the doorway, shaky but steady.
"I don't know," Kail replied, grabbing the nearest object that could serve as a weapon—a sturdy piece of firewood.
Sandra rushed in, her face pale. "Stay here. Both of you."
"Like hell," Kail said, already heading for the door.
"Kail!" Sandra snapped. "Listen to me—"
The sound of shattering wood cut her off. Something was breaking through the village gates.
"Mom?" Elara's small voice came from the other room.
Sandra turned to Dial. "Get her. Now."
Dial nodded and disappeared into the other room.
Kail gripped the firewood tightly, his palms sweating. He stepped closer to Sandra, his voice barely above a whisper. "What's happening?"
Her answer was cut short as a shadow loomed in the doorway.