(the introduction)
The night was eerily quiet, and darkness seeped into every corner of the dense forest. A girl panted, dragging her feet through the mud, while her rapid breaths were almost the only sound breaking the heavy silence. She felt danger closing in, wrapping around her like a noose tightening around her neck.
She spoke to herself in a whisper, trying to push herself to keep running. But her body was betraying her, as if fear was draining all her energy.
She had called the police just minutes ago, when she felt the threat drawing closer. She remembered the officer's voice trying to calm her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they wouldn't arrive in time. She was alone in the darkness, with no one to save her.
...
Minutes before, she had reached the point of no return. She stood in the middle of the forest, gasping for breath, scanning the area around her. The darkness was thick, and the tall pine trees blocked any light from reaching her. She felt the darkness conspiring against her, hiding the path and driving her towards doom.
She raised her trembling hand and dialed the police. After a few moments, an officer's voice answered.
"911, how can I help you?"
She swallowed hard, trying to gather her strength to speak. "Please… help me, I'm in danger."
"Calm down, miss. We're here to help you. Where exactly are you? Can you describe your surroundings?"
She looked around, trying to see any distinguishing features that might help them find her. But all she saw were endless trees and shadows moving everywhere. "I… I can't pinpoint my location. I'm in the forest near the old road…"
"Don't worry, we'll find you. Just stay on the line and keep talking to me. Can you see anything that might indicate your exact location?"
Before she could respond, she heard footsteps coming from behind her. The sound was very close, as if someone following her was near enough to catch her. She turned quickly, but all she saw was a shadow hiding among the trees, and the call disconnected.
Fear overwhelmed her, and she started running again, but this time her steps faltered in the mud, as if the ground itself was trying to stop her.
As she ran, she felt something touch her shoulder. She turned quickly, but no one was there. Her senses were on high alert, every sound or movement amplifying the fear in her heart. Suddenly, she felt a cold hand gripping her arm tightly. She screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to break free from the grip, but the strength holding her was inhuman.
She fell to the ground, feeling the darkness enveloping her completely. She tried to scream, but her voice was choked in her throat. She was certain of only one thing: this was the end of the road.