Catherine didn't like forests. She hadn't liked them since she was a child. Trees were too still, too quiet. She remembered the stories her grandmother used to tell her, about things hiding among the roots, things that only came out at night.
As an adult, Catherine told herself it was just superstition. But something felt wrong as she walked deeper into the woods. It wasn't the way the trees grew so close, their trunks brushing against each other, nor was it the muffled noise of animals darting through the underbrush. It was something else. A feeling that crawled along her skin.
Her breath fogged the cool air as she walked, looking for a path back. Her phone had no signal. She had lost her way hours ago, the trail barely visible through the thickening trees. The ground beneath her feet was soft, thick with fallen leaves. She should have turned back when the sun started to set, but now, it was too late.
She stopped. The trees ahead of her were different. One stood out among them, its bark thick and gnarled. Its trunk twisted at an unnatural angle, like a limb bent too far, a joint dislocated. It seemed to be watching her.
Catherine felt her stomach twist. The tree had always been there, she thought. But now, it felt like it was new. Like it had never been in this forest until now. She rubbed her arms, trying to shake the feeling.
She stepped toward it. The ground was quieter here. No birds chirped. No insects buzzed. Just her, breathing and the slow creak of wood. The tree wasn't right. The closer she got, the more she could see.
Its bark had grown thick with age and cracked in places, revealing something dark beneath. Her hand reached out to touch it, her fingers trembling. She didn't know why. She'd always been cautious around old things, but this… this felt different.
When her hand made contact with the bark, the ground beneath her feet shifted. She stumbled, pulling her hand back. A loud snap echoed in the silence. Catherine turned. The forest was still. The tree was still. But something wasn't. Something was wrong. It wasn't just the tree. She could feel eyes on her.
A scream tore from her throat as a deep, gurgling voice filled the air. Her head spun. The voice came from everywhere, from the trees, from the ground, from the very air around her. "You shouldn't have touched it."
The tree shifted, its trunk twisting. It wasn't a tree anymore. The shape stretched, cracked open like a hollow skull, its dark mouth open wide. Catherine screamed again, but no sound came. The air around her grew thick, pressing in, choking her breath. She tried to run, but her legs felt like lead.
The ground beneath her feet gave way, and she fell, her body slamming into something soft and wet. She pushed herself up, hands shaking. The forest was gone. She was no longer surrounded by trees. Only that same twisted, gnarled thing was in front of her. It stared at her, its hollow mouth dripping with something dark.
"You should've stayed away," the voice hissed again.
The tree moved toward her. There was no escape now. No way out.