A narrow, winding road cuts through dense, overgrown woods. The sky is bruised with streaks of orange and gray, the sun dripping below the horizon. A single driver through, it's headlight cutting through the growing darkness.
Julie Joseph grips the steering wheel with one hand. A travel mug sits in the cup holder, forgotten. On the passenger seat, a map is unfolded, with "CHANDRAKUND" circle in the red ink.
The radio hums softly, playing an old tune. Suddenly, the signal begins to crackle.
Radio,
(static)...aday...not.....(static).....safe
Julie frown, glancing at the radio. She adjust the dial, but the static persists.
Julie panted , "Seriously".
She press the off button. The static lingers for a moment longer, then cuts out abruptly.
She exhales, shaking her head, and turns her attention back to the road.
The tree thin out, revealing the outline of weathered sign, its paint peeling.
"NO ENTRY TO CHANDRAKUND" written in the signboard.
Julie slow down, her eyes narrowing at the sign. She pulls out her phone and snaps a photo. Julie (under her breath) "Guess this is it".
Julie's car creeps into the town, her headlight illuminating empty streets. Houses stand eerily intact and abandoned, their window dark and lifeless.
A wind chime clicks softly in the breeze. A bike lies overturned in the middle of the road, rusted and forgotten.
Julie to herself "Chandrakund, let's see what secret you're hiding".
She moves cautiously, snapping photos of the empty stores, a gas station with shattered windows, and a playground overtaken by weeds.
Julie stops at the edge of the playground. A swing creaks, swaying gently in the breeze. She hesitates, then walk closer, her camera clicking. She notices something - a child's shoe, muddy and small, lying under the swing, She crouches down to inspect it.
A faint whisper drift through the air.
"Julie....."(whisper from nowhere),
Julie freezes, her breath catching. She glances around, but the playground is still.
''HELLO"(Julie begin to search for the voice),
The winds picks up, rustling the trees. She stands, shaking off the unease, and continuous towards the town hall.
The door creeks as Julie pushes it open. Her flashlight cut through the darkness, revealing a room cluttered with papers, overturned chairs and scattered belonging.
"What is this " ( Julie whisper to herself)
She picks up the tape. The label reads " FINAL DAYS : TAPE 1 ".
She looks around and spot a cassette player on the floor, Dusting it off, she inserts the tape and presses "PLAY". For a moment, there's nothing but static. Then, a faint voice emerges- a girl's voice, trembling and uneven.
The sound from William James Tapes, "If you're hearing this....it's too late.
Julie's eye widen. She lean closer to the tape player as the voices continue.
"It started with the sound. At first, it was so quite, we didn't know what it was. But it got louder. It's always listening, always.....watching. "
Suddenly, the tape cuts to a high - pitched whine, and Julie flinches, yanking off her headphones. The white fades into an unnatural silence - thick, oppressive, almost deafening.
Julie whisper to herself "What the hell was that "
The silence presses in, making her heartbeat thunder in her ears. She gathers the tapes into her bag, her movement hurried.
As she turns to leave, her flashlight flickers. In the brief moment of darkness, a shadowy figure stands at the far end of the room.
Julie freezes, her breath catching.
"Who is there" Julie bring her flashlight towards the shadow and figure is gone.
Julie to herself "Great. Creepy abandoned town plus hallucination. Fantastic. ".
Julie steps into the empty square. The night has grown darker, the silence oppressive. She glances over the shoulder, uneasy, then heads towards her car.
From the shadow, a faint whisper rises again.
"Julie....."""
She stops dead in her tracks, spinning around. No one is there.
Julie to herself "I'm hearing things. That's all, Just...hearing things.
She gets into her car, locks the door, and leans back, exhaling shakily.
To be continued.....