Raw thrill Before the End

One day, Peter was wandering through the forest as he usually did. Today, however, he walked much further into the forest, driven by a sudden curiosity. “Why not explore deeper into the woods?” he thought. He wanted to see what secrets lay hidden in the forest’s depths. "Does anyone live there? But who would live so deep in the forest?" he wondered to himself.

Lost in his own imagination, the boy ventured further into the dense woods, where massive trees stood towering overhead. Their thick canopies blocked out the sky, allowing only a faint light to trickle through the branches. The darkness of the forest brought Peter a strange sense of peace, and his excitement was at its peak.

There was no sound now; the forest was silent and dark, creating an atmosphere that could frighten any child. Yet Peter wasn’t scared. Instead, he was eager to uncover something new in the forest’s depths.

As he ventured further, his eyes caught sight of what seemed to be the shape of a hut. He moved closer to get a better look and realized it was indeed a small hut. He could hardly believe it.

“Amazing! Truly incredible! Does someone actually live here, in such a dark forest? I can't believe it!” he exclaimed to himself.

Without hesitation, Peter stepped inside the hut, but no one was there. Suddenly, a voice called out, “Welcome, little visitor!”

The voice came from behind the hut. Peter quickly walked around to see who it was.

There stood an old man, his hands covered in paint. The old man smiled at Peter and said in a hoarse voice, “Welcome to this desolate, dark forest, my little guest!”

Peter stood silent for a moment before asking, “Do you live here all alone?”

“Yes, I live here all by myself,” the old man replied with a chuckle.

The old man was working on a painting, which was quite large.

“Are you an artist?” Peter asked curiously.

“Yes, my little guest. Do you like painting?”

“I have no experience with it. This is the first time I’ve seen someone painting in person,” Peter replied.

“You are very honest,” the old man said with a gentle smile.

“My grandmother taught me to always be honest in life,” Peter said. “She said God becomes angry if we are not truthful.”

At this, the old man laughed loudly but said nothing further.

“What are you painting?” Peter asked with growing curiosity.

“You’ll understand once it’s finished. Until then, just watch quietly,” the old man replied.

“Alright,” Peter agreed.

Peter sat down beside the old man and watched him paint. He soon became so engrossed in the painting’s mystery and beauty that he lost track of time. The forest, already dark, began to grow even darker as the sun dipped below the horizon. The old man lit an old lantern to continue his work.

As time passed, the lantern’s flame dimmed, but the old man remained deeply absorbed in his painting.

Finally, the old man noticed Peter still sitting nearby. “You’re still here, little one? You should head home now. Your parents must be looking for you,” he said.

Peter snapped out of his daydream and looked around. It was pitch dark. He bid the old man farewell and promised to visit him again the next day.

The old man decided to accompany Peter partway, as the boy had a long journey home through the dark forest. When they reached close to Peter’s house, the old man bid him goodbye and vanished back into the dense woods.

Peter had invited the old man to visit his home, but the old man politely declined, saying he would visit another time.

Before leaving, the old artist placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder and said, “Every time you return, this forest will offer you something new. Just follow your heart.”

A/N:- I know that many of my stories feature an old man, perhaps even an artist. But this time, have a little patience; I'm about to shock you in a very unexpected way. Please wait for the next part.