Folklore Chronicles of the Unusual (Part Three)

Story One

It was a day of persistent drizzle, and the entire village was enveloped in a grayish mist, creating an eerie atmosphere. A few friends and I decided to make use of our time after school and ventured to a grassy field just outside the village. In those times of scarcity, we knew there might be something edible there.

The field was not far from the village, but due to its infrequent visitors, it appeared desolate and mysterious. As we entered the field, a chill ran through us, and it felt as though there was an odd, unsettling presence in the air.

Initially, we were merely looking for something to eat when we suddenly heard a faint cry in the distance, as if someone were weeping. My friends and I exchanged uneasy glances, a growing sense of disquiet settling in.

Soon, the crying grew clearer, as if it were approaching. A shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively glanced behind me, but there was nothing to be seen. However, the crying became louder and more piercing, as if it were drilling directly into my ears.

Panic began to spread among my friends, and someone suggested we should leave the area quickly. But just as we turned to depart, a dark figure suddenly materialized in front of us, vaguely resembling a human but indistinct.

My heart tightened, and the surroundings started warping, as if we had entered a bizarre world. The figure drew nearer, and I could sense a powerful malevolent aura emanating from it.

I tried to flee, but my legs felt as though they were nailed to the ground, immovable. The figure drew closer, and I could clearly see its features - a pallid face covered in cracks, with hollow, lifeless eyes.

My heart raced, and it felt like an invisible hand was constricting my throat. The figure got so close that I could feel its breath, a foul stench washing over me.

Just then, a beam of light suddenly shot from the distance, and the figure let out a piercing scream, dissipating into a cloud of black smoke. We breathed a sigh of relief, and the light drew nearer, finally revealing an elderly man in robes, holding a staff.

The old man told us that the field had once been an ancient burial ground, housing the grave of an evil sorcerer. In recent years, people had heard his cries, and strange occurrences had taken place. The old man was a Taoist priest and had come to subdue the sorcerer.

Listening to the priest's account, we felt a chill run down our spines. This quiet field had concealed such a terrifying secret. We deeply sensed the existence of malevolent forces and respected the mystical power of the old man. Humans can never fully grasp or understand the mysteries of the natural world; we can only proceed cautiously and respect the forces of nature.

Story Two

This story was related to me by a classmate, but he only shared about half of it, and there was no conclusion because he left the village abruptly due to family reasons, losing contact with the other friends who witnessed the events. Let me recount the story for you.

He had a village friend, let's call him Xiao Ming, who was superstitious and had a fascination with stories of the supernatural. He often sought divinations for various matters. One day, he heard that a mysterious diviner had arrived at the village temple, rumored to possess the ability to predict the future. Curiosity piqued, Xiao Ming decided to experience this mystical prediction for himself.

That day, with an inexplicable sense of unease, Xiao Ming entered the ancient temple where the diviner was located. The temple exuded an atmosphere of reverence and awe. The diviner was an elderly man, his appearance kind but with unexpectedly sharp eyes. Xiao Ming sat before the diviner, handed over a copper coin, and awaited the unfolding spectacle.

Taking the coin, the diviner closed his eyes and began to gently sway it in his hand. The copper coin spun and chimed as though it held a secret to reveal. After a moment, the diviner ceased his motion, casting the coin onto a piece of cloth and then stared intently.

A long pause followed before the diviner finally spoke, his voice deep and ancient, "Young man, your destiny is different from others. The hexagram indicates that an unfortunate event will occur in three days."

Xiao Ming's heart skipped a beat. Though he had come seeking excitement, the prediction sent shivers down his spine. He struggled to maintain composure and asked, "What do you mean by 'unfortunate'? Will I be in danger?"

The diviner shook his head slowly, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Fate is like a river, winding and unpredictable. 'Unfortunate' doesn't necessarily mean disaster; it may also signify an opportunity to change one's destiny. In three days, you will encounter a chance, but you must handle it with care to emerge from the mist."

Xiao Ming nodded silently and accepted the incense offered by the diviner. He couldn't help but feel that this prediction was unlike the usual terrifying stories he enjoyed – it seemed to contain a deeper meaning. He left the temple, his mind filled with uncertainty about what the future held.

Indeed, over the next three days, a series of unusual events began to unfold. On the first day, a crow smashed through a window at his house, seeming to foreshadow ill omens. The following day, while returning to the temple to consult the diviner, a sudden gust of wind knocked over an incense burner, sending a shiver down his spine. The most unsettling of all was the night of the third day when, as he lay in bed, he suddenly felt a suffocating pressure on his chest, as if something heavy were bearing down on him. He struggled to sit up but found himself utterly immobile, overcome by an icy dread.

And here the story ends, for the events of the second and third days remain shrouded in mystery, known only through vague and incomplete accounts heard from others. Whether Xiao Ming could decipher the diviner's prophecy and how he would navigate the upcoming opportunities and challenges remained an enigma.