Shadows of the Forgotten

Introduction

Little did they know, life in Black Hollow went on with a slow and predictable motion for the small, isolated town. Beneath the placid exterior seems to lie a tale of something simply eerie and ancient-the forgotten legend. Dark creatures roam the forest encircling Black Hollow town, frightening whosoever cares to stray too far. Most thought of it as some fairy-tales but this would soon change for five of them.

Characters
Lila Morris: Curiosity in a journalist hunting down her next big story.
Ethan Carter: A sceptic meaning that he thought everything had an explanation.
Nina Blake: The best friend of Lila, a very emotional and superstitious lady.
Ryan Blake: Nina's brother, totally protective one for his sister, cool-headed in every situation.
Max Turner: An adrenaline junkie, always looking for his next fix.


The Setting


It was an autumn evening, sharp and cold. That's where all the guys had gathered, around Ethan's cabin, near the infamous Blackwood Forest. "I would love to explore this forest and try to find out what is behind those stories about Forgotten," Lila said. "I heard that shadows come only for such people who disrespect the forest," Nina whispered.


Sounds like a scare tactic, Ethan sneered. "But hey, I'm game if it shuts you all up about it."

Nina hesitated, but ultimately agreed to this, and they all armed themselves with flashlights and a map of the woods.

The Descent into Darkness

The forest seemed unnervingly silent. Biting wind swirled by and towering trees closed over their heads. Their flashlights cast eerie shadows which danced on the ground like ghostly figures.

Max stood stock still, arresting the little party.

"Did anybody hear that?" he whispered in awe.

There was a small scrabbling sound, not much more than a few feet away, then a low guttural murmur. He shook his head-it was just some beast-but Nina gripped his arm. "We shouldn't be here," she whispered.

He didn't stop for her and continued walking until they reached an empty clearing. But in the centre of the clearing stood a broken stone altar, overgrown with moss, claw-like roots and the weird markings on its surface.

"It looks old," Lila said, snapping pictures. "Maybe that has something to do with the legend."

Max grinned rakishly. "Let's see if the Forgotten are real." He climbed up onto the altar, yelling out into the night, "Come and get me!"

The Shadows Stir

The forest was holding its breath. Then it heard-the unnatural chorus of whispers rising out of the darkness. The shadows around them began to shift, elongate, take on a humanoid form.

"Max, get down!" Ryan yelled.

He could do nothing but sit there. A dark figure leaped upon him, pulling him off the altar and into the night. He screamed as the others were petrified.

"Run!" Ryan yelled, grabbing Nina by the hand.

The Chase

The running, panicked crowd disappeared into the woods, but the shadows chased after, reaching out to snap them back into the darkness at every twist. Every time they were sure the figures would never be seen again, the whispers began, closer and much more menacing.

Dark crept up over the earth; Lila's beam went out like a shot. Ethan spun, hand out to lunge for her, before he'd seen the taint creeping up her legs.

"Lila, out of here!" he bellowed, scooping under her arms to heave her along. They ran till they came on Nina and Ryan by a hollow tree that stood as tall as a redwood.

"We need to find Max," Lila said between gasps.

"He's gone," Ryan said grimly. "We gotta get outta here and alive."

The Discovery

They spied a hidden cave and hoped at least that could hide them. Inside, those symbols carved on the walls were found.

"These symbols… they're warnings, aren't they?" he said. "This forest is cursed. The Forgotten were once villagers who enraged something ancient. They became shadows, forever bound to this place."

"What does it want?" Nina whispered barely above a whisper.

Ethan pointed to a carving of a figure on the altar. "It demands respect. Disturbing the altar must have woken it up."

A Desperate Plan

The group realized that appeasement was necessary, and so they had to go back to the altar. However, when they left the cave, shadows awaited. They ran back into the cave just in time to avoid their clutches.

"We are never going to make it," Nina wept.

"We have no other option," Ryan said. "We stay together, run."

The Last Stand

With his lantern, Ryan beckoned the rest of them up to the altar. The darkness now slipped in with the oppressive silence. Nina sat down, friends forming a protective ring around her as she laid out her gift - her grandmother's necklace - on the altar.

For a moment, hope flared, like shadows stilled to immobility, shapes dancing like candle flame. As if the forest quivered.

The Turn

As if the whispers had just died, Max stumbled into the clearing, his face deathly pale, his eyes unfocused.

"Max!" Lila screamed running for him.

Ryan caught her arm. "No! Look at his shadow!"

Max's shadow writhed like a snake on the ground, curling in tortured shapes around itself. He smiled, laughter feeble, mirthless, echoing with a hollow, unnatural tone.

"You've upset the balance. Now, you all will stay."

The Aftermath

The search parties did not find any people inside the cabin the next morning; the altar remained untouched. Black Hollow added five more names to the list of missing people, but the tale of the Forgotten became stronger.

Shadows danced like circus acts at Blackwood Forest, swirling and dodging anxiously as they waited for the unsuspecting next victim to stumble into their realm.