Celine
The tension is so thick it feels like a living thing pressing down on us. Sebastian’s sharp, focused expression says it all, he’s ready to order us back to the cars after that eerie, childlike laugh echoed through the trees. The sound doesn’t sit right in my chest, and the rustling nearby sends a shiver racing up my spine.
I step toward the sound, curiosity overriding my better judgment. Pushing through the trees, I move cautiously, trying to make out the source of the noise. Behind me, I sense Sebastian, Dolton, and Jonathan following, their presence both reassuring and heavy with unspoken concern.
As we press forward, weaving between ancient trees whose gnarled branches twist like claws, something comes into view that makes my breath catch.
A cage.
It’s large, rusted, and cov
