Chapter 6 “The Village Beyond the Mist
1326 Words
The three siblings gathered on the old wooden veranda after finishing breakfast. Beneath their feet, the planks creaked softly with every movement, while the mountain peaks across from them were drowned in thick mist, allowing only pale strands of sunlight to struggle through.
Leo stood at the edge of the veranda, his phone held high, switching angles with obvious excitement, as if he were filming a scene from a movie he never wanted to end.
He spoke with exaggerated annoyance for the camera,
“Two whole days trapped inside this ancient house. Just imagine our friends’ reactions back in the city when they see us camping among these mountains! This will be the greatest video I’ve ever made.”
Carly narrowed her eyes at him, impatience clear in her expression.
“Camping? Leo, we’ve barely figured out the layout of this house, and Stephanie still needs rest.”
Stephanie lifted her head slowly and spoke in a calm tone unfamiliar enough to make Carly pause. There was a faint resonance in her voice.
“I’m fine, Carly. Really. The air here… despite how cold it is, makes me feel as if my lungs are breathing freely for the first time in years. Leo’s idea isn’t bad. I need to be close to nature, away from walls.”
At that moment, their father, Anderson, stepped onto the veranda, a cup of coffee in his hand. Fatigue and focus were etched across his face.
“I heard the word ‘camping’… didn’t I?”
Silence lingered for a few seconds before Leo took a step forward, a mischievous smile on his lips.
“Dad, didn’t we come here for what you call ‘healing through nature’? Camping is the ultimate form of healing. We’ll be careful—I promise.”
Anderson shook his head slowly, leaning against the wooden railing.
“No, Leo. This place isn’t like the parks you’re used to. The forest here is deep—and deceptive. And we have priorities.”
He gestured toward the wooden staircase leading down.
“Look at those steps. They’re barely holding together. We need to fix the house first.”
Leo smiled with unexpected confidence and placed a hand on his father’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already thought it through. I contacted some local builders in the village and asked about their schedule. They’ll come in a week to fix everything. Which means this week… we’re completely free.”
Anderson let out a short laugh, a blend of surprise and reluctant admiration.
“You? Thinking about construction workers? Seems the mountain air has affected you more than I expected.”
Then he straightened, his tone turning firm once again.
“Alright. I’ll agree—but on one condition.”
All three of them straightened instantly.
He continued,
“First, you’ll explore the village properly. I want you to know the place you’re living in—the people, the paths—before you even think about venturing into the forests or distant mountains. Today, you’ll walk through the village and return before sunset. Tomorrow, we’ll continue the discussion about camping.”
The siblings exchanged quick glances, triumph unmistakable on their faces.
Carly spoke as she immediately pulled out her notebook.
“Deal. I’ll start making a list of everything we’ll need—tents, flashlights, canned food, and an extra first-aid kit for Stephanie. We’ll buy everything today while we explore.”
Anderson took out his wallet and handed each of them a sufficient amount of money.
“Stay together. And don’t be late returning before sunset. The forest shows no mercy to those who lose their way in the dark.”
They stepped out of the old house, and as they moved farther away, a sudden chill ran through Stephanie’s body. It felt as though unseen eyes were watching her from between the dense trees.
She didn’t know why—but she felt that stepping away from her father’s shadow
was far less safe than it seemed
The three of them walked down the sloping path from their grandfather’s house toward the heart of the village. The air was thick with the scent of damp pine wood, mingled with the rich, dark aroma of the soil—an earthy smell that spoke of age… and something else, something hard to name.
Leo led the way with long, confident strides, adjusting his small backpack on his shoulder while pointing his phone here and there, recording a new vlog.
“Look at this mist!”
he exclaimed with his usual enthusiasm, slowly panning the camera.
“It’s like we’re in a scene from a silent movie.”
He then turned to Stephanie, studying her closely.
“Steph, have you noticed how people have been staring at us since we arrived? Even when I was unpacking, I saw an old man standing by our fence, muttering strange words… At first, I thought he was welcoming us, but his expression… it wasn’t reassuring at all.”
Stephanie paused mid-step, a sharp yet fleeting pang of unease striking her chest.
“Leo, stop making up stories just to get more views,” she said, her tone calm, trying to sound confident.
“Maybe he was just surprised to see new faces in such an isolated village.”
Carly chuckled without lifting her head from the notebook in her hands.
“Or maybe he was just shivering at Leo’s stupidity.”
Then she gestured ahead.
“Well, anyway, that’s the village store. We need to get the tents and all the supplies now, so we don’t have to come back later.”
They stepped into the small store, the air inside rich with the smell of dark coffee and aged tobacco.
The moment their feet crossed the threshold, a heavy silence fell over the room. Conversations stopped, and the few villagers present fixed their cold, unwavering gazes on them, long looks that held nothing of innocent curiosity.
Leo felt embarrassed for the first time, fiddling with his phone in a show of nonchalance.
Carly immediately immersed herself in searching through the shelves.
Stephanie, however, froze in place.
In the corner of the store stood a large man wearing a black leather jacket. His eyes were sharp, unblinking, like a hawk sizing up its prey.
He did not look at Leo or Carly.
His gaze was fixed solely on Stephanie.
Suddenly, her breath tightened, and that familiar feeling in her chest—the one she had long called “asthma”—returned.
But this time, it wasn’t illness.
It was a different kind of constriction… a silent awe in the face of a commanding presence she had never experienced before.
“Stephanie? Are you okay?”
Carly asked anxiously, noticing the pale look on her sister’s face.
“I… I’m fine,” Stephanie whispered, her voice shaky.
“Just… the air feels heavy here.”
Her eyes did not leave the man as he moved suddenly toward the store’s door. He left without a word, leaving behind a pungent scent…
reminiscent of the forest after a storm.
The three of them walked along the paved path toward the library, which appeared ahead after a short distance.
Leo gestured around and said, “Looks like the village isn’t abandoned after all… wide streets, lots of buildings, and even a train station in the distance.”
Stephanie nodded. “Indeed… and the library is huge! I’m guessing it holds thousands of books, and it seems like a tourist spot too.”
Carly chuckled. “And among all this, there are schools, a hospital, pharmacies… in short, the village has everything.”
They looked around in awe, and Leo smiled. “So today won’t be just a quick tour. I think we’ll need more than one day to explore everything here.”
Stephanie blinked and added, “Right… let’s save the rest for later. Today, we’ll stick to the library and some nearby streets.”
- Writer
