Prologue

The moon shone gently in the dark, starless sky, casting a soft blue light over the lake. The wind whistled through the pine trees scattered over the mountain top, and leaves were blown away, hovering in the air for a brief moment before falling into the lake.

The thin, almost weightless leaves seemed to trigger the things below; the clear water grew agitated, taken on a blackish-brown hue. Shortly after, a thousand ripples spread on the water surface like wildfire, covering the entire lake in a matter of a few seconds.

It was that time of the night where monsters were out and about, yet the campers sitting around the bright, crackling fire on the shore didn't seem to notice the strange atmosphere permeating the air. As everyone was engrossed in gossiping or singing along to a guitar, no one paid attention to the lake.

But eventually, they realized something was off and the boisterous atmosphere came to a sudden halt, though it was already too late.

A foul smell drifted to their noses, making their stomachs churn. When the campers turned their heads toward where the stench seemed to originate, their hearts jumped to their throats; some even forgot to breathe.

Strange humanoid shadows were crawling onto the waterside, things that should not exist in real life. At first, they were painfully dragging their broken bodies forward, but the moment they noticed the campers' gazes, their slow movements became faster. Smiles full of sharp teeth stretched their mouths wide open, their eyes glowing with madness.

Soon, blood-curdling screams and choked sobs resonated throughout the mountain, just like a mournful melody.

Time ticked by, and not long after, silence fell upon the lake once more, the water regaining its previous calm and clear color. Except for the tents and the dying fire, there was no trace left of the campers, not even blood splatter.

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Edited by Val!

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