Rural

The late afternoon sun filtered through the pines, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Mara Jennings adjusted her backpack straps and pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear, her eyes scanning the familiar trail ahead. She’d hiked this path countless times, but today something felt different. The air hummed with an energy she couldn’t quite place. As she rounded a bend, a flash of white caught her eye. Mara paused, squinting at a nearby tree trunk. Etched into the bark was an unfamiliar symbol - a series of interlocking spirals surrounding what looked like a stylized arrowhead. She ran her fingers over the carving, feeling the roughness beneath her skin. ...

The gentle rustling of book pages and the soft tapping of computer keys filled the air of Willow Creek Public Library. Meredith Hayes sat at the circulation desk, her dark hair pulled back in a neat bun, eyes fixed on the computer screen before her. She frowned, leaning in closer as she scrolled through the library’s monthly budget report. Something wasn’t adding up. Meredith had been working at the library for over a decade, and she prided herself on her attention to detail. The numbers staring back at her from the screen didn’t match the careful records she’d been keeping. There was a discrepancy of several thousand dollars, and it wasn’t the first time she’d noticed such an irregularity in recent months. ...

The old pickup truck rattled to a stop in front of the faded “Welcome to Ravenswood” sign. Mara Caldwell gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white. Five years. It had been five long years since she’d seen this place. The quaint main street looked much the same - the general store with its weather-beaten awning, the post office where townsfolk still gathered to gossip, the steeple of the Methodist church rising above the treeline. ...

The ancient oak creaked as Evelyn Foster stretched to hang the “Welcome to Willow Creek” banner across Main Street. A gust of wind caught the fabric, nearly yanking it from her grasp. She steadied herself on the rickety ladder, silently cursing her mother’s insistence on this garish display. “Need a hand?” A deep voice startled her, and she glanced down to see an unfamiliar face peering up with concern. “Oh! I’m fine, thanks,” Evelyn replied, flustered. She tucked a stray strand of chestnut hair behind her ear, acutely aware of how disheveled she must look. “Just putting up this silly banner.” ...

The ground shook beneath Mira Thorne’s feet as she sprinted through the dense pine forest, dodging fallen branches and leaping over exposed roots. Behind her, a deafening roar filled the air, accompanied by the sickening sound of splintering wood and crumbling earth. She risked a glance over her shoulder and her breath caught in her throat. Where the center of Pinewood Grove had stood just moments ago, a gaping maw of darkness now yawned, swallowing buildings whole as it spread outward at an alarming rate. ...

Mira Lawson drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, willing her ancient Subaru to climb the last winding stretch of road into Willowbrook. As the “Welcome” sign came into view, its faded paint barely legible, she felt a familiar tightness in her chest. This place had always felt too small, too stifling. Now it was supposed to be her salvation. The tires crunched on gravel as she pulled into the parking lot of the Willowbrook Gazette. The newspaper’s offices occupied a weathered Victorian house that had seen better days, much like the publication itself. Mira took a deep breath, steeling herself before grabbing her laptop bag and heading inside. ...

Eliza Thornwood peered out her bedroom window, a frown creasing her brow. The ancient oak tree in her front yard swayed gently, its leaves rustling in a nonexistent breeze. She could have sworn she heard whispers carried on the still night air. “You’re losing it, old girl,” she muttered, shaking her head. At seventy-two, Eliza prided herself on her sharp mind and pragmatic nature. She wasn’t one for flights of fancy or superstitious nonsense. And yet… ...

The willows wept silently along the edges of Elmhaven, their long branches drooping as if burdened by an unseen weight. Mira Thorne paused at the town’s weathered gate, her basket of herbs clutched tightly against her chest. The usual bustle of the market square had dwindled to a haunting quiet, broken only by the occasional cough echoing from an open window. She quickened her pace, eyes downcast to avoid the suspicious glares of the few townspeople still brave enough to venture outdoors. The hem of her worn green cloak caught on a loose cobblestone, nearly sending her sprawling. Mira righted herself with a soft curse, checking to ensure none of her precious cargo had spilled. ...

The gentle rustle of pages filled the air as Meredith Sawyer methodically worked her way through a stack of ledgers. The warm glow of her desk lamp cast long shadows across the library’s main room, now empty save for her presence. Outside, twilight settled over Willow Creek, painting the sky in muted purples and deep blues. Meredith’s brow furrowed as she tapped her pen against the open book before her. Something wasn’t adding up. She’d been reviewing the library’s financial records for hours, a task she’d undertaken hundreds of times before. But tonight, a nagging sense of unease had taken root in the pit of her stomach. ...

The old pickup truck rattled down the winding mountain road, its suspension groaning with each pothole. Dr. Evelyn Marsh gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white as she navigated the unfamiliar terrain. The dense forest pressed in on both sides, creating a claustrophobic tunnel of green. Evelyn glanced at the handwritten directions scrawled on a Post-it note stuck to the dashboard. “Left at the giant oak,” she muttered. “What constitutes a ‘giant’ oak out here?” ...