Mara stepped from her car, shivering as the chilly air bit through her jacket. Her flashlight beam flickered unsteadily over the overgrown path leading to the cabin. In the stillness, the only sound was the crunch of leaves beneath her boots and the distant caw of a crow.

Mara pushed open the door, its rusty hinges groaning in protest. Dust motes danced in her flashlight’s beam as she entered, her breath visible in the cold air. The faint scent of mildew and decaying wood made her nose wrinkle.

Mara picked up the photograph, her fingers trembling. Something about the faces unsettled her—they seemed almost to be watching her. She turned as a sudden gust of wind slammed the door shut behind her, plunging the room into near darkness.

The silence was shattered by a low, unintelligible whisper that seemed to come from the walls themselves. "Who's there? Show yourself!" Her voice quavered, but the only reply was a chorus of faint, overlapping voices, repeating her name in a breathless chant.

Mara backed away, her heart pounding in her ears. "This can't be real. I need to get out—" The door refused to budge, no matter how hard she pushed. The voices grew louder, their words twisting into threats and pleas.

She tumbled out onto the damp earth, gasping for breath as the whispers faded behind her. Weak sunlight warmed her face as she staggered to her feet, casting one last terrified glance at the cabin. The forest was silent once more, but Mara knew she would never forget the voices that haunted the woods.