Evelyn Brooks, a travel writer seeking forgotten places, steps out of her car, shivering as a cold wind whips through the narrow streets. Her boots splash in puddles as she surveys the silent village, sensing an unnatural stillness. Shadows seem to linger longer here, stretching out as if watching her every move.
Evelyn Brooks checks into the only inn, where the proprietor, Mrs. Dalloway, greets her with wary eyes and a trembling smile. "You’re brave to visit Hollow Creek in October," she says, voice barely above a whisper. "I heard it’s beautiful, but... is there something I should know?" "Just stay indoors after midnight," comes the cryptic reply.
Drawn by curiosity, Evelyn follows a narrow trail into the forest, where the trees crowd together, blocking out the weak sun. She stumbles upon a circle of stones, each etched with the same markings she saw in town. In the center sits a decaying effigy, its hollow eyes staring straight through her.
Old Thomas, the village caretaker with a limp and haunted eyes, catches Evelyn near the woods. "You shouldn’t go near the stones," he warns, his voice trembling. "Why? What happens here after dark?" "This village remembers. Some things don’t stay buried," he replies, glancing nervously at the encroaching shadows.
Evelyn peers through her window, heart pounding as she watches ghostly shapes weaving between houses. A chorus of whispers drifts on the wind, rising and falling like the tide. Her breath fogs the glass as she realizes the voices are calling her name.
She follows the spectral figures to the circle of stones, where they coalesce into shadowy forms. The effigy pulses, its eyes glowing with an eerie light. "What do you want from me?" she cries, her voice swallowed by the wind. The shadows whisper memories of old betrayals and unspoken sins, demanding Evelyn bear witness to the village’s haunted past.
Evelyn Brooks packs her bags, her mind reeling with the night’s horrors. As she drives away, she glances in her rearview mirror and sees the effigy standing at the edge of the woods, watching her go. Hollow Creek remains silent, its secrets buried for now—but the whispers linger, echoing in Evelyn’s dreams.
