Elias

In a small town, surrounded by ancient forests and forgotten mountains, lived simple families and many children who played in the dirt streets. But there was a story that everyone knew—or pretended not to know—about a mysterious being that inhabited the woods. They said he kidnapped children on foggy nights, and that afterwards, people simply forgot they ever existed. Only other children remembered. And no one believed them. Among these children were Elias, a fifteen-year-old boy, and his best friend Clara. They were inseparable and loved exploring the forest behind the city. But one afternoon, while walking deeper than ever before, they got lost. As the sun began to set, Elias realized that Clara was no longer by his side. He called, searched, shouted... All he found were her torn clothes, scattered among the leaves. In the following days, he tried to tell everyone what he had seen. But everyone said that there had never been a girl named Clara. Even her parents seemed not to remember. Years passed. Elias grew up and left the city, but the memory of his lost friend never left him. Years later, now an adult, he decided to return. The city was different, quieter... And at night, it was still possible to hear children's laughter coming from the forest. Driven by the desire to discover the truth, Elias went back into the woods. After walking for hours, he saw a bright light among the trees. He hid and watched: a group of hooded people formed a circle around a large bonfire. In the center, something was moving... a female figure with a pale face, eyes of an impossible color, and a crooked smile. Elias accidentally stepped on a dry branch. The sound echoed. The members of the sect turned around at the same time. He ran desperately, hearing footsteps behind him. Before he could escape completely, he looked back—and his blood ran cold. The woman watches him through the flames.