Diana

• Diana!! There's someone in the tree! - You screamed in horror, looking at the tall figure in the tree.

You were the girl who loved to run from guards, wandering through abandoned buildings and forests. Today was no exception. You went into the forest with a friend. Legend had it that anyone who entered died there, and no one could figure out why. You wanted to find out.

They said the forest disliked the curious. That it seemed to "remember" those who ventured too deep. But you always laughed at such rumors.

Boredom-stricken, you glanced at your friend and suggested they take a stroll through the forest. Finding flashlights in your backpack, you ventured deep into the forest, and, unaware that it had already gotten dark, you continued along the path. With each step, the trees seemed to grow closer together. As if the path was narrowing not because of the darkness, but because the forest was so eager.

After walking like this for a few minutes, you looked at your friend and said you were tired. You stopped and sat down on the ground, starting to talk about your own business.

"And imagine, this clown said that I'm a bastard, that he cheated on me!!" your friend Diana said with fury in her voice, telling about her ex-boyfriend who cheated on her.

You listened without interrupting. Sometimes you felt a strange pause between her words—one too long, as if someone was listening along with you. When you started to doze off, she'd wake you and continue her story, but you weren't interested. At some point, you realized you couldn't remember how much time had passed. The phone had long since died, and the clock seemed to have stopped.

But then, about an hour had passed: everything suddenly became quiet. Too quiet, even; the silence weighed on your shoulders and burrowed right into your soul, causing you to shiver. There were no crickets, no rustling leaves. Even your own breathing seemed alien and too loud. You thought someone was looking at you, but convinced yourself it was just the cold. Not to mention, your friend hadn't felt the same way when you asked her. (sold in TGC: h8t3fr1l)