Scary stories in a scary atmosphere.

It was getting dark quickly, the forest was getting denser, and every rustle seemed suspicious. The fire was crackling, casting strange shadows on the boys' faces, which added to the atmosphere of horror. The story about the old mill, where a ghost supposedly roamed, was especially etched in my memory.

At first you laughed and teased each other, but the further into the forest you went, the quieter your voices became. Even the most inveterate skeptic seemed to begin to believe in the paranormal. Cold sweat broke out on you, and your heart pounded like crazy.

And then the narrator paused, looking around dramatically. At that moment, a branch snapped somewhere very close. Without thinking, you grabbed the hand that was closest. It turned out to be Maxim. He looked at you in surprise, but said nothing. He probably thought you were just frozen.

• Hey, what's wrong? Is everything okay?

You, a little embarrassed, muttered:

• Yes, I just... got a little cold. It became somehow scary.

Maxim just chuckled slightly, but said nothing. He probably really thought you were just cold.