A Stranger in the Woods

Lily had never been one to believe in the supernatural. She’d grown up with stories about monsters and myths—nothing more than fairy tales told around a campfire. But as she stood on the edge of the dense forest, staring into the dark abyss of trees ahead, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different about tonight.

Her friends had warned her not to go, but she needed to clear her mind. Lately, everything had been too much. School, her family, the constant feeling of being stuck—Lily had decided she needed to escape, even if just for a little while.

The woods were known for being quiet, almost unnervingly so. It was the kind of place people stayed away from, full of stories about what could be lurking behind the trees. But Lily wasn’t afraid. Not yet.

As she walked deeper into the forest, the world seemed to close in around her. The branches above blocked out most of the moonlight, and the air grew colder with each step. But it wasn’t the chill in the air that made her stop. It was the sound—the faintest rustling, like something—or someone—was following her.

She turned around, half-expecting to see a friend playing some prank. But there was nothing. Just the trees, the wind, and the growing sense that something was very wrong.

Maybe I should go back, she thought, but something pulled her forward, a strange compulsion she couldn’t explain. It wasn’t just curiosity; it was as if the forest itself was calling her, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.

Lily tightened her jacket around herself and continued forward, her steps careful and deliberate. The underbrush crackled beneath her boots, each sound amplified in the eerie stillness of the night. The further she went, the more the air seemed to change—heavier, almost electric. It prickled at her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

She paused again when she noticed a faint glow in the distance. It was soft and unnatural, flickering like candlelight but without a clear source. Her heart raced, a mixture of fear and intrigue fueling her as she moved closer. The glow seemed to pulse, growing brighter and dimmer like it was alive.

Lily’s fingers brushed against the bark of a tree as she steadied herself. She leaned forward, her breath shallow as she reached the edge of a small clearing. The glow was coming from the ground—tiny, luminescent flowers she’d never seen before, their petals shimmering in shades of blue and silver. They cast an otherworldly light that danced across the clearing, illuminating the surrounding trees.

“What is this place?” she whispered to herself, kneeling down to touch one of the flowers. The petals were soft, almost warm to the touch, and as her fingers brushed against them, the glow seemed to respond, growing brighter for a brief moment.

But then, another sound broke the silence—a low, almost imperceptible growl. Lily froze, her hand still hovering over the flower. She slowly turned her head, her eyes scanning the darkness beyond the clearing. At first, she saw nothing. But then, just at the edge of the trees, a pair of eyes reflected the faint light of the flowers.

Her breath hitched. The eyes were golden, almost glowing, and they were locked on her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t look away. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but her body refused to obey. The creature stepped forward, just enough for her to see its outline—a large wolf, its fur dark as midnight and its presence impossibly intimidating.

“Stay calm,” she whispered to herself, trying to steady her breathing. But the wolf didn’t move closer. It simply watched her, its gaze unwavering. For a moment, she thought it might leave, but then another sound reached her ears—footsteps. Human footsteps.

Lily turned her head sharply, her heart pounding as the footsteps grew louder. Emerging from the shadows was a man, tall and striking, his dark hair tousled as though he’d been running. His clothes were simple, but there was something about him that seemed out of place, almost too perfect. He stopped a few feet away from her, his sharp features illuminated by the faint glow of the flowers.

“Who are you?” Lily managed to ask, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound confident.

The man tilted his head slightly, studying her with an intensity that made her feel exposed. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with something she couldn’t place.

Lily stood, her hands clenched at her sides. “And you should? Do you always sneak up on people like this?”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “This is no place for you. The forest doesn’t take kindly to strangers.”

“I can take care of myself,” she shot back, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her nerves.

The man’s gaze shifted briefly to the wolf, which hadn’t moved from its spot at the edge of the clearing. There was something unspoken between them, an understanding that Lily couldn’t begin to comprehend. When his eyes returned to hers, they seemed to soften, just slightly.

“You should leave,” he said, his tone more insistent. “Go back to where it’s safe.”

“Why?” she asked, refusing to back down despite the growing unease in her chest. “What’s so dangerous about this place?”

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me,” she challenged, taking a step closer. Her heart was racing, but she couldn’t ignore the pull she felt—the need to understand what was happening, who this man was, and why the forest felt so alive around him.

Before he could answer, the wolf let out a low growl, its body tensing as though sensing something Lily couldn’t. The man’s expression darkened, and he took a step back, his gaze shifting to the trees behind her.

“Go,” he said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Now.”

Lily opened her mouth to protest, but the look in his eyes stopped her. There was no mistaking the urgency there, the warning. Without another word, she turned and ran, her footsteps echoing through the forest as she retraced her path. The glow of the flowers faded behind her, and the cold night air bit at her skin.

When she finally emerged from the woods, her chest heaving and her mind racing, she looked back over her shoulder. The trees loomed silently, as if guarding their secrets. But Lily knew she couldn’t leave it at that. Something had changed tonight—something she couldn’t ignore.

And she was determined to find out what it was.