Sarah Thompson had always been skeptical of ghost stories. As a journalist specializing in folklore, she had spent years debunking myths and legends. So when she was assigned to investigate the infamous Blackwood Forest in Maine, she saw it as just another job.

Locals whispered about the forest, calling it cursed. Stories of missing hikers, strange figures lurking among the trees, and eerie whispers carried by the wind had circulated for centuries. But Sarah believed there was a rational explanation - until she stepped into the woods herself.

What was meant to be a routine investigation turned into a night of terror she would never forget.

---

The Legend of Blackwood Forest

Blackwood Forest wasn't just any ordinary stretch of woods - it was ancient, untouched by time, and shrouded in an unnatural silence. The legend spoke of The Hollow Ones, shadowy figures that haunted the forest, stealing the souls of those who dared to enter after dark.

Some believed the legend dated back to the 1600s, when accused witches were executed and buried in unmarked graves within the forest. Others claimed the land itself was cursed long before settlers arrived.

Whatever the truth was, locals refused to enter.

Sarah, however, had no such fear. Equipped with her camera, a flashlight, and a notebook, she ventured into Blackwood Forest just as the sun began to set.

She was alone. Or so she thought.

---

The First Signs of Terror

At first, everything seemed normal. The trees stretched high above her, their twisted branches forming a canopy that blocked out most of the evening light. The ground was damp beneath her boots, and the air carried a faint scent of decay.

But then she noticed the silence.

No birds. No rustling leaves. No signs of life at all.

A deep chill ran through her as she continued deeper. She was determined to document the area, but an unsettling feeling clawed at her gut.

Then she saw it.

A wooden sign, barely hanging from a rusted nail on a nearby tree. The words carved into it were old, but she could still make them out:

"TURN BACK."

Sarah scoffed. Typical horror story nonsense.

She took a picture and pressed on. But as she moved forward, she swore she heard something. A whisper.

"Sarah."

She froze.

It had said her name.

---

Lost in the Dark

Trying to rationalize what she heard, Sarah convinced herself it was just the wind playing tricks on her. She checked her phone - it had no signal. Frustrated but not scared, she kept walking.

Then, the path disappeared.

One moment, she had been following a clear dirt trail, but now, no matter which way she turned, she saw only endless trees. Her pulse quickened. How did I get turned around?

She tried retracing her steps, but everything looked the same. The trees loomed over her like silent watchers.

Then, the whispers returned.

Louder this time.

"Sarah? run."

---

The Hollow Ones Appear

Sarah spun around, her flashlight trembling in her grip. Shadows danced between the trees, but they weren't moving like normal shadows. They shifted unnaturally, stretching and twisting toward her.

A deep, guttural growl echoed through the forest.

She started running.

Branches slashed at her arms as she sprinted through the darkness, desperate to find a way out. But no matter which direction she went, she found herself back at the wooden sign:

"TURN BACK."

Terror gripped her. Her chest burned from running, and her legs ached, but she knew stopping wasn't an option.

Then, the figures emerged.

Tall, faceless beings with elongated limbs stepped out from the trees, their bodies as dark as the shadows around them. Their presence was suffocating, pressing against her mind like a weight.

One of them raised a hand, and Sarah's body locked in place. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

The whispers turned into deafening screams.

---

A Narrow Escape

Just when she thought she would pass out, a blinding light cut through the darkness.

A man's voice shouted, "Come this way!"

Sarah fell to the ground as the shadowy figures recoiled. Crawling toward the light, she saw an old man standing at the edge of the woods, holding a lantern.

With her last ounce of strength, she stumbled toward him.

As soon as she crossed an invisible boundary, the whispers stopped. The figures vanished. The forest returned to silence.

The old man, his face weathered with age, simply shook his head.

"You should've listened to the sign," he muttered.

---

The Aftermath

Sarah never spoke of what happened in Blackwood Forest. She abandoned the article, quit her job, and moved out of state. But even miles away, she felt it.

The Hollow Ones weren't bound to the forest.

They had followed her.

And every night, just as she closed her eyes, she heard them whisper:

"Sarah? run."