The rain poured heavily as Detective Evelyn Carter drove down the winding road leading to Blackwood Hollow, a town that, according to official records, no longer existed. The town had been abandoned decades ago - at least, that's what people believed. But something wasn't right. A week ago, an entire family had gone missing, and their last known location was Blackwood Hollow.
As she passed the crumbling sign that read Welcome to Blackwood Hollow, a strange feeling crept over her. The road ahead seemed untouched by time - houses stood with lights flickering inside, shadows moved behind curtains, and the scent of burning firewood filled the air. This town wasn't abandoned. It was alive.
She parked her car near what looked like an old inn and stepped out, the air thick with silence. The only sound was the distant creaking of a sign swaying in the wind. A soft voice called from behind.
"You shouldn't be here."
Evelyn spun around, only to see a young girl standing barefoot in the rain, her pale face expressionless. "Who are you?" Evelyn asked.
The girl pointed toward the town square. "They don't like strangers."
Before Evelyn could ask more, the girl vanished into the mist. A sudden chill crawled up her spine. She reached for her gun, but her fingers met nothing. Her holster was empty.
Then, from the darkness, whispers echoed - dozens of voices, overlapping, speaking in tongues long forgotten. The lights in the houses flickered off, one by one, until only the glow of the inn remained.
She turned to run back to her car, but where it had once been parked, there was nothing but cobblestone. The road she had driven in on was gone.
The town had swallowed her whole.
And somewhere in the distance, the whispers turned into laughter