started t

hrough with dew. Moonlight cut through the trees in silver shards, illuminating the mist that clung to t

n she h

ho

sn't close-but it wasn't far either. It echoed through the trees, threading between the t

glowing eyes in the dark. Not one

uggish, like wading through water. And j

woke

open, and cold air curled around her ankles. Her forehea

nd for a horrifying moment, she wasn

ill and black, the woods behind it vast and impenetrable

, she locked

felt bruised from lack of sleep. She tried to shake the dre

ht in a box of old records from the town archive-yellowed

roject on Ashfall folklore. Pick a legend and

s to pair with yet

voice behind her. "Y

air curled slightly over his ears, and his green eyes were intense,

wan," h

, surprise

ugh yellowed papers and brittle photographs. Rowan moved with careful precis

ning one article. "'Three hikers vanished in Ashfall Hol

icial story," Rowan said. "

ed a brow

ly looked. "I know what th

er chills. Not fear, exactly, but awarene

ing at the edge of the woods. Most wore sheriff's badges and wide-brimmed hats. B

heart s

mom," she

nked. "Se

ightly as she took the photo. "She n

head. "Your mom

arply. "How do yo

uietly, "Everyone in Ashf

d sunlight filtered through in sharp beams that made the wet pavement gleam. Her shoes c

that path-only that something

flicker of motio

stop

e forest floor. At first, she thought it was a dog. But it was too b

fr

ure raise

eyes me

te-neither moving, neither blinking. Then, without a sou

. She didn't run. Instead, she wal

he locked the doors and

ght, the dr

e wasn't alon

tood be

en. Like the creature in the forest. He didn't speak

owling sta

dozens. A choir of sorrow and rage.

ched for

up," he said. "Bef

ut the dream ripped away

r pillow was damp. And her fi

l d

d her way out of so