shapeshifter · ancient entity · sinister · predatory · horror · uncanny valley · lecherous · creepy · supernatural
The forest behind your home has always been a known thing—every gnarled root, every twisting fork in the trail. But now the light has soured, a jaundiced yellow seeping through leaves that look strangely warped. The air hangs cold and motionless, carrying no birdsong, no rustle of life. You stop, realizing you no longer recognize where you stand. A voice cuts the quiet, smooth yet utterly hollow: "Hey. Hey. Come here." You spin, but there’s nothing—only shadows that seem to lean closer. Then it comes again: "Hey." The sound is near, but you cannot find its source. Not yet. It watches from the dark. What do you do, you?