The moon hung high, silver and distant, as Raihan and his gang trudged along the forest path. They hadn't gone home after mocking Steve and his friends. Instead, Raihan dragged his two closest buddies, Nabil and Rafiq, into the woods.
"Can you believe those losers?" Raihan laughed, his voice sharp in the stillness. "Hunting ghosts like children. Steve's probably hiding under his blanket by now."
Nabil snickered. "Yeah, man. That Steve guy is too soft. Always acting serious, like he's in a movie."
Rafiq added, "And Liam—ugh—don't even get me started. That guy thinks he's some kind of hero. One kick and we all ran? Embarrassing!"
They burst into laughter, their voices breaking the silence of the night. But as soon as the laughter died, something else slipped into the air.
A sound.
It was faint at first, like the rustle of leaves, but then clearer: a sobbing, the quiet cry of a girl.
Raihan stopped. "Did you hear that?"
Nabil frowned. "Hear what?"
"That." Raihan's smirk faded. "Someone's crying."
The three of them froze, listening. The cry grew louder, fragile yet piercing, echoing between the trees. It was not the cry of an ordinary person — it was too hollow, too lonely, as if it came from far beneath the earth.
Rafiq whispered, "Man… maybe it's one of those kids trying to prank us."
But Raihan shook his head. "No. That's not them. The sound's coming from deeper inside."
Against all reason, Raihan pushed forward, his friends following reluctantly. The forest grew denser, shadows curling around them like claws. The air turned colder, their breath visible in the pale moonlight.
And then they saw her.
A girl.
She was sitting on the ground, her back against a tree. Her long black hair fell over her face, and her white dress shimmered faintly under the moonlight, though it was torn and stained at the edges. Her shoulders shook with each sob.
Raihan smirked again, trying to mask his unease. "Hey… hey, girl. You lost or something?"
The girl didn't answer. She kept crying, her hands covering her face.
"Creepy…" Nabil muttered, taking a step back. "Let's go, Raihan. Something's not right."
But Raihan stepped closer. "Relax. She's just some weirdo. Hey! I'm talking to you."
He bent down slightly, trying to look at her face.
The crying stopped.
The sudden silence stabbed the air, sharp and unnatural. The girl slowly lowered her hands from her face. Her hair parted, just enough for Raihan to see pale skin.
And then she tilted her head.
"Shhh…" she whispered.
It was not gentle. It was not soothing. It was a command, like a knife against the throat.
Raihan stumbled back, his smirk gone. His friends froze in terror.
The girl stood up slowly. Her movements were wrong — too stiff, too slow, like a broken puppet. Her face was still hidden, but her eyes… her eyes glowed faintly white behind the strands of hair.
"Shhh…" she whispered again, this time louder.
Nabil screamed. "Run!"
The forest erupted in chaos. Branches snapped, leaves tore as the boys bolted in different directions. Rafiq tripped over a root, scrambled to his feet, and vanished into the dark. Nabil's cry echoed once, then was cut short.
Raihan ran until his lungs burned, the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. But no matter how far he ran, he could hear it behind him — soft footsteps, dragging, unhurried.
And that voice.
"Shhh…"
It followed him, closer and closer.
By morning, only Raihan stumbled out of the forest. His clothes were torn, his face pale as death. He didn't speak. He didn't laugh. He didn't even look at anyone. When people asked about Nabil and Rafiq, Raihan shook his head, his eyes wide, lips trembling, but no words came out.
Something had broken inside him.
Meanwhile, Steve and his friends gathered again at school. They hadn't slept much after the hospital incident. The voice calling Steve's name haunted their minds. Even now, Steve's skin crawled remembering it.
They met in an empty classroom during lunch break, the door shut tight, curtains drawn.
Maya sat with her arms crossed, her eyes restless. "I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard that whisper. Steve, it's like it's following us now."
Arin nodded, scribbling in his notebook. "It's no longer just about curiosity. Something is happening in this city. If that voice chose Steve, it must mean he's connected to it in some way."
Tom rubbed his face. "Connected? Don't say that. I don't want Steve possessed by some dead spirit."
Steve looked down at his hands. "It didn't feel like possession. It felt… desperate. Like someone begging me to help. Like they're trapped."
The room fell silent. The weight of his words pressed heavily on them all.
Then Liam leaned forward, his tone firm. "Then we must keep going. If something — or someone — needs saving, we can't turn away now."
Before anyone could answer, the classroom door creaked open. A student stepped in, his face pale, his voice shaking.
"Did you hear?" he whispered. "Two boys… they went missing last night in the forest. Nabil and Rafiq. They were with Raihan. Only Raihan came back."
Maya's eyes widened. "What?"
The student nodded quickly. "People say Raihan looks like he's seen death itself. He won't talk to anyone."
Steve's chest tightened. He exchanged a glance with Liam. They both understood.
This wasn't just a coincidence.
Something had started, and they were already in the middle of it.
That night, Steve sat alone by his window again. The streets were quiet, the moon hidden behind clouds. He closed his eyes for just a moment.
And the whisper returned.
"…Steve… save us…"
But this time, another voice joined it. Softer, trembling.
"Shhh…"
His eyes flew open.
Somewhere in the distance, faintly, he swore he heard crying.
To Be Continue.....