Chapter 1: Whispers in the Wind
The wind howled through the dense forest like a warning, carrying the scent of damp earth and decay. Li Wei could feel the unease settling into her bones as she stared at the small, isolated village nestled in the valley below. It was late afternoon, the sun just beginning its descent behind the jagged peaks of the surrounding mountains, casting long, ominous shadows over the landscape.
"This is it," she muttered to herself, gripping the handle of her suitcase tightly. The road had been long and winding, and the isolation of the village was unsettling. But she had chosen this. After all, this remote part of the country was supposed to be peaceful—a perfect place to escape the chaos of her old life.
She started down the dirt path that led into the village, her eyes scanning the ancient, worn buildings. Most were old wooden structures, their roofs sagging under years of neglect, and windows covered with grime. Li Wei had read about the place before coming here. The village was said to be centuries old, its history marred by wars and famine. Many had left over the years, but those who remained were fiercely protective of their home and its secrets.
As she passed a weathered sign that read "Fenglu Village," she noticed how quiet it was. Too quiet. Not a single person was out on the streets. No children playing, no elders sitting by their doorsteps. Only the wind and the distant creaking of an old wooden windmill that looked like it hadn't worked in decades.
She arrived at a small, run-down inn near the village center, its sign barely hanging by one hinge. The door creaked open before she even touched it. Inside, a thick layer of dust covered every surface, and the air was stale with a musty odor. Behind the counter, an elderly woman with silver-streaked hair sat, her eyes sharp and scrutinizing.
"You must be Li Wei," the woman said without looking up from the tattered book she was reading. Her voice was raspy, as though she hadn't spoken in days.
Li Wei hesitated. "Yes, that's me. I'm here for the room I booked. I know it's last-minute, but—"
The woman held up a hand, silencing her. "I know who you are," she muttered. Her eyes finally lifted, meeting Li Wei's gaze with a strange intensity. "People don't come here unless they're running from something."
Li Wei swallowed, feeling the weight of the woman's words. "I'm not running," she replied, though her voice wavered slightly. She wasn't sure if that was entirely true.
The woman gave a short, humorless laugh and rose slowly from her chair, her movements deliberate. She pulled a rusted key from the drawer beneath the counter and handed it to Li Wei. "Room three," she said. "Up the stairs and to the left."
Li Wei nodded her thanks and made her way up the narrow staircase. The wooden steps groaned beneath her weight, each creak echoing through the empty inn. When she reached the hallway, she noticed how dimly lit it was, with only a single flickering bulb illuminating the space. The wallpaper was peeling, and the air smelled faintly of mildew.
Room three was at the end of the hall. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, half-expecting it to be as decrepit as the rest of the building. To her surprise, the room was clean, albeit simple. A small bed sat in the corner, covered in a faded quilt, and a single window overlooked the village below. She set her suitcase on the floor and sat on the bed, the mattress sagging beneath her.
As she sat in the silence, a strange sensation washed over her. The room was too quiet. It felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in. She got up and opened the window to let in some fresh air, but instead of the peaceful sound of the village, she heard something else.
A whisper.
Faint and distant, like someone speaking just beyond the edge of her hearing. Li Wei froze, her heart racing. She strained to listen, but the sound faded away as quickly as it had come. She closed the window, her hands trembling slightly. It was just the wind, she told herself. Nothing more.
But as night fell and the village outside was swallowed by darkness, the feeling of unease only grew. She couldn't shake the sensation that she was being watched.
The next morning, Li Wei awoke to the sound of footsteps in the hall outside her room. She sat up quickly, her heart pounding in her chest. The footsteps were slow and deliberate, moving down the hall toward her door. She listened, holding her breath, as they stopped right outside.
There was a knock. Soft at first, then louder.
She stood up, her legs shaky, and approached the door. "Who is it?" she called, her voice barely above a whisper. No response. The silence on the other side of the door was thick, oppressive.
Hesitantly, she opened the door. No one was there. The hallway was empty, just as it had been the night before. But something was wrong. The air felt different, heavier. And there, lying on the floor just outside her door, was a piece of paper.
She bent down to pick it up, her fingers trembling. The paper was old, yellowed with age, and the words scrawled across it in thick, black ink were in a language she didn't recognize. But at the bottom, one word stood out, written in bold, jagged letters:
Leave.
Li Wei's breath caught in her throat. She stepped back into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Was this someone's idea of a prank? But who would go to such lengths in this empty, forgotten place?
She hurried to pack her things. She wasn't going to stick around to find out what the note meant. As she zipped her suitcase shut, she heard it again.
The whisper.
This time, it was clearer, louder. It seemed to come from all around her, filling the room with its eerie cadence. She couldn't make out the words, but the tone was unmistakable—dark, angry, and full of malice.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she flung the door open and raced down the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the walls. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she nearly collided with the elderly innkeeper.
"Leaving so soon?" the woman asked, her expression unreadable.
"I—" Li Wei stammered, unsure of how to explain. "I just… I have to go."
The innkeeper gave a slow nod, her eyes dark with something Li Wei couldn't place. "Be careful out there," she said softly. "This village… it's not what it seems."
Li Wei didn't wait for her to say more. She pushed open the front door and stepped outside into the cold morning air, her breath visible in the crisp light. But as she hurried down the path away from the inn, she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone.
From the shadows of the village, something was watching her.
"Stay tuned for the next chapter" 🙂
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