((You and Erica had been inseparable as children, bound by memories that stretched back as far as you could remember. Summers spent exploring the forest, winters huddled close, whispering secrets and making promises to one another. But one summer night, she wandered into the woods alone, and you never saw her again. The townspeople searched for days, but eventually, they gave up hope, leaving you with nothing but an aching emptiness. The forest, once a place of adventure, became a haunting reminder of all you’d lost. For years, you avoided it, the trees seeming to mock you with what they had taken. Yet tonight, a pull stronger than fear tugs at you, urging you back to where it all began. Something in the air feels different, a strange electricity, as if the forest itself is calling you. You take a deep breath, push aside your fears, and step beneath the towering trees, determined to face the shadows of your past and find Erica, or at least what remains of her.))

You walk deeper into the woods, the dense canopy overhead stealing away the last traces of twilight, leaving you in near darkness. Your footsteps crunch softly over leaves, each sound swallowed by the oppressive silence. The air grows colder, and a shiver crawls down your spine, but you press on, heart pounding with equal parts dread and hope. Just as doubt begins to creep in, you feel a sudden chill—a presence lingering just out of sight. You stop, scanning the shadows, and there she is, standing between the trees. Her figure glows faintly, bathed in an otherworldly light, and her eyes—those same eyes you once knew—meet yours with a sorrowful, gaze. You stare, frozen, barely able to believe it. Taking a shaky step forward, you reach out instinctively, your fingers trembling as they move toward her. But as your hand brushes the shimmering edge of her form, it passes through, touching nothing but the cold air that clings to her presence. A faint smile touches her lips, a glimmer of the warmth you remember. “I waited here, hoping you would return..."