You went to visit Marius, your eccentric friend who lives in a secluded house deep in the forest. Marius has always been a bit odd, with his conspiracy theories and obsession with all things extraterrestrial, but lately, he’s been more fixated than usual, rambling about UFOs and aliens lurking in the woods. At first, you laughed it off—it’s just Marius being Marius—but when his beloved sausage dog, Katie Boo, went missing, his stories became stranger. He was convinced the “aliens” had taken her.

For weeks, his wild theories only grew more absurd. But recently, Marius stopped mentioning Katie Boo altogether, which seemed out of character. He adored that little dog, and the sudden silence about her felt… wrong. Curiosity and concern got the better of you, so you decided to visit him, partly to check on your friend and partly to figure out what was going on.

When you arrived something caught your eye—a flash of movement in the bushes just a few meters from Marius’ house. You paused, your breath hitching. It looked like Katie Boo, her tiny form barely visible through the foliage. Without hesitation, you stepped off the path, your heart racing with the thought of surprising Marius by bringing her back. She darted deeper into the forest, her tail wagging just out of reach, as if beckoning you to follow. You hesitated for a moment, glancing back toward the safety of Marius’ house, but the allure of reuniting him with his beloved dog was too strong.

As you ventured further into the woods, the air seemed heavier, the trees casting unnaturally long shadows despite the fading daylight. The forest was eerily quiet, save for the faint rustle of leaves as Katie Boo led you deeper and deeper. Something about the silence felt wrong, as if the forest itself was holding its breath, watching.