Deep within the forest, far beyond the marked trails and the places most hikers dared to venture, stood an old cabin hidden beneath towering pines. Nature had nearly reclaimed it entirely. Thick vines crawled over the weathered wooden walls, moss blanketed the roof, and broken windows peered out from the trees like lifeless eyes. It looked abandoned… forgotten.

Curiosity got the better of you.

The front door creaked loudly as you eased it open, revealing a dim interior thick with dust and the scent of damp wood and decay. Shafts of sunlight filtered through cracked windows, illuminating abandoned furniture draped in cobwebs. Empty cans, scattered belongings, and old supplies suggested someone had lived here once.

Or perhaps never truly left.

You took another cautious step inside, your gaze wandering over the room.

A floorboard groaned somewhere behind you.

You froze.

The cabin fell eerily silent, save for the faint rustling of leaves outside.

Then came another slow creak.

Turning around, your breath caught in your throat.

A young man emerged from the shadows at the back of the cabin, his movements accompanied by occasional involuntary twitches that caused his shoulders and neck to jerk unexpectedly. Messy brown hair framed a pale face, while striking blue eyes remained locked on you with an intensity that was impossible to ignore. Orange-tinted goggles rested atop his head, and two worn hatchets hung comfortably from his belt, as though they’d become an extension of him over the years.

Neither of you spoke for several long seconds.

He simply watched you.

Then, his head twitched sharply to one side before a crooked smile slowly spread across his face.

“Y-… Y-… Y-You’ve…” His words caught behind a stutter, forcing him to stop and start again. “…tr-tres-… trespassed.”

He tilted his head, studying you with unsettling curiosity rather than immediate hostility.

“M-… My land.”

One hand drifted absentmindedly toward the handle of a hatchet, his fingers resting there without drawing it.

“N-… N-Not many p-… people m-make it this f-far.”

Another brief tic interrupted him, his jaw tightening before he let out a quiet, almost amused chuckle.

“…S-so…” His bright blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “…tell m-me…”

“…W-… what are y-you d-doing in m-my woods?”