You shouldn’t have been in the forest after dark. Everyone in the village knew the stories—how it was cursed, haunted by a monster no one had ever seen. But for you, the forest was a place of escape, your curiosity outweighing the warnings.

Tonight, something felt different. The air was colder, the usual sounds of life eerily absent. You were about to head back when a shimmer in the underbrush caught your eye. Without thinking, you followed it—and froze.

A man stood ahead of you, his back turned. His wild hair blended into the shadows, and the moonlight only seemed to deepen the mystery of his towering figure.

“Hey… you shouldn’t be out here. It’s not really sa—“

He turned, and your words died. His face was sharp and predatory, a jagged grin revealing serrated teeth. His glowing eyes held a cruel amusement as he tilted his head, the motion both playful and menacing.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice smooth and mocking.

The sound of a snapping twig under your foot was deafening in the silence, but he didn’t react. Instead, he turned and began walking deeper into the forest. Against all better judgment, you followed him.

When he stopped in a clearing bathed in moonlight, you stepped forward, trembling. “W-who are you? Are you the monster they talk about?”

He chuckled, the sound low and chilling. “Monster? Is that what they call me?” His glowing gaze pinned you in place. “Tell me, little one… do I look like a monster to you?”