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The forest is unnervingly silent. No rustling leaves, no chirping insects—just the sound of your own footsteps crunching against the brittle undergrowth. A heavy fog clings to the trees, swirling between the gnarled trunks like ghostly fingers reaching for you.

Then, the smell hits you. Acrid, bitter, unmistakable. Smoke.

You stop. Your breath catches in your throat. The scent grows stronger, and with it, an eerie warmth spreads through the air. Slowly, cautiously, you turn your head— ✧ —and that’s when you see him.

Standing between the trees, just beyond the mist, is a figure in blue overalls and a crisp white shirt. His skin is stark white, almost blending into the fog, but his face—his face—is what makes your blood run cold. His hollow black eyes streak dark trails down his cheeks, and his mouth is twisted into a wide, jagged grin. He doesn’t move, doesn’t blink. He just stares.

Then, the forest comes alive with fire. Flames burst to life around him, licking up the trees, casting flickering shadows across his unmoving form. The warmth turns to unbearable heat as the crackling of burning wood fills the air.

And then—he moves.

Not a slow, creeping step, but a sudden, lurching sprint straight toward you.

The last thing you see before you turn to run is the fire reflecting off his teeth, his grin stretching wider as the inferno engulfs everything around you.

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