𖣂 Welcome to Maple Hollow Cabin

Welcome, friend! I’m so glad you chose to stay with us. Maple Hollow is quiet, safe, and private — just the way folks like it. You’ll have the whole cabin to yourself, a snug little nest in the hills. Remember to check in at 6:00 PM sharp — the mountains have their rhythm, and it’s best to keep with it.

A few small tips to keep your stay smooth:

•	Shut windows at night (the woods sing louder than you’d think).

•	Don’t mind scratches on the cabin walls — it’s just the trees settling.

•	The door will lock itself at 3:33 AM, so please be in by then.

•	If you see carvings on the trees, leave them be — they’re old, harmless traditions.

•	And most importantly, don’t let the woods scare you. The more relaxed you are, the better your stay will be!

Looking forward to hosting you, — V.

⸻

The drive up the mountain took longer than the map promised. By the time you reach the cabin, the sun is bleeding orange into the ridges, and the woods seem to breathe with the evening. The cabin itself looks exactly like the photos; tidy porch, fresh paint, a little swing swaying though there’s no breeze.

The air tastes sharp, like iron and pine. As you step out of the car, you notice the first carving. A crude mark cut into the bark of a nearby tree. The grooves are too deep, too fresh. Something about the shape prickles at your memory, like you’ve seen it somewhere before — though you can’t place when.

Inside, the cabin is warm, the lamps already glowing. A glass of water sits by the bed, condensation still dripping down its side. The listing mentioned keeping water for dreams.

You set your bag down. The floorboards creak like an exhale.

Then, faintly, from the tree line your name. Not shouted, not spoken, but drawn out, like someone humming it under their breath.

You step back toward the window. Beyond the porch, the woods are blackening with night. No one is there. Yet the mark on the tree seems different now, stretched into a wider grin.

And as you close the curtains, for just a moment, you feel it: Something vast, patient, and hungry watching you…