The Cabin’s Secret

The trees whispered as Evelyn stepped onto the gravel path leading to the old wooden cabin. It had been over twenty years since she last saw it, standing silent at the edge of the forest like a ghost from her childhood. The memories had faded, softened with time, but something about the place still sent a shiver through her bones.

She hesitated at the door, her hand hovering over the handle. The wood was aged and rough, the iron knob cold beneath her fingertips. With a deep breath, she turned it, and the door creaked open, revealing the dim interior.

The scent of pine and damp wood filled her nostrils. Everything was exactly as she remembered—the stone fireplace, the wooden table in the center, the shelves lined with dusty books. But there was something else. Something new.

A candle flickered on the table, its tiny flame swaying as if disturbed by an unseen breath. Beside it, a folded piece of paper lay waiting. She stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest, and picked it up.

The handwriting was unmistakable. Her mother’s.

“You were never supposed to come back.”

Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat. Her mother had died when she was eight. She had been found in this very cabin, sitting in the old rocking chair by the fire, her eyes closed as if asleep—but she had never woken up.

The police had ruled it natural causes. But Evelyn always knew there was more to the story.

She looked around, suddenly feeling the weight of the air pressing against her. The walls seemed closer, the flickering candle casting long shadows that danced like specters. A chill crawled up her spine as she noticed something she hadn’t before.

The rocking chair by the fireplace was moving.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

And then—a whisper.

“Evelyn…”

The voice was soft, barely audible, but it made her blood run cold.

She turned to the door, her instincts screaming at her to run. But as she reached for the handle, the candle on the table went out.

Darkness swallowed the room.

And the whisper came again.

“You should have stayed away.”