Chapter 1
The road twisted through tall trees that made long, dark shadows on the asphalt. Arman held the steering wheel tightly and looked at the GPS. "Almost there," he said, but his voice shook a little.
Leena looked out the window. "It's… really quiet, don't you think?"
"Perfect for a weekend away," Arman said with a forced smile. Still, he felt uneasy.
Mira, listening to music in the back, leaned forward. "This place looks like a magazine," she said. "Stone walls, little garden… the forest behind it. It's kind of magical."
Rian frowned. "Magical, maybe. But doesn't it feel… abandoned?" He glanced at the thick woods around the villa.
Liam, their little brother, sat in his car seat and laughed, holding his small tiger toy. "Tiger! Tiger!" he shouted. "Forest! Play!"
Arman's stomach tightened. Liam's excitement should have made him happy, but the forest outside felt alive in a strange way, almost like it was watching them.
Finally, they reached the villa. The air smelled wet and earthy, with a faint sharp smell Arman couldn't recognize. The farmhouse looked cozy—wooden shutters, stone walls, smoke coming from the chimney—but the silence was heavy. No birds, no wind, no sounds at all.
Leena stepped out first, holding Liam. "It's beautiful," she said softly. But she looked around nervously. Something didn't feel right.
Mira walked to the porch and touched the wooden railing. "Does anyone else feel… like we're being watched?"
"Stop joking," Arman said, but his heart beat faster. "It's just quiet. That's all."
Inside, the villa was warm and welcoming. The fireplace burned, the wood smelled clean, and the lamps gave a soft glow. Liam ran around, giggling, exploring everything.
Then, from the backyard, a small rustle came. Liam stopped and stared at the window.
"Tiger!" he whispered, pointing outside.
Arman went closer to look but saw nothing—only grass, shadows from the trees, and silence.
"Maybe a deer," he said, trying to sound calm, but he didn't really believe it.
Later, Mira wrote in her notebook. Something is wrong. The place is too quiet. Too perfect.
And somewhere in the shadows outside, hidden eyes were watching them. Patient. Hungry. Waiting.