Whispering Pines: Cabin in the Woods Goes Wrong

The cool mountain air stung Nadia's lungs as she shot the opening scene of her vlog. The sunlight pierced the centuries-old pine trees, the dappled porch of the isolated cabin. Her colleague influencers, Zara, the queen of makeup tutorials, and Erik, the master of outdoors adventure vlogs, laughed and cheered behind the camera.

"The Glam Fam is glad to have you back!" Nadia exclaimed, her voice reverberated through the quietness. "Cabin-in-the-Woods sponsored our epic influencer getaway – bravo for trading city lights for starry nights!"

Within, the cabin was a rustic paradise. A roaring fireplace in the living room reigned supreme, illuminating the mounted animal heads that danced in the flames. An ornamental carving of an old wooden chest stood peacefully in a corner. Zara yelped with excitement, already coming up with a flatlay where her new eyeshadow palette would lie on its textured surface. Erik - born with the spirit of a thrill-seeker- was intensely attracted to the dusty hiking maps stuck on the wall.

Their host, of being wizened woman, who eyes carried centuries of secrets, showed them around. "This cabin has been in my family for generations," she said, her voice croaked with age. "That's why we named this place 'Whispering Pines'. The wind likes to chatter here."

As the night progressed and we sat around the fire, Nadia decided to call for dramatic effect the words Ms. Agatha had spoken. "Did you hear that? Whispering Pines? Sounds like the intro of a creepy-pasta." The discussion section began to fill with comments.

All at once, Erik threw a grimy book on the coffee table. "Dudes, look at this. I discovered this in a chest down there." A very old book, leather-bound with nearly indecipherable runes and miniscule hand-writing. Zara gasped. "Hey guys, a code! Let's crack it, film it, and then post 'Cabin Secrets' on it!"

As the pursuit of viral fame was the motivation, they read into it. The symbols were to me a ritual, complete with a map pointing somewhere into the jungle. "This must be the sound of the cabin's whispers," was the conclusion of Erik, his eyes shining with both fear and excitement.

Overlooking a twinge of concern, Nadia took up her camera. "Challenge accepted, Glam-Gang! We're going to find this secret location and watch what freaky stuff is down there!"

On the next day, map and head full of courage, they took the woods. The air began to thicken with an uneasy silence. Sun rays failed to come through the dense canopy, thus, casting long scraggy shadows. Zara, normally fearless, was frequently glancing over her shoulder.

Following the map, they arrived at a field dominated by a twisted oak which extended its branches to the sky like skeleton fingers. In the middle, the mirror of smooth stones reflected the symbol from the book. A chill ran down Nadia's spine. No longer it was just a game.

Erik, the risk taker, entered the ring. "Ok, here I go! Fingers crossed, let's see what happens." He waved the book above his head and said a spell from the book. The wind blew stronger, gusting around them with an uncanny sound. It was as if the forest were holding its breath.

Then, the ground trembled. The deep growl reverberated through the woods, giving them goosebumps. From the root of the oak, something had changed. The planet ripped itself open, showing a gaping canyon with flashes of an abnormal illumination.

Terror choked Nadia's scream. They released something dreadful, something ancient. A beast, filled with all claws and teeth and glowing blood-red eyes, arose from the pit. It released a piercing screech that sent them hurrying for their lives.

Panic surged through them. They were running without looking back, the sound of the heaving steps becoming louder and louder. Limbs lashed their faces, ripping off their clothes. Zara stumbled and turned her ankle. Erik, resourceful as always, grabbed her and slung her over his shoulders.

With an immense rush of adrenaline, Nadia kept striding on. The phone slipped from her hand and crashed, neglected. It was just about the escape that was vital. Rushing through the woods they got back to the area in front of the cabin.

The brow of Ms. Agatha was clearly written with worry as she stood on the porch. "What did you do?" she cried. As the creature came out of the tree-line, it's eyes set on them. Ms. Agatha thrust the vial into Nadia's palm. "Nightshade potion. Throw it at the beast!"

Nadia, propelled by an instinctive need to survive, threw the bottle. It broke up on the creature's chest giving out a cloud of purple mist. The creature screamed in agony, quickly retreating into the forest. The shaking ceased, the wind died off, and an uncomfortable silence blanketed the area.

They slumped on the doorstep, gulping for air. Zara sobbed uncontrollably. Erik held her close,