The Diary from Nowhere

A season of changing leaves—
beautiful, wherever you look.
Even here... beautiful,
yet the air is cold, so cold.
Who would believe
a small, lovely house sits here,
hidden in the deep woods?

I stepped inside.
My breath caught the musty scent of the old sofa.
Yet... every piece of furniture
remained perfectly untouched.

The old woman handed me the keys.
Before she left, she turned back—
her voice dropping down:
"Do not enter the woods behind the house."

Sometimes, I felt it:
her deep, sharp eyes, her hooked nose...
she looked frightening.
Though I questioned her warning,
I gave her my word.
Then, she vanished.

I explored the empty house.
My feet stepped on the fallen leaves,
crushing the wet, damp ground.
The cold began to sink in
as dusk started to fall.

I stepped back inside,
but my eyes drifted.
Toward the backyard.
The forbidden zone she warned me about.
The trees grew thick,
overgrown into absolute darkness.
The rush of the wind against the leaves
echoed from afar—
inviting,
yet eerie beyond words.

After dinner, I checked the house
before heading to my room.
I enjoy the quiet,
but sometimes the silence grows tedious.
And at times…
just a little too haunting.

I picked up a book to pass the time,
waiting for sleep to arrive.
Then, a strange sound drifted.
From the distance.
I strained to listen,
following the noise.

Aaaagh...
A scream,
echoing from the woods behind!

"Do not enter the woods behind the house."
Her warning replayed in my head.
The screams grew louder, sharper…
I hesitated,
before stepping out,
walking straight toward the voice.

I came to a halt at the edge of the woods.
The glow of the lantern in my hand caught something—
a metal sign,
its border beautifully carved with vines.
Engraved upon it were the words:
‘Welcome to October’

I forced my feet into the pitch-black forest.
The heavy sense of eyes watching me
never left.
The screams still echoed periodically.
Maybe someone needs help…
I told myself that, pushing through the fear.

But something was shifting.
Turning wrong.
A dark shadow darted right across my path.
I decided to turn back.
I need to get out of here.

I ran toward the exit with everything I had.
But no matter which way I turned,
there was only that same sign:
‘Welcome to October’!

What is happening?!
Where is the way out?!
Terror multiplied in my chest
amidst the rising panic.
The screams vanished,
replaced by a laughter rattling through the trees.
Heh... heh... heh...
As if something was rejoicing
to meet its newest guest.

Dark shadows blurred past me,
frenzied and wild.
I screamed at the top of my lungs,
but it was a sound that reached no one.
Before the vision faded,
everything plunged into the dark.
And no one ever found me again…

The woman of the house smiles
from the corner of her lips,
her eyes completely vacant.
As long as human curiosity remains endless,
this old rental house
will always wait for its next arrival.

A hollow scream mixed with laughter
collides with the rushing wind,
echoing from the woods behind,
time after time.
As if chanting a greeting,
ushering in visitor after visitor...

“Welcome to October!”