The day I will never forget
by Mnayzo
It was a crisp morning, the kind that whispered promises of adventure. I had no idea that by the time the sun set, my life would change forever.
The day began like any other. I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window, stretched lazily, and prepared for what I thought would be an ordinary day. My best friend, Thabo, had convinced me to go on a hike up the old Devil’s Peak trail, a path notorious for its eerie tales and sudden weather changes.
“Come on, Nathi,”
he had said the night before. “It’ll be fun! We’ll take pictures, breathe in fresh air, and maybe—just maybe—prove that all those scary stories are nonsense.”
With some hesitation, I agreed.
We set off just after sunrise, our backpacks filled with snacks, water, and a sense of excitement. The first few kilometers were easy, the trail winding gently through towering trees. But as we climbed higher, the air grew colder, and an uneasy silence settled around us.
Then, we heard it—a whisper.
At first, I thought it was the wind whistling through the trees. But when I turned to Thabo, his face had turned pale.
“You heard that, right?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded. The sound came again, closer this time. A low, haunting murmur that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Then, out of nowhere, the ground beneath us gave way.
We tumbled down a steep slope, landing in a small, hidden clearing. As I pushed myself up, pain shot through my ankle. I had twisted it badly.
That’s when we saw it—a figure standing at the edge of the trees. A woman, dressed in a flowing white dress, her face hidden in the shadows. She didn’t move, didn’t speak. She just stood there, watching.
My heart pounded. Every legend about Devil’s Peak came rushing back—the stories of lost souls, wandering spirits, and hikers who disappeared without a trace.
Thabo grabbed my arm. “We need to get out of here.”
With every ounce of strength, I hobbled as fast as I could. The woman remained still, but I could feel her gaze burning into my back. The moment we reached the main trail, the whispering stopped. When I looked back, she was gone.
We never spoke about it again. But to this day, I still dream about that woman. Who was she? Why was she there? I may never know. But one thing is certain—that was the day I will never forget.
Here’s the second chapter of your story, continuing the suspense and mystery:
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Chapter 2: The Haunting Truth
Days passed, but the memory of that woman haunted me. Every night, I dreamt of her standing at the edge of the trees, her white dress flowing like mist. Each time, she seemed to get closer.
At first, I tried to shake it off. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me. But then strange things started happening.
One evening, as I sat alone in my room, the whispering returned. Faint at first, like a distant echo. But soon, it grew louder.
"Nathi… Nathi…"
I spun around, my heart pounding. The room was empty. The only sound was my own ragged breathing.
I refused to believe I was losing my mind, so I called Thabo. “Bro, have you had any… weird dreams lately?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
There was a long pause. “You too?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
My stomach tightened. “You mean—”
“She’s in my dreams too, Nathi.
And I swear, every night, she gets closer.”
A cold chill crawled up my spine.
That’s when we decided—we had to go back to Devil’s Peak.
The Return to Devil’s Peak
The next day, armed with flashlights and a desperate need for answers, we made our way back up the trail. This time, every step felt heavier, the air thick with an unspoken dread.
When we reached the clearing where we had fallen, an eerie silence surrounded us. The trees stood still, not even a breeze stirring their leaves.
Then, we saw it.
Half-buried in the dirt was an old, rusted locket. With shaky hands, I picked it up and flipped it open. Inside was a faded picture of a young woman—the same woman from our nightmares.
Thabo took a sharp breath. “Who is she?”
Before I could answer, the whispering returned. But this time, it wasn’t distant.
It was right behind us.
Slowly, we turned.
And there she was.
Only this time… she wasn’t just watching.
She was reaching for us.
![Shadow's Rose [Book 1]](/book/uploads/1761420589_19a7baf1.png)
