Reflection of the Damned
Reflection of the Damned Jennifer stood at the edge of the old cabin’s porch, clutching her grandmother's shawl around her shoulders. The forest loomed like a dark sea, its trees swaying with an unsettling whisper. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. Every night, she walked the familiar trails, a fearless explorer in the darkness. Her parents? She had never known them. Just stories of their absence, tales spun by her grandmother, filled with love and loss. The forest was her home, her friend. Tonight, however, something felt different. As Jennifer made her way to her favorite spot—the lake—she heard laughter echoing through the trees. It was jarring. Campers. She had seen them before, but tonight their bright lights and raucous music invaded her sacred space. The lake, normally a crystal mirror during the day, now appeared as a black void, absorbing the moonlight. It was unsettling, and Jennifer felt an urge to protect it. She crept closer...