It was late, just before midnight when I decided to take my daughter Emily out for a walk. We were staying in our little cabin in the woods, only a short drive away from our home. The night was dark and still, and it seemed that nothing moved, save for the occasional scurry of a rodent or the rush of wind through the trees.
The air was cold and damp, and the darkness seemed to almost swallow us as we walked between the trees. Emily was only seven years old, and I feared for her safety, but I knew that I couldn’t keep her locked away in the cabin forever. I had to let her experience the world.
We continued walking until finally we came upon a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a small cabin, the windows dark and the door closed.
“What’s that, Daddy?” Emily asked, her voice quiet in the stillness.
“I don’t know,” I said, my voice also low. We both looked at the cabin, and I felt a chill, a feeling of dread.
“Let’s go,” I said, tugging on Emily’s hand.
“But why? Can’t we just look at it?” she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
I hesitated, but then said, “Ok, but stay close to me.”
We stepped closer to the cabin, and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I looked around, but there was no one in sight.
“Look, there’s smoke coming from the chimney!” Emily said, pointing.
I looked and saw that she was right. There was a thin wisp of smoke coming from the chimney.
“Maybe someone is inside?” Emily asked.
“Maybe,” I said, my voice strained with apprehension. I felt my heart start to beat faster, and my stomach was churning.
We stepped closer to the cabin, and I noticed a light coming from the window. It seemed dim, and I could only see the faint silhouette of someone inside. I looked around, but there was still no one in sight.
“Maybe we should go back,” I whispered to Emily.
“But what if someone’s inside?” she asked, her voice filled with fear.
“Let’s just take a look and see,” I said.
We stepped closer to the cabin, and I heard a low murmur coming from inside. Emily’s grip on my hand tightened, and I looked down at her pale face.
“It’s ok,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
We reached the window and I peered inside. The room was dimly lit and there was no sign of anyone. But then I heard the murmur again, this time louder.
“Who’s there?” I asked, my voice shaky.
There was no answer, and I heard the murmur again, this time quieter.
“Let’s go,” I said, tugging on Emily’s hand.
But before we could move, the door of the cabin opened and a figure stepped out. Emily screamed and I felt my heart jump into my throat.
The figure was tall and slender, wearing a long black robe. His face was hidden in the shadows, but I could make out the glint of his eyes. He looked at us for a long moment before finally speaking.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low and cold.
I looked at Emily, who had stopped screaming and was now standing completely still. I squeezed her hand, trying to comfort her.
“We were just out for a walk,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
The figure stepped closer and I could see his face. His skin was pale and his eyes were like two dark pits. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest.
“You should leave,” the figure said, his voice still cold and emotionless.
But before I could move, Emily stepped forward.
“We just wanted to say hello,” she said, her voice shaking.
The figure paused, and then said, “Very well. Come inside.” He stepped aside, and I could see the light brighter now.
My heart was pounding, but I knew that we had to go. I gave Emily’s hand a reassuring squeeze and we stepped inside the cabin.
The cabin was small and sparsely furnished, but there was a warmth in the air that I couldn’t explain. The figure led us to the center of the room and motioned for us to sit.
He lit a small fire in the fireplace and then he turned to us.
“My name is Dr. Grey,” he said, his voice still cold but with an undertone of warmth. “What can I do for you?”
We told him our story, and he listened without interruption. When we were finished, he sat in silence for a moment.
“It’s late,” he finally said. “Perhaps you should stay here for the night.”
We looked at each other, and then I nodded. We stayed in the cabin for the rest of the night, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that was in the air.
The next morning, we left the cabin and headed back home. We had barely stepped outside when we heard a voice from behind us.
“You should be careful,” Dr. Grey said, his voice still cold. “The night can be a dangerous place.”
We looked at him and he smiled, his eyes twinkling in the moonlight.
“Be sure to come back,” he said.
We nodded and then continued on our way. We never saw Dr. Grey again, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still watching us, protecting us from the dark forces of night.