[Chr24] Stalking in the Woods

Stalking in the Woods 

The scent of musty tinsel and forgotten pine lingered in the air as Psych pulled the ancient Christmas tree from the attic. Its branches were bent and brittle, drooping like a sad umbrella. He held it up to his friends with a grin, but the collective groans from Mia, Corpse, and Rhys quickly shut him down. 

'Come on,' Psych argued, brushing fake needles off his sweater. 'It’s tradition!.'

'It’s a fire hazard!' Mia shot back, crossing her arms. 'That thing looks like it’s been through five wars.'

Psych set the tree down with a dramatic sigh. 'Fine. How about a real one this year? Fresh. Alive. Something worthy of Christmas spirit?'

Corpse raised an eyebrow from his perch on the couch, his voice low and skeptical. 'You realize it’s freezing out there, right?'

'I’m in.' Rhys, ever the optimist, was already slipping on his jacket. 'Let’s make it an adventure.'

With an exasperated look from Mia and a resigned shrug from Corpse, the group soon found themselves trudging through the woods.

*

The forest stretched out before them like something from a dream. Snow blanketed the ground in pristine drifts, sparkling faintly under the waning light of the winter sun. The towering trees were ancient, their trunks thick, cloaked in a thin frost that shimmered like silver. Icicles dangled from branches, catching the faintest glimmers of light and casting them back in fleeting rainbows. The snow crunched under their feet as Psych led the group deeper into the woods. His breath came out in frosty puffs, but his energy remained unshaken. 'Trust me, this is going to be epic,' he said, glancing back at the others.

Mia tugged her scarf tighter around her neck, shivering. 'It’d better be. I can’t feel my toes.'

Corpse, as usual, trailed silently behind, his black hoodie pulled up against the cold. His pale face was unreadable, his footsteps eerily quiet despite the icy ground. Rhys carried the axe slung over his shoulder, his gloved hands gripping it tightly as he squinted into the shadows of the forest.

'How far do you think we’ll need to go?' Rhys asked. 'These trees all look the same to me'.

Psych threw his arms wide, gesturing to the towering pines surrounding them. 'That’s the problem! They’re not good enough. We need a Christmas Tree!. The kind you see in movies!'

'Or the kind that gets us lost in the woods,' Mia muttered, rolling her eyes, but she followed without further complaint.

The deeper they ventured, the more surreal the forest became. Strange shapes lurked in the shadows—gnarled roots that twisted like sleeping serpents, patches of moss glowing faintly under the snow, and faint glimmers of light that flitted through the mist like fireflies. Somewhere far off, a soft, mournful sound echoed through the woods.

'Did you hear that?' Mia asked, gripping Corpse’s arm instinctively before quickly letting go.

'It’s just the wind,' Rhys said, though his eyes darted toward the noise.

'It didn’t sound like wind,' Corpse muttered, his voice low as he glanced at Mia.

Still, they pressed on, drawn by the promise of finding the perfect tree in a place that felt like it had been plucked from the pages of a fairy tale.

After what felt like hours, with cold seeping through their layers and spirits beginning to wane, Psych suddenly stopped. He gasped, pointing ahead. 'There! That’s the one!'

The others turned to see a massive pine tree standing proudly in a clearing. Its branches were lush and full, the perfect deep green. Snow dusted its branches, sparkling in the faint sunlight breaking through the clouds. It was, undeniably, the perfect tree.

'You’re right,' Mia admitted reluctantly. 'It’s incredible.'

Rhys dropped the axe. 'Alright, let’s get to it!'

They moved toward the tree, excitement returning as they prepared to cut it down. But just as Rhys swung the axe into position, a low snort echoed through the clearing. It was low and guttural, resonating through the clearing and freezing them in place. The forest around them seemed to hold its breath. The snow stopped sparkling, the icicles lost their playful shimmer, the excitement in the groups eyes quickly disappeared.

They froze.

'What was that?' Mia whispered.

Psych scanned the surrounding trees, before turning to Mia and shrugging, seemily unphased, his focus quickly returning back to the potential christmas tree, 'Probably a deer or something' 

Rhys lowered the axe slightly, 'that didn’t sound like a deer...'

Another sound came, this time a soft rustling, as if something large was moving just beyond their line of sight. Corpse was the first to turn toward the shadows. 'There’s something there,' he said quietly, his voice unnervingly calm.

Mia backed toward the tree, her hands clutching her scarf like it could protect her. "Maybe we should go back. We don’t need this tree that badly."

Psych glanced at her, a pout now present on his face. “We came all this way—”

Another snort, louder now, cut him off. It sounded almost animalistic but carried an unsettling note of intent, as though whatever made it knew exactly where they were.

Psych took a step forward, peering into the thick forest. “Maybe it’s just a deer.” He tried to sound confident, but his voice wavered.

'That’s not a deer,' Corpse muttered, his eyes locked on the shadows. 'It’s too quiet out here. No birds, no wind... something’s wrong.'

'What do we do?' Rhys asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

'Don’t run,' Corpse said firmly. 'Predators love a chase.'

The creature let out another low growl that rumbled through the clearing. It took a step forward, the snow crunching beneath its hooves. Mia whimpered, her back pressed harder against the tree. 'Psych, this is your idea. Fix it!' Her eyes were concentrated on the forest in an attempt to see what was lurking behind the trees.

'Okay' Corpse whispered, glancing at his friends. 'On my count, we’re going to back away. Slowly...' Mia, Rhys, and Psych nodded, their faces pale. 'One... two... three.'

As one, they began to retreat, each step deliberate and measured.'Keep moving, don't look back' Corpse hissed, his voice barely audible.

They didn’t stop until they were far away from the clearing, only then did they allow themselves to breathe, their ragged gasps echoing in the silence.

'What was that thing?' Mia asked, her voice trembling.

‘Not a deer,’ Corpse muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Rhys looked back in the direction of the clearing, his heart still pounding. ‘I don’t know, but I think it wanted us to leave’

‘Mission accomplished,’ Mia said dryly, though her usual calm demeanor was strained.

The forest still felt alive, but now its energy was no longer magical—it was foreboding, as though the woods were relieved to see them go. Back at the edge of the woods, they paused, turning back one last time. The mist hung thick between the trees, obscuring the clearing and whatever lay within.

Mia hesitated, her gaze lingering on the dark forest. ‘Next year, we’re getting a tree from the shop’