Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 32 The Forest That Remembered Everything The copy stood only a few feet away in the river now, dark water swirling around its waist beneath drifting fog. Up close, Ryan could finally see small imperfections returning beneath the thing’s human appearance. Tiny delays in facial movement. Eyes reflecting too … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 31 The Memories Blackwood Couldn’t Erase The moment Ryan held onto Claire’s wrist, the river around them changed. The freezing current that had been pulling endlessly against his legs suddenly weakened for one brief second, almost recoiling beneath the force of the memories flooding through him. Images crashed violently … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 30 The Voice Beneath the Water The whisper came from directly below him. Ryan froze mid-step while freezing black water surged around his waist beneath the drifting fog. The current moved strangely here now, circling his legs instead of flowing naturally downstream. Then his own voice whispered again from … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 29 The Names the River Had Taken The woman’s voice barely rose above the dark current moving through the river, yet the words struck Ryan harder than anything else inside Blackwood. “I almost remembered my name once.” Ryan Mercer turned toward her instinctively while cold water pushed against his … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 28 The People Standing in the River Claire moved slowly through the black water while fog drifted around her legs in pale waves. The river reached her knees now, yet she continued walking deeper without hesitation, her expression distant and empty beneath weak moonlight filtering through the trees overhead. … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 27 The River Blackwood Tried to Hide Walter stood near the edge of the trees holding a lantern low beside his leg while fog drifted heavily around him. The pale yellow light illuminated his tired face beneath the hood of his rain jacket, yet Ryan no longer trusted what … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 26 The Lanterns Reaching the Tower Claire’s scream shattered the stillness inside Tower Four. Ryan spun toward the staircase immediately while the copy remained calm beside the lantern-lit window, almost unsurprised by the sound echoing upward from below. Then came another scream. Shorter this time. Cut off suddenly. Ryan … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 25 The Thing Sitting in Ryan’s Chair Ryan stopped breathing for a moment. The figure sitting at the center table inside Tower Four looked completely human now. No stretched smile. No pale distorted skin. No obvious wrongness hiding beneath the lantern light. It was simply him. The same tired … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 24 The Voice Waiting Above Them The moment Walter’s voice drifted down from the tower, Ryan felt the air around the cliffside grow heavier. Fog curled through the staircase railings while the old wooden structure creaked softly above them, as though shifting beneath the weight of whoever stood inside … Read more
Where the Trees Watch – Chapter 23 The Light Inside Tower Four The firewatch tower rose above the cliffside like a dark skeleton against the fog-covered forest. Rain-stained wood creaked softly in the wind while the narrow staircase spiraled upward around the outside of the structure disappearing into shadows near the top platform. And inside … Read more
