Mystery of The Village

The Journey

I arrived at the university parking lot at 10 a.m. and saw Tom waiting for me. He was leaning against a red car, holding a backpack and a flashlight. He was wearing a black jacket, jeans, and boots. He looked cool and confident, but also distant and aloof.

He saw me and waved. He smiled and walked towards me.

"Hey, there you are. I'm glad you made it. Are you ready for the trip?" He asked me, warmly.

I nodded and smiled back. I was happy to see him, but also nervous and curious.

"Hi, Tom. Yeah, I'm ready. I'm excited and scared. What about you?" I asked him, honestly.

He shrugged and chuckled. He put his arm around my shoulder and led me to the car.

"I'm fine. I'm always fine. I'm looking forward to the trip. It will be fun, I promise. Come on, let me introduce you to my friends. They are waiting for us in the car." He said, casually.

He opened the car door and gestured for me to get in. I got in and saw four people sitting in the car. They were Alex, Lisa, Jenny, and Mark. They were all young and attractive, but also different and unique.

Alex was sitting in the front seat, next to the driver. He was tall and muscular, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a white shirt, a leather jacket, and sunglasses. He looked adventurous, charismatic, and fearless.

Lisa was sitting next to Alex, holding his hand. She was slim and beautiful, with long brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a pink sweater, a skirt, and boots. She looked smart, lovely, and loyal.

Jenny was sitting behind Alex, next to the window. She was petite and cute, with short black hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a yellow dress, a cardigan, and sneakers. She looked shy, sweet, and kind.

Mark was sitting behind Lisa, next to the other window. He was medium and fit, with curly red hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing a blue shirt, jeans, and a cap. He looked funny, friendly, and easy-going.

They all looked at me and smiled. They greeted me and welcomed me to the group.

"Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you. You must be Tom's friend. He told us a lot about you. You're a journalist, right?" Alex said, cheerfully.

"Hi, I'm Lisa. Nice to meet you too. You're very brave to join us on this trip. I hope you're not afraid of ghosts and demons." Lisa said, teasingly.

"Hi, I'm Jenny. Nice to meet you as well. You're very lucky to have Tom as a friend. He's very smart and mysterious. He knows a lot about the village and its history." Jenny said, curiously.

"Hi, I'm Mark. Nice to meet you also. You're very cool to come with us on this trip. I hope you're ready for some fun and adventure." Mark said, jokingly.

They all seemed nice and fun, except for Tom, who was quiet and mysterious. He didn't say much, but he smiled and nodded. He sat next to me, in the middle of the back seat. He put his backpack and flashlight on the floor. He looked at me and winked.

"Don't mind them. They're just trying to make you feel comfortable. They're cool and fun, but they're also clueless and naïve. They don't know anything about the village and its history. They don't know what we're getting into. They don't know the truth." He whispered to me, secretly.

I looked at him and felt a chill run down my spine. I wondered what he meant by that. I wondered what he knew about the village and its history. I wondered what we were getting into. I wondered what the truth was.

I didn't have time to ask him, as Mark started the car and drove away. He turned on the radio and played some music. He sang along and made jokes. He made everyone laugh and relax.

We left the city and drove for hours, following the directions that Tom had given us. We passed through small towns and villages, until we reached the end of the road. There was a sign that said: "Welcome to Blackwood. Population: 13."

We had arrived at the village.