Leo swallowed hard, his pulse thudding in his ears as he stared into the narrow, shadowy passage yawning open behind the old grandfather clock.
The clock had always been a strange fixture in the school's library—towering, ornate, and far too old for a place filled with fluorescent lights and plastic chairs.
Its ticking had always nerved him, like it wasn't just marking time, but waiting for something— or someone.
LEO (thoughts) "What the hell is this.. I expected a broom closet. Maybe a forgotten crawlspace filled with dusty boxes or just a regular wall. But this? This was something else entirely."
The air that drifted out was cool and heavy, laced with the scent of damp earth, old parchment, and something harder to name—like forgotten stories and buried memories. It smelled like mystery.
WHISKERS "Welcome to Starwood Hollow."
Leo turned his head slightly, feeling the weight on his shoulder.
Whiskers, the squirrel who had appeared in his life just four minutes ago with no explanation and far too much sass, was perched there, His eyes gleaming with mischief.
WHISKERS "Not backing out now, are you?"
Whiskers said, twitching his nose.
WHISKERS "Too late. You're already part of this."
Leo stared into the passage, heart hammering. The paper in his hand—yellowed, creased, and covered in glowing symbols—seemed to pulse with light, reacting to the air, the moment, maybe even his fear.
He took a shaky breath, trying to steady himself. His legs felt like they were made of jelly, but he forced them to move.
One step forward. Then another.
The passage twisted downward, the walls narrowing and bending like the inside of a living thing. The deeper he went, the brighter the symbols on the paper glowed, casting flickering light on the stone walls. It wasn't just guiding him—it was responding to him, like it knew where he was meant to go.
Whiskers leapt from his shoulder and scampered ahead, his tiny paws making soft pattering sounds on the stone.
WHISKERS (calling back) "Keep up! This place doesn't wait for dawdlers!"
LEO (yelling) "Hey! Wait up!
LEO (thoughts) "Mom used to say.. I'm faster than my fears.."
Leo thought before running after whiskers, his footsteps echoing in the silence.
And deep down, he knew: once he crossed through, there would be no turning back.