TERRORBITES Podcast

Lost In The Woods

Scott McLean Episode 2

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A young boy wanders too far from home and finds himself lost in the deep, endless woods. As the trees seem to close in, and the air grows thick with whispers, fear begins to take hold. Then he meets a mysterious figure—a creature with sharp eyes, a knowing grin, and a sinister voice and bad intentions.

Turn down the lights, listen closely, and beware the paths you take in the dark.

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Speaker 1:

The woods were too quiet. That was the first thing Ethan noticed when he realized he was lost. The sun had dipped below the trees, casting long, jagged shadows across the forest floor. His phone had died hours ago and the trail he'd been following had vanished into a tangle of underbrush. He was alone and the air felt heavy, like the forest was holding its breath.

Speaker 1:

Ethan tried to stay calm. He was twelve, old enough to know better than to panic. But the silence was unnerving no birds, no rustling leaves, no distant hum of cars, just the occasional snap of a twig under his feet. He kept walking, hoping to find a road or a cabin, anything that would lead him out of this suffocating green maze. Then he heard it a low, guttural growl that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Ethan froze, his heart pounding in his ears. The sound was deep, primal, and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He scanned the trees, but the shadows were too thick to see anything clearly. Hello, he called, his voice trembling. Is someone there? The growl came again closer.

Speaker 1:

This time Ethan's breath hitched. He took a step back, then another, his eyes darting around for any sign of movement. That's when he saw it a pair of glowing yellow eyes peering at him from the darkness. They were too high off the ground to belong to a dog, too sharp and intelligent to be anything natural. Nice, dog, ethan whispered his voice barely audible nice, whatever you are. The eyes blinked and then the creature stepped into the dim light. It was a wolf, but unlike any Ethan had ever seen. Its fur was matted and patchy. Its body unnaturally elongated, as if it had been stretched too thin. Its mouth hung open, revealing rows of jagged, yellowed teeth. But the most disturbing thing was its expression. It was almost human, a twisted mockery of a smile, lost little boy. The wolf said its voice, a raspy growl that sent chills down Ethan's spine.

Speaker 1:

Ethan stumbled backward, his mind, screaming at him to run, but his legs felt like they were rooted to the ground. The wolf tilted its head, its grin widening. "'don't be afraid' it crooned, taking a step closer. "'i'm just hungry'". Ethan's breath came in short, panicked gasps. He turned and bolted, crashing through the underbrush without any sense of direction. The wolf's laughter followed him, a deep, guttural sound that seemed to echo through the trees. Branches clawed at his face and arms. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He didn't know how long he ran, but eventually his legs gave out and he collapsed against a tree, gasping for air.

Speaker 1:

The forest was silent again, except for the sound of his own ragged breathing. He allowed himself a moment of hope. Maybe he'd lost it. Then he heard the voice, soft and sweet, coming from behind him oh, ethan, you can't run forever. He turned slowly, his stomach twisting and dread.

Speaker 1:

The wolf was there, it's grotesque form, partially hidden in the shadows. But now it wasn't alone. Beside it stood a little girl in a red hood, her face pale and her eyes hollow. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Grandma's waiting, the girl said, her voice, a singsong whisper. She's been waiting for so long.

Speaker 1:

Ethan's vision blurred as tears filled his eyes. He wanted to scream to wake up from this nightmare. But he knew this was real. The wolf stepped closer, its breath hot and rancid, and the girl in the red hood reached out a hand, her fingers curling like claws. Come on, ethan. She said. Don't you want to meet Grandma?

Speaker 1:

The wolf's voice was a low, guttural rumble, like stones grinding together in the depths of the earth. It circled Ethan slowly, its elongated shadow stretching grotesquely across the forest floor. Ethan pressed his back against the tree, his chest heaving, his mind racing for a way out. But the wolf wasn't just stalking him, it was toying with him. You remind me of her, you know, the wolf said, its voice dripping with a twisted nostalgia, the girl in the red hood so small, so tender. It licked its chops, its tongue, unnaturally long and black like a strip of rotting leather. She thought she was so clever bringing her basket of treats to her dear old grandmother. But she didn't know what was waiting for her, just like you don't know what's waiting for you.

Speaker 1:

He wanted to shut his ears to block out the wolf's words, but they slithered into his mind like poison. What, what happened to her? He stammered, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know. The wolf's grin widened, its yellowed teeth glinting in the dim light. Oh, she screamed at first. They always do. But then, then she stopped. And do you know why? It leaned in closer, its breath hot and rancid like decay, because she realized there was no point. No one was coming to save her, just like no one is coming to save you. Ethan's legs trembled, but he forced himself to stay upright. You're lying, he whispered, though the words felt hollow. The wolf chuckled a sound that was disturbingly human, am I? You've been out here for hours, haven't you? No one's called your name, no one's come looking. You're alone, little boy, just like she was.

Speaker 1:

The mention of the girl in the red hood sent a shiver down Ethan's spine. He'd heard the story. Of course Everyone had. But this wasn't a fairy tale. This was real, and the wolf was real, and the way it talked about her made his stomach churn. She fought at first. The wolf continued, its voice almost wistful, kicked and scratched, like a little wild thing. But in the end she understood. She was mine, just like you're mine.

Speaker 1:

Ethan's vision blurred as tears filled his eyes. He wanted to scream, to run, to do anything, but stand there and listen to the wolf's horrifying tale. But the creature's gaze held him captive, its glowing eyes boring into his soul. Do you want to know the best part? The wolf whispered, its voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. She's still here in the woods in me. It tapped its chest with a clawed paw, the gesture almost mocking Every bite, every scream, every tear. It's all still here, and soon you'll be here too. Ethan's knees buckled and he sank to the ground, his mind reeling. The wolf loomed over him, its shadow swallowing him whole. He wanted to close his eyes to block out the nightmare, but he couldn't look away. Don't worry, the wolf purred its voice sickeningly sweet, it'll be over soon, and then you'll be part of the story too.

Speaker 1:

As the wolf's jaws opened wide, ethan caught a glimpse of something red, fluttering in the darkness. Behind it, a scrap of fabric, torn and bloodstained, hanging from a low branch. The hood, her hood. And then the world went black when the search party finally found Ethan's backpack. Two days later they also found the scrap of red fabric tangled in the thorns nearby. No one could explain how it got there or why it looked so old yet so fresh. And though they searched for weeks, ethan was never found. But sometimes, on quiet nights, when the wind dies and the woods fall, silent hikers swear. They hear a faint guttural growl and the distant sound of a child's laughter.

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