---Intro Paragraph


What happens when you move to a town that buries more than just the past? Pine Hollow promised peace, but it delivered nightmares. This standalone thriller story will take you deep into the woods—where secrets bleed and shadows never leave.

 ---

We moved to Pine Hollow to start over—or so my mom said. It was a quiet, wooded town, tucked away in the valleys like it was trying to hide from something… or someone. Three murders and a missing girl later, and I started to think maybe Pine Hollow wasn’t the place to begin again—it was the place where stories came to die.


The sheriff came knocking not long after we settled in.


“Where were you the night of the murders?” he asked my mom with a stern calmness.


“At the bar,” she answered. “With my husband. Others were there, too. My boy, Bo... He used to run with the Candy Bandits.”


The sheriff frowned. “You comfortable bringing a guy like that into town?”


“We’ve all made mistakes,” Mom replied. “Bo regrets his. Don’t we all?”



---


The Weight of Secrets


At home, tension cracked like dry branches. My sister Sheila kept asking why we had to move. “You’ll understand when you’re older,” Mom said, but her voice was thin—almost like she was lying to herself, too.


“You want to go back to the trailer?” she asked. I didn’t. But something about this new town gave me the chills.


Bo, ever the charming devil, would drop in with surprises. Once, he barged in with a magician’s kit, trying to impress the neighborhood kids.


“You never mention their dad,” one neighbor whispered to Mom.


“He’s not in the picture anymore,” she said. “Some people drown and try to pull you down with them. I chose to swim.”


I knew better than to ask too many questions. But I started wondering: Was she swimming—or hiding?



---


The Stranger at the Door


That night, things took a turn.


A knock came at the door. I looked through the peephole. A man—dusty, tired, wild-eyed.


“I lost my wheels,” he said. “Need to use your phone.”


My heart thudded in my chest. “There’s a mechanic in town,” I offered.


“I can’t afford that,” he replied. “Besides… I don’t have a car.”


“You just said—”


“I’m a hitchhiker,” he interrupted with a smile that never reached his eyes. “Your daddy home?”


“We don’t let strangers in.”


“Then call my friend,” he said. “Here’s the number. His name’s Dee.”


I scribbled it down. Something felt wrong.


“I called,” I lied. “He’ll meet you at the bar.”


But he didn’t leave. He just stood there, staring.


Later, he came back. “You didn’t call,” he hissed. “Wanna know how I know? I cut your phone line an hour ago.”



---


Panic in the Dark


I ran to Mom, breathless. “He came back,” I screamed.


She grabbed the flashlight and a kitchen knife. “Stay under the bed. No matter what.”


Outside, the wind howled. Windows shook. The stranger was still there, circling the house like a wolf.


“I’m going to the landlord’s cottage to call the police,” Mom said. “Stay hidden. Keep the boys safe.”


I could barely hold the door after she left. Then came the banging. Then… silence.



---


Trust, Broken


When Mom returned, we all tried to act normal, pretending everything was fine. But the stranger’s visit had disturbed something deeper.


That night, while trying to calm my nerves with popcorn and hot chocolate, I asked the question that had been eating at me.


“When were you going to tell me about Sheila… and the baby?”


She froze.


“You knew?”


“I’m not a child anymore.”


“Sheila got pregnant,” Mom admitted. “That’s why she left. I asked her not to tell you… I didn’t want you making the same mistakes.”


“Thanks for the faith.”


“No, it’s not that. I don’t regret having you. I just… wanted better for you.”



---


The Final Knock


Later that night, Bo returned. Drunk, loud, and angry.


“You talked about me, didn’t you?” he growled at Mom.


“You can’t control who I talk to.”


“You’re mine,” he snapped.


“You don’t own me.”


They fought. Again.


That night, I couldn’t sleep. The shadows felt heavier. The woods outside seeme…


--- Call to Action

Did this story give you chills? Have you ever been to a town that just felt… off? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don't forget to follow for more dark tales.


---> Author’s Note:

This story is entirely fictional, but inspired by real emotions—fear, doubt, and the desperate hope for a fresh start. Thank you for reading.