Chapter 3 Exploration begins

The morning light, sifted by thick clouds, bathed the house with a strange darkness. Inside, the group, after a quick breakfast, seemed hesitant about how to spend this first day. The tensions of the day before were slightly dissipated, but a veil of worry still floated in the air. Lucas, faithful to his role as an enthusiastic animator, clears his throat to attract attention.

-So, my dear friends, he said with a bright smile, what are we doing today? We're not going to stay locked up here all day, huh?

Hugo, leaning against a worn leather chair, looked up at him.

- I vote to stay quiet. The last thing I want is to crash in the woods. This sofa is perfect, and I have everything I need here.

- You talk about an adventure spirit! Lucas replied, looking up to the sky. We are in a unique place, Hugo. It is not every day that we have the opportunity to discover such a mysterious lake.

Mathias, who cleaned the lens of his camera, intervened.

I agree with Lucas. It's a chance to capture images that I will never find in town. These forests, this lake ... There is something unique here. It inspires me.

Mélanie, sitting in a corner with a cup of tea in her hands, seemed less convinced.

-This lake makes me uncomfortable, she whispered. I don't know ... I feel like there's something strange. Something you don't see, but that is there.

Alice, who silently looked out by the window, turned her head towards her.

Do you feel that too? I thought I was the only one. The house, the lake ... everything here seems ... too calm.

Lucas laughs slowly, trying to dispel The heavy atmosphere that settled.

You two, you spend too much time watching horror movies. It's just a lake, and this house is old, that's all. What do you know? That's enough. Mathias and I are going to explore a little. Who accompanies us?

Hugo raised his hands as a sign of refusal.

Not me. Seriously, Lucas, I'm here to relax, not to play the Indiana Jones (playing the Indiana Jones means behaving like a courageous and resourceful adventurer, ready to face dangers and challenges to discover treasures and secrets. Indiana Jones is an archaeologist and a fictitious adventurer created by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. He is the main character of the "Indiana Jones" film franchise, known for his thrilling adventures, his fights against bad guys and his discoveries of historical artefacts. .)

Mélanie hesitated for a moment, but shook her head.

Sorry, I prefer to stay here. This house is already enough ... strange like that.

Lucas sighed, turning to Alice.

And you, Alice? You come? Or do you prefer to stay here to listen to Mélanie talk about her "bad vibrations"?

Alice frowned slightly. Lucas had a way to minimize what others felt, but basically she knew he was only trying to maintain a positive atmosphere. She shrugged.

Why not. It can't hurt to take a little air.

In the woods

Lucas, Mathias and Alice ventured into the woods surrounding the house. The trees, high and imposing, formed a kind of natural cathedral. The ground was strewn with dead leaves, and the cracking of their steps resounded in silence.

I must admit, said Alice, that it is rather beautiful here. But ... there is also something ... I don't know how to say it ... intimidating.

Mathias, camera in hand, stopped to capture a scene.

Intimidant? This is precisely what makes this place fascinating. These shadows, these colors ... it tells a story. Everything here seems ... frozen in time.

Lucas walked in front of them, sweeping the branches on his way with an overflowing energy.

That's it, Mathias. You have to know how to appreciate the beauty of mysterious things. This is exactly what I like in these isolated places. No city noises, no distractions. Just us and nature.

Alice stopped, scrutinizing the surroundings.

Do you hear that? She suddenly asked.

The two boys stopped and listened. Total silence. No bird songs, no wind rustles in the leaves. Nothing. Lucas haus her shoulders.

So what? It's normal, right? The woods are calm.

Mathias frowned.

No, not really. Even in the most isolated places, there are always sounds. Animals, wind ... something. There, it's ... too calm.

Lucas burst out laughing.

Are you really paranoids, do you know that? Come on, let's move on. We will end up reaching the lake. I bet there is a magnificent view of here.

Alice, despite her discomfort, followed. She didn't want to be left alone in these silent woods.

Return home

Meanwhile, Mélanie and Hugo stayed at home. Mélanie took care of cleaning the kitchen, although there is not much to put away. Hugo, faithful to himself, was comfortably installed in an armchair, feet on the table.

You know, said Mélanie after a moment of silence, I wonder why this house remained empty so long. There is something wrong.

Hugo shrugged.

People always exaggerate. Maybe she was just too far from everything to interest someone.

Mélanie put a cup on the table and fixed it.

And you, don't you feel anything strange here? Not even a little thrill?

Hugo looked at her with a mocking smile.

Mél, I know you. You have an overflowing imagination. But seriously, this house is not special, apart from its little ... rustic charm.

Mélanie approached the window and watched the lake.

Yet last night ... I thought I saw something. A shadow, or ... I don't know.

Hugo sighed.

Once again, your imagination plays tricks on you. Listen, if it stresses you so much, why not try to relax a little? Read a book, take a nap ... do everything except think of "shadows".

Mélanie bit her lip, unconvinced. But she knew that chatting with Hugo would lead to nothing. He had always been like that, refusing to take seriously what he did not understand.

In the woods, the steps of Alice intensified, resonating stronger than necessary in this crushing silence. She kept looking around, unable to hunt the strange impression that they were observed.

-Lucas, slowed down a bit, "she said in a tense voice. Do you know where we are going, at least?

Lucas turned, a bright smile on his face. – Of course not. That's the adventure! We explore, we discover. No need for a plan.

Mathias, who walked back, the camera in hand, stopped again to capture something in the shadow of the trees. After a click, he frowned.

-Wait, he said, the air concentrated. I think I captured ... a kind of movement.

Alice stopped, icy. -What do you mean by "movement"? she asked, her tone betraying her anxiety.

Mathias showed the screen of his device. The image displayed an indistinct, blurred form, which seemed to blend into the shadows.

It's surely just an illusion. A branch or a moving leaf, he replied, without real conviction.

Lucas haus her shoulders, visibly impressed. – You worry about nothing. Come on, let's continue. I bet the lake is just at the end of this path.

Alice hesitated, but ended up advancing behind them, a growing apprehension ball in her stomach.

In the house, Mélanie continued to scrutinize the lake through the window, her thoughts haunted by the events of the previous night. Eyes fixed on the dark surface, it saw a slight undulation, almost imperceptible. A thrill ran through it.

-Hugo, come see, she whispered, without looking away.

Hugo, who distracted an old magazine found on a shelf distractedly, reluctantly stood up. – What else? Have you seen a sea monster this time?

"I'm serious," replied Mélanie insistently. There is something in the water.

Hugo took a quick look by the window, before dropping into his armchair, sighing. – Mél, it's a lake. The fish move. The leaves fall. What you see is right ... Nature.

Mélanie frowned, unhappy with Hugo's casualness. She opened the window to better observe. A slight breeze brought the wet and musk smell of the lake, but it heard nothing other than the heavy silence that enveloped the place. She slowly retreated, closing the window carefully.

-If you think everything is normal here, it is that you refuse to see the truth, she whispered in Hugo before leaving the room.

Hugo shrugged, mumbled for himself:-too fertile an imagination, that's all that is ...

Meanwhile, in the woods, things took an even stranger turn. The trio finally reached a clearing. In its center, a large expanse of land seemed to have been carefully rid of any vegetation. In the middle, a series of stones arranged in a circle.

Do you see that? Mathias whispered, spreading her eyes.

Alice nodded, feeling her legs flank under her. Lucas, however, seemed delighted with the discovery.

Now, that's interesting! It looks like an ancient ritual or something like that. Take photos, Mathias! It could be... historic.

Mathias knelt to capture the slightest detail, while Alice was back, his heart beating.

-We shouldn't stay here, she whispered. This place ... there is something wrong about this circle.

Lucas burst out laughing. – Oh, Alice. Always as dramatic. This is just a circle of stones. Not enough to panic.

But even he couldn't ignore the strange feeling of cold that seemed to emanate from the ground. Alice turned suddenly, her gaze excavating the shadows surrounding them.

-We are not alone, she whispered finally.

Lucas was going to replicate, but a dry cracking sounded behind them, freezing them on the spot.