Chapter 2: The Hidden Sign

The next morning, the campsite was buzzing with energy.

The strange whispers from the previous night seemed almost unreal in the bright sunlight. Students laughed, took pictures, and complained about waking up early.

Only Aditi couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right.

"Why do you look like you haven't slept in days?" Riya asked while stuffing sandwiches into her backpack.

"I heard something last night."

"A ghost?"

"No."

"A tiger?"

"No."

"A ghost tiger?"

Aditi rolled her eyes.

"Forget it."

Riya grinned.

"See? Even you don't believe it."

Within an hour, the entire group had begun their trek.

The path wound through dense forests, narrow trails, and rocky slopes. Birds chirped overhead while sunlight filtered through the trees.

Everything looked beautiful.

Normal.

Safe.

By afternoon, they reached a hilltop viewpoint.

Students immediately spread out to explore.

Some clicked photos.

Others rested under trees.

Aarav wandered around with his camera.

Meanwhile, Aditi found herself drifting away from the crowd.

She wasn't sure why.

Something seemed to pull her deeper into the forest.

The further she walked, the quieter everything became.

Soon she noticed an old wooden post hidden beneath tangled vines.

Her heartbeat quickened.

It looked ancient.

Carefully brushing away the leaves, she revealed faded carvings.

WHISPERING TRAIL

The words were barely visible.

A cold chill ran down her spine.

The trail stretched ahead, disappearing into thick fog.

Unlike the main trekking route, this path looked untouched.

As if no one had walked there for years.

"Aditi!"

She jumped.

Naina was standing behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

Aditi quickly stepped away from the sign.

"Nothing."

Naina noticed it immediately.

"The Whispering Trail?"

The two girls exchanged a look.

Neither spoke.

Then Naina smiled.

"Now I'm curious."

"You shouldn't be."

"That's exactly why I am."

Before either could say more, the professors called everyone back.

Reluctantly, they returned.

But both secretly memorized the location.

That evening, rain clouds gathered above the hills.

The forest looked darker than before.

At dinner, the students sat around the campfire sharing stories.

Kabir was entertaining everyone with terrible jokes.

Even the professors couldn't stop laughing.

For a while, everything felt normal again.

Then Mehak spoke.

"Can I tell you something weird?"

The group looked at her.

She hesitated.

"Last night, I heard my mom calling me."

Everyone laughed.

"I'm serious."

The laughter faded.

"It sounded exactly like her."

"Dream," Sana said.

"I was awake."

A silence followed.

Then another student raised his hand.

"I heard someone calling my name too."

"Me too."

"And me."

One by one, more students admitted hearing strange voices.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Nobody laughed anymore.

Across the fire, Aditi noticed Bhaskar listening carefully.

His face had gone pale.

Later that night, heavy rain began falling.

Thunder echoed through the hills.

Most students stayed inside their tents.

Aditi was trying to sleep when she heard movement outside.

Footsteps.

Slow.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

She sat upright.

The footsteps stopped.

Silence.

Then came a whisper.

Very close this time.

"Aditi..."

Her blood froze.

The voice sounded human.

Familiar.

Almost gentle.

She carefully unzipped the tent and peeked outside.

Rain poured from the sky.

The campsite was empty.

But near the edge of the forest stood a figure.

Motionless.

Watching.

Lightning flashed across the sky.

For a split second, she saw it clearly.

A student.

Standing completely still among the trees.

Then darkness returned.

The figure was gone.

Aditi stumbled backward.

Her hands trembled.

Had she imagined it?

Or had someone really been standing there?

The next morning, the answer arrived.

One of the students was missing.

His tent was empty.

His backpack remained untouched.

And the only thing found outside was a trail of muddy footprints leading toward the forest.

Toward the Whispering Trail.

To be continued...

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