Episode 3: The Abandoned Car

The next morning, the 8 friends met

before sunrise.

Drake was already recording.

"Good morning, everyone! Today beings our

investigation of the four missing friends!"

GD raised his both hands.

"BEST VLOG EVER!'

"Possible our last vlog ever," Tripp added.

Jackson sighed.

"Can you stop saying like that?"

"No."

Everyone piled into the van.

Percy sat in the front while the others

squeezed into the back.

As the vehicle pulled away, Drake pointed the

camera toward everyone.

"Any final words before we became famous?"

"We already have one hundred thousand

subscribers," Hari said.

"I mean more famous."

"Ten minutes subscribers," GD declared.

"A hundred million subscribers," Tripp corrected.

"Let's survive first," Sohee said.

Eilln laughed quietly.

The mood was light.

Nobody was worried.

Hours passed.

The city disappeared behind them.

Soon, nothing surrounded them except

endless forest.

The deeper they traveled, the taller the trees

Become.

Drake filmed though the window.

For a breif second, the camera captured a

dark figure standing between the trees.

Motionlass.

Watching.

Then the van moved forward.

The figure disappeared.

Nobody noticed.

Not even Drake.

"So," Tripp said.

"If a ghost attacks us, Jackson is still first."

"Why I'm I always first?"

"Because you're the skeptic."

"That's not how sacrifice work!"

Everyone laughed.

Meanwhile, outside the window....

Something moved among the trees.

Keeping pace with van.

Watching.

Waiting.

Hours later, they stopped at a small roadside

shop.

Everyone got out for stretch.

Sohee bought drinks for everyone.

Tripp immediately stole hers.

"TRIPP!"

"What? Sharing is caring."

"That's My drink."

"Not anymore."

While they argued, Drake snapped a group

photo.

8 friends smiling.

8 friends laughing.

8 friends standing together.

When the photo later appeared on his

camera...

There would be nice.

But nobody checked.

Back on the road, dark clouds slowly gathered

overheads.

The GPS suddenly flickered.

The screen went black.

"Did anyone see that?"

"See what?" Percy replied.

The GPS looked normal.

"Never mind."

Eilln stared out the window.

For a moment, she thought she saw someone

standing beside the road.

A young boy.

Waving.

Then he was gone.

"Eilln."

She blinked.

The road was empty.

"Nothing."

By evening, a rusted sign appeared ahead.

BLACKTHORN JUNGLE - 5 KM

The van become quieter.

This was it.

The place where the missing four had

Vanished.

"Percy smiled."

"We're close."

Nobody noticed the dark silhouette standing

among the trees behind the sign.

Watching the vehicle disappeared into the

distance.

Waiting for them to arrive.

The van rolled to stop.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Blackthorn jungle stood before them.

Tall trees stretched endless into the

distance.

The forest was silent.

Too silent.

"No birds," Drake said quietly.

Hari frowned.

"You're right."

Normally, a forest should be full of sounds.

But here...

Nothing.

Tripp stepped out of the van.

"Well, this isn't creepy at all."

"You're joking again," Sohee said.

"I'm always joking."

A cold breeze passed though the trees.

Even Tripp stoped, smiling for a second.

Drake lifted his camera.

"Day one at blackthorn jungle."

GD immediately jumped into the frame.

"We have officially arrived!"

"Unfortunately," Jackson muttered.

The group followed a narrow path leading into

the forest.

Leaves crunched beneath their feet.

The deeper they walked, the darker it become.

Then Eilln stopped.

"Guys."

Everyone turned.

"What?"

She pointed ahead.

Something metallic peeked though the trees.

A vehicle.

The group hurried forward.

Their excitement disappeared immediately.

An old car sat abandoned among the trees.

It's windows were dirty.

It tires were flat.

Rust covered parts of the body.

Nobody had touched it in months.

Drake slowly lowered his camera.

"Is that."

Hari checked her notes.

Then her face turned pale.

"The model matches."

Silence.

Percy started at the vehicle.

"the missing four's car."

Nobody spoke.

Even Tripp.

The realty suddenly felt much heavier.

The wasn't just a story anymore.

This wasn't an internet mystery.

Real people had disappeared here.

Jackson walked around the car.

"The doors are open."

GD looked inside.

Nothing.

No bags.

No phones.

No clues.

It was someone had simply erased them.

Sohee wrapped her arms around herself.

"I don't like this."

Neither Eilln did.

Something felt very wrong.

Very wrong.

Then Drake noticed something.

"Guys."

He pointed his camera toward the distance.

Far beyond the trees...

A dark shape stood on top of a hill.

The abandoned mansion.

Everyone froze.

For the first time, they saw it.

The house looked ancient.

Broken windows stared back at them like

empty eyes.

The roof sagged.

The walls were covered in vines.

Yet somehow...

it felt alive.

Watching them.

Waiting for them.

Tripp swallowed.

"Okay."

Nobody looked at him.

"Maybe Jackson should go first."

For once, nobody laughed.

The mansion stood silently on the distance.

And somehow.

It felt like it already knew they were here.

"End Of Episode 3"

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