They walked slowly through the thick forest, leaves crunching under their boots as light from the early afternoon sun slipped through the branches. Mu Kanjo led the way with confidence. His dark skin and pale face gave him a ghostly look, like a spirit from some old tale. In his hand, he held a worn compass that had clearly been used many times before.
Jean followed beside him, riding a strong, calm horse. She sat straight and proud, alert as they made their way through the quiet, mysterious woods. The sound of hoofbeats echoed through the valley, mixing with the strange calls of birds hiding in the trees. It all felt eerie, like the forest was watching them.
Beneath the horses' hooves, the ground was littered with human bones, silent reminders of those who had died here long ago.
As they moved deeper into the valley, smoke began to rise from the bones as if the land was breathing out old pain. The misty air twisted around them, heavy with sorrow. Jean shivered. Her heart raced as voices began to whisper all around her.
"We don't belong here," one said.
"Take us with you!" cried another.
"Take my son!"
"Water… please… water…"
The voices were filled with pain. Jean felt fear and sadness twist inside her.
Mu Kanjo looked back. His eyes were deep and knowing. "Clear your mind," he said calmly. "Don't listen to the voices. They're not real, they're echoes of silent suffering."
His voice was steady, anchoring her to the present.
"This place is called the Valley of the Dead," he continued. "More than two thousand years ago, three powerful nations fought over gold. But it wasn't just greed it was something darker that pushed them to war. After the bloodshed, one nation betrayed the others. They wiped out every last survivor. They invaded cities, tore families apart, and killed anyone who stood in their way."
His voice darkened.
"The men were all slaughtered. The women were spared… but not really. Some couldn't take the pain of losing everything. They ended their lives. Others stayed and witnessed horror beyond words. Their sons were tortured to death, burned, boiled, skinned alive for three long days and nights."
Jean gasped, her hands tightening on the reins.
"The cries of the mothers filled the valley," he said softly. "And then, on the third night, a rumor spread: a hundred women, desperate for revenge, made a pact with the devil. They cut their own throats at the same time. And that night, every dead body in the valley rose from the earth."
"The Living Dead," he said. "Trapped between worlds. Forever searching for peace. They are grief made flesh. This valley has never known peace since."
Jean tried to laugh it off, but it came out shaky. "That's a scary story, Mr. Mu. But I must say… It's also fascinating."
They had been riding for hours. The valley was filled with dry bones, and silence had crept in around them.
Then she looked behind them.
"What's that cloud?" she asked, pointing to a dark shadow creeping along the path behind them. "It's getting darker…"
Mu turned and saw it too. His expression changed.
"We need to move, now," he said sharply. "It feels like something's watching us."
They kicked their horses into a faster pace, the compass guiding their path.
"We'll need to find shelter soon," he said. "The way out of this valley only opens at midnight."
"Midnight? Why didn't you tell me that earlier?" Jean asked, panic creeping into her voice.
Before he could answer, the horses suddenly reared, startled by something unseen. Both riders were thrown to the ground as their horses bolted into the woods. Just then, from behind a tree, a woman stepped out. She was old, carrying a heavy bundle of firewood, with a small child walking behind her.
Jean and Mu stood up quickly, brushing themselves off. They exchanged a worried glance, knowing they had to find the horses or risk being trapped.
"We need to find them quickly or we will be stuck," Mu said in a low voice.
"Stuck, uck, uck," the old woman muttered with a strange grin. She looked at them with a mix of kindness and something unsettling. "Are you two lost, my dear children? Would you like a place to sleep tonight?"
As she spoke, the air grew darker. Time seemed to be slipping away.
"You can stay at my house," she offered with a warm but chilling smile. "I'll give you a hot meal and a soft bed."
Mu's face turned cold. "Children? Madam, I've lived five of your lifetimes," he snapped.
Jean quickly stepped on his foot, warning him to keep quiet.
"We'd love to come," she said politely. "But… What about our horses?"
"Oh, my children will find them for you," the old woman said, still smiling.
Jean, curious, walked beside her and asked, "Why are you out here gathering firewood so late?"
The woman replied, her voice calm, "I feed better at night."
That answer made Jean uneasy. Mu followed close behind, his hand near his side as if ready for anything.
They reached her home, a large hut with smoke curling from the chimney. The windows glowed warmly in the dark, offering some comfort. At the door, she knocked three times.
"Children, I'm home!" she called.
Two teenagers opened the door and welcomed her with bright smiles.
Jean and Mu exchanged a silent look. The valley had gone silent again, but not peacefully so.
Inside the house, the warmth was almost overwhelming after the cold outside. But there was something in the air that felt off, like the hush before a storm.
As the door shut behind them, Jean whispered, "Are we really safe here?"
Mu's eyes scanned the room carefully. "Hmm," he murmured…
"Sit down," she instructed, gesturing towards the dining table in the center of the room. "Children," she called to the three, her voice slithering like a serpent, "bring the meat and the milk." This time, everyone took their places at the table, but Jean was still disturbed by a lingering odor in her nostrils. She could smell the scent of dried blood, though she couldn't pinpoint its source, as well as the stench of decaying meat, or rather, the flesh of the dead. "Dig in," the old woman urged; and Mr. Kanjo, enticed by the lavish spread before him, couldn't resist and immediately
took a piece. "Stop!" Jean screamed as the unsettling illusion began to fade away.