“We need a podcast!” The main editor of the Lake Laura Daily declared loudly, abruptly breaking the silence and capturing the attention of the few employees scattered around the quiet newsroom. Brett startled awake from the unapologetic nap he’d been taking at his cluttered desk, still exhausted from spending the entire previous night gathering material…

Did that really happen? No one could believe it. The day after the picnic, Gael’s arrest was still the talk of Lake Laura, spreading disbelief like wildfire. Everywhere you went, whispers of shock and confusion filled the air. Gael wasn’t just a model citizen and a beloved, promising young man; he was also the boyfriend…

The day of the Spring Picnic arrived, and the atmosphere buzzed with the promise of a beautiful Saturday morning. Spring had started to make itself known, the warmth of the sun barely brushing the skin, and the flowers in full bloom. Inside the cabin, Lua stood nervously by the window, watching the morning light filter…

Kelly Martin glanced at her phone, seeing five missed calls from her father. She stared at the screen for a moment, her thumb hovering over the “delete” button. She had no intention of calling him back—now or maybe ever. The distance between them had grown into a chasm over the years, and she couldn’t understand…

Kelly and Ali made their way up the creaky wooden stairs to the cabin’s porch, the evening air still, but thick with tension. The sound of their boots hitting the planks echoed eerily, emphasizing the strange energy that surrounded them. Lua stood at the doorway, her eyes distant, staring out into the trees as if…

The chill of February lingered in the air, casting a gray, moody shadow over Lake Laura. Everyone felt it—the general malaise that followed the darker events of recent months. Around the university campus, the atmosphere was heavy, prompting many students to avoid walking near the massive historical building altogether. The emptiness of GallU’s vast hallways…

The investigation into Joseph Gallanti’s murder intensified as the days dragged on, and the pressure on everyone involved became suffocating. Detectives Ferguson and Scott had already been able to corroborate Peter Gallanti’s air-tight alibi, which eliminated the closest person to the victim as a suspect. The pair made their way through the maze of GallU’s…

The beginning of the school new year at GallU should have brought a sense of renewal, but instead, things seemed as chaotic as ever. Classes resumed, and the town buzzed with students returning from their holidays, ready to dive into the semester. Lua, Alinda, and Kelly were hanging out at the cafeteria, catching up on…

While some people used the first days of the year to focus on resolutions and healthy habits, Abigail had chosen a different path. For her, this was the ideal time to channel all her energy into uncovering the truth behind Lua’s mysterious origin story. She was certain there had to be some dirt buried in…

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft silver light over the landscape around the cabin. It was the final night of the year, and the air was still, almost reverent, as if the forest itself understood the significance of the ritual Lua was about to begin. She stood barefoot in the cabin’s…

It had been years since Alinda had introduced a girlfriend to her family, and this time, she was twice as nervous. She liked Evelyn more than she’d liked anyone in a long time. So far, everything had gone smoothly. They’d been staying at her parents’ house for a week, and everyone seemed to be just…

Early on the morning of Christmas Eve’s eve, Lua woke abruptly to the sound of rustling outside the cabin. Her heart raced as she sat up in bed, momentarily disoriented. The noise was unmistakable—it was coming from the side of the house. She immediately thought of the vandals who had been targeting her for weeks,…

No matter how skeptical you might be, Friday the 13th always carries an undeniable chill. On a windy evening in mid-December, the atmosphere of the symbolic date becomes even more somber. There’s always a feeling that something unexpected might happen. As afternoon gave way to twilight, Lua stepped out of the cabin onto the porch,…

The holiday season had officially begun, but the usual cheer was nowhere to be found. The festive decorations that adorned the campus seemed out of place, overshadowed by the gloom that had settled over everyone. The sense of unease was palpable, and the future felt uncertain. At the cabin, Lua constantly felt uneasy, as if…

The day dawned bleak and cold, the kind of morning that seemed to foreshadow the darkness about to unfold. Detective Ferguson and his new partner, Detective Ryder Scott, moved deliberately through the grand entrance of the Gallanti mansion. The air inside was thick with the metallic scent of blood, mingling with the musty odor of…

Lua opened the door at Whispers to find Ali and Mrs. Lynx deeply engrossed in an iPad screen, their attention fully absorbed by whatever was displayed. Mrs. Lynx, with her glasses perched on the edge of her nose, tapped the screen thoughtfully. “How about this one?” she asked, her voice calm but decisive. Ali leaned…

Before anyone knew it, Friday had arrived again, and with it, the question of whether more strange occurrences were in store for Lake Laura—and specifically, for GallU. The day began uneventfully, with a clear sky and bright sunshine, cold but typical for late November. Hopes were high that the past three weeks of disasters were…

Exactly one week after the storm, the coldest day of the year arrived—a bleak, gray Friday afternoon. The campus of GallU was wrapped in a somber chill when, without warning, a deafening boom shattered the stillness. An explosion ripped through one of the labs in the biological sciences department, sending shockwaves across the grounds and…

Ryder’s car pulled up in front of the cabin, its headlights cutting through the fading light of dusk. Lua stood by the door, the cool evening air brushing against her skin, watching him step out with a smile that reached his eyes. He was wearing a dark jacket, casual but put together, and as he…

Alinda turned the Whisper’s sign on the door to Closed, marking the end of another day at the shop. Her heart was buzzing with excitement as Evelyn wandered between the shelves, her delicate fingers grazing the spines of books and glass potion bottles. “I can’t believe this is where you work,” Evelyn said, her voice…

Three days after the storm, the GallU campus reopened, and students tried to return to their routines. The sky was still overcast, but the worst seemed to have passed. Lua, Alinda, and Kelly met on the outdoor patio of the Central Campus, their breath visible in the crisp air. The historical building’s grand stone archways…

The letter arrived on a cold, dreary afternoon. The thick, official-looking envelope stood out among the usual junk mail, its presence ominous. Lua’s hands trembled slightly as she tore it open, her heart already sinking with a sense of foreboding. The words on the page blurred as she read them, but their meaning was unmistakable:…

Most of it happened in the woods. Justin trudged through the dense underbrush, each step sinking into the damp earth. The air was thick with the musk of pine and rotting leaves, the setting sun casting long, haunting shadows. His pulse thundered in his ears, blending with the faint rustling of the forest and the…

The cabin was quiet and clean, a sharp contrast to the inferno from the previous night. Inside, Alinda and Lua sat in the kitchen, their mugs of herbal tea steaming in front of them. Colombia, Ali’s cat, slept peacefully on the kitchen counter, her favorite place in the cabin. Lua was caressing her gently. Alinda…

The Halloween night was crisp and chilly, a cool breeze sweeping through the trees around the cabin. Inside, Kelly wandered around the living room wearing a long black dress, heavy dark makeup and exuberant witchy accessories. She walked slowly, taking in the perfectly curated ambiance. The warmth of the fire crackling in the hearth contrasted…

A gray, chilly Friday in October enveloped the cabin as Lua, Alinda, and Kelly gathered on the porch. The air was thick with the scent of wet leaves and the promise of rain. The girls had spent yet another night at the cabin and woke up decided to set aside their worries about work and…

The following week was a whirlwind of activity for Kelly, and Alinda. Their days were consumed by planning and brainstorming sessions for their ambitious LINAFEST project, hoping that with enough focus, they could get ahead and allow themselves a weekend off to rest, and maybe even start planning their much-anticipated Halloween party. They gathered at…

At 5:30 AM on a Monday morning, while most GallU students were still asleep, Kelly was already stepping out of her dorm for her daily run. Even she had to admit she looked good in her bone-and-gold Lululemon cropped jacket and leggings—pieces she often claimed were dupes, though they weren’t. She had enough money to…

The bell above the door of Whispers tinkled softly as Lua and Alinda stepped inside. The shop, filled with the rich scent of herbs and incense, felt like a world unto itself—a sanctuary of magic in the middle of the mundane. Alinda’s eyes widened as she took in the shelves lined with crystals, candles, and…

It was around 8 p.m. on a chilly Thursday evening, Kelly parked her Prius Prime on the side of the cabin, both her and Ali clad in comfortable sweatpants and oversized jackets. Ali had a big backpack slung over her shoulder, a pillow tucked under one arm, headphones dangling from her neck, and her large…

The forest was particularly majestic that morning. With the sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird calls, Lua led Kelly and Alinda along a winding path through the woods. The early morning sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was crisp, and you could smell the scent of earth…

The past few days had brought an unexpected surge of excitement into Lua’s life. First, she had spotted the skinny photographer girl snooping around her cabin. This wasn’t the kind of intrusion Lua had wanted to deal with when she moved here, but she had known it was inevitable. Still, the girl seemed harmless—just looking…

Alinda awoke in a daze, her vision blurred as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. The scent of fresh herbs filled her nostrils, and the ground beneath her felt soft, almost comforting. She blinked several times, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Standing before her was the woman from the cabin,…

Kelly explained calmly and patiently to Alinda, her tone measured like an adult speaking to a child, why she would never consider jumping over a fence or ignoring a “No Trespassing” sign. In her mind, the thought of invading private property, even to see the “magical cabin” in the “magical woods”, was ludicrous. Alinda, on…

It was Friday, October fourth, 2024. A typical autumn afternoon. Alinda clambered over the old, wooden fence that marked the edge of the woods, her breath quickening with excitement. The leaves beneath her feet crunched softly as her combat boots stepped on them, their vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold creating a tapestry of…