The journey to Blackthorn Hotel began late in the evening when the sky was covered with thick clouds that blocked most of the stars. The van moved along an empty road surrounded by endless trees, and with every kilometre they travelled, the familiar world behind them seemed to disappear. The city lights became distant memories, phone signals became weaker, and the sound of traffic was replaced by the quiet movement of the forest around them. At first, everyone was excited. Ryan joked about the stories they had heard, Noah continued saying there was probably a reasonable explanation for everything, and Daniel recorded their journey with his camera, capturing every conversation and every reaction. They believed they were simply going on an adventure. But as the forest became darker and more isolated, the mood slowly changed. Lily spent most of the journey researching old documents about Blackthorn Hotel. She had expected to find exaggerated rumours, but instead she discovered something that made her uncomfortable. The list of missing people connected to the hotel was much longer than anyone had realised. Elena Voss was not the only person who had disappeared there. There had been many others. And almost every report mentioned the same thing. A voice. When Lily explained this, nobody joked anymore. The van became unusually quiet as everyone thought about the same question. What kind of place could make so many people hear the same thing? Hours later, the van finally stopped. Through the trees, they saw it. Blackthorn Hotel. The building was much larger than the photographs had shown. Its walls were covered with cracks, vines grew around the entrance, and several windows were broken, leaving dark empty spaces across the building. It looked like a place that had been forgotten by time. But as the seven friends stepped outside and looked at the hotel, they all felt something they could not explain. It did not feel abandoned. It felt like something inside was waiting.

Chapter 3: The Road Through The Forest