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This old mansion is yours to explore. The relic of a bygone era, it was once elegant and stately, but now it sits abandoned and crumbling amidst the overgrown ruins of a formal garden. A cold wind whistles through the shattered windows, stirring the tattered draperies and skittering leaves across the floors. Eerie shadows close in as the sun dips below the horizon. No one really believes that a deranged uncle brutally murdered his nephew here, and was held prisoner in a secret room for the rest of his life.…right? From somewhere above, floorboards creak and a door groans on rusty hinges. You pivot, surprised, toward the sound of footsteps on the stairs, then recoil as an unseen entity brushes past you. Terrified, you hardly dare to breathe. Ignoring the rising panic, you venture deeper into the gloom. A dank, musty odor assaults your senses, followed by the unmistakable clanking of a sturdy chain securing a heavy steel door. Your rational mind knows that you are alone, but that doesn’t stop the cacophony of sounds coming at you from all directions: a woman weeping mournfully, the psychotic mumblings of a madman, a ghostly child calling out in a singsong voice that you cannot understand. Is fear playing tricks on your brain, or is this place truly haunted?

The old-timer at the end of the bar warned you not to shortcut through the forest, but you didn’t take him seriously. You chuckled when he described a string of mysterious disappearances, confident that the locals pull this prank on every stranger at the roadside motel. Your little cabin is only a five-minute walk, the path is clearly marked, and the full moon provides plenty of light. But you didn’t know that the dense, leafy canopy would shroud the moon, or that the wind in the trees would obscure other sounds. Bats screeching overhead make your hair stand on end. A piercing howl echoes through the forest. It sounds distant, but you beg your feet to move faster. And then twigs snap under the weight of heavy footfalls – you are not alone. Close by, a menacing, hungry growl. Fear twists your gut; your breath comes in quick gasps as you blindly continue forward. A foul odor assaults your nose, followed by warm, viscous fluid on your cheek. Is that saliva?! Suddenly, he is beside you – a huge, shaggy werewolf, with piercing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Drool oozes from his massive jaw as he towers over you. Your only thought: next time, I’ll listen.

The life of a gravedigger is a solitary existence. I am the person that everyone avoids; I wear sorrow like a heavy coat against the cold, howling wind. My time is spent burrowing into the earth; you’ll hear the scrape of my shovel whenever a final resting place is needed. Spend some time with me this night, if you dare. I will reveal the shadow realm that does not belong to the living. The owls and ravens that observe my work will call out a warning when the undead walk the land. You will witness phantoms in clanking chains, trudging slowly up the cemetery path, seeking absolution for their crimes. On this moonless eve, unrepentant fiends will throw open the caskets that restrain them, leaping forth with savage snarls. They demand brutal justice for those who ushered them to an early grave. But fear not; their fury is only a show – they can do nothing more than summon an army of bats to frighten the living. After the church bell tolls, they must return to their chilly underground beds. When we hear the old guard dog wail, we will leave them to their eternal sleep. Then you and I will return to the cemetery gate to await the next fatality.

Why does this retreat feel like a horror movie? All you wanted was peace and quiet; a chance to unplug and unwind. But instead of a stress-free sojourn, you’ve stepped into a nightmare. The calming influence of the crackling fire is the only thing keeping you steady. The howling wind hurls dead leaves against the cabin, distorting other sounds. Dilapidated floorboards groan as you move to the window, momentarily brave enough to peek outside. Silhouetted by the quarter moon, a lone wolf releases a mournful cry into the darkness. Creaking shutters set your teeth on edge; distant thunder warns of an impending storm. Was that a scream…or just a trick of your imagination? Gravel crunches underfoot; is someone – or something – lurking in the shadows? Your mind is going numb with fear. Logic tells you to stay put; you will only become hopelessly lost in the nighttime woods. All you can do is hold on until daybreak. The ceaseless ticking of the clock on the mantle reminds you that it’s going to be a very long night.

Prithee, friend, how come ye to be about on such a fearful eve? Make haste! Carry thyself swiftly to thine abode, and pray thee, bar the door! Hast thou forgotten that phantoms walk among us this night? Shadows grow long, and already ravens greet the departed souls! Forsooth, I tell thee, although the crickets sing without care, mortals must heed this dire warning. With mine own ears have I heard the hollow sound of demon hooves upon the cobbles! Had I not been summoned to the apothecary for a potion to protect my firstborn, it would be madness to roam the streets. Pray ye fervently that fiendish breath not afflict thine own babes with wretched fever. Harken! Hear ye not the bloodcurdling laughter of the undead? Do not tarry! Blessings upon thine family; may we all withstand this godforsaken night, and meet hale and hearty upon the morrow!