Annie's heart raced as she approached the familiar tree in her backyard, only to find the doll missing. Instead, a lifeless squirrel lay beneath the branches. She knelt, hesitating before poking its tiny body. It was cold, still, and unmistakably dead. Annie's eyes widened in shock. Suddenly, a hand tapped her shoulder. She whirled around, her pulse pounding, ready to unleash her mediocre karate skills. "Hina!" she gasped, recognizing her mother. "Calm down," Hina said, her voice steady but her eyes darting nervously. "I'm just going to deal with the squirrel... But how did it die? It's not like some magical spirits killed it or anything..." She tried to laugh, but the sound was hollow. Annie's blood ran cold. "What do you mean by spirits?!" she demanded, her voice rising in panic. The strange occurrences lately, the eerie feeling she

couldn't shake—it all started to make sense. Hina's face tightened with a mixture of fear and concern. She looked at her daughter, who had always been so mature, now grappling with the unimaginable. "Well," she began slowly, "the locals whisper about spirits... Spirits of the lost and the found who have built a hidden city for themselves. They live among us, but with supernatural powers..." She paused, her voice trembling. "I forgot the rest, honestly." She tried to chuckle, but it came out as a nervous rasp. Annie's fear escalated, her mind racing with terrifying possibilities. The backyard seemed darker, the shadows deeper. What if the spirits were real? What if they were watching her right now? The thought was too much to bear. She looked at her mother, eyes wide with dread, as the chilling reality began to sink in. Annie's mind raced with fear and confusion. Her thoughts spiraled wildly: What did the spirits want

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from her? Was this because of what she had done to Eli and Eleanor? Those two deserved it, didn't they? The doorbell interrupted her anxious thoughts. Hina hurried to answer it, relief washing over her face momentarily. Darren, the local mailman, stood there holding a small brown box.

image [https://img.wattpad.com/f83c8477339a6628d8ed18e14d1835d1ab57c6fb/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f705931655a58565667304e354c773d3d2d313436323435353338322e313765333831343230383664636233653334323537383836383130322e706e67]

(yes his a lil boy)