Lily and her little brother Sam loved exploring the woods behind their grandmother's house. The tall trees stretched high into the sky, their leaves rustling like soft whispers. Grandma always warned them not to wander too deep into the forest, especially near the old stone well.
"Strange things happen near that well," Grandma would say with a faraway look in her eyes.
But one chilly autumn afternoon, curiosity got the best of them. The sun was setting, casting long shadows through the trees. Lily grabbed her flashlight, and the two siblings tiptoed through the woods, following the faint sound of water dripping.
When they reached the clearing, the well stood tall and cold. Vines curled around the stones, and the air felt colder than the rest of the forest. Sam's eyes grew wide.
"Do you hear that?" he whispered.
Lily nodded. A soft, echoing voice seemed to rise from deep within the well. It sounded like someone calling for help — faint and distant.
"Hello?" Lily called out, her voice trembling.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, the voice answered. "Hello... help me..."
Sam grabbed Lily's hand. "Let's go back!" he pleaded.
But Lily took a step closer. "Who's there?" she asked.
The voice grew louder. "I've been waiting... so long... so cold..."
A gust of wind swept through the clearing, making the leaves swirl around their feet. Suddenly, the flashlight flickered, casting strange shadows on the well’s stones. Sam tugged on Lily’s sleeve, but she stood frozen.
With shaky hands, Lily picked up a pebble and dropped it into the well. They listened — one second, two seconds — then plop.
Nothing.
Then, the voice whispered again — this time, right behind them.
"Thank you... now I’m free..."
The flashlight flicked off completely. The woods were silent except for the distant hoot of an owl. When Lily turned back to the well, the voice was gone.
They ran all the way home, never speaking of the well again.
But every autumn evening, when the sun begins to set, the wind carries a whisper through the woods — always calling, always waiting.
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