The Winds

On October 30th a few college students from ESU (East Stroudsburg University) wanted to go on a spooky trip to set the mood for Halloween the next day. They were staying in Fujinomiya, Japan as a trip for their school break. Alex found a cabin a few miles from a forest for only $200 for a week and told his friends about it. Justin, Max, Olivia and Mary were all excited. They spent the next couple of days talking about it at lunch and after classes. The day has finally come. They have all of their things packed into their duffel bags and they're in the car on their way to the airport. They got to the airport and continued to talk about it while waiting to board the plane.  The plane ride seemed to be over so quickly since they Alex and Olivia were sleeping and the others just talked about what they wanted to do during their time in Japan. They got off the plane and into their rental car. About 45 minutes into the ride Alex says from the passenger seat “I think we’re lost. We should pull over at this gas station up ahead and ask for directions”. The group groaned from being stuck in the car for so long but nodded in agreeance when Olivia added “fine, but im getting out to stretch” while Justin, Max and Mary all shouted “agreed” in unison. They got to a gas station that appeared to be run down “I’m going to go inside and find someone to ask for directions, anyone wanna come?” they all nodded their heads no almost as if in fear of the rundown gas station that they stood in front of. Alex went along inside to find someone when walking through the door and almost into an older man. “Excuse me, sir but you wouldn't happen to know how to get to the cabins near the Aokigahara forest, would you?”. The man stared at him as if in shock “Why you're not going there, are you?” said the older man almost in a whisper. “Uhm yeah, my friends and I rented it out for the week.” “Well if you go there,you and your friends stay away from that forest”. Alex looked at him questioningly and asked “why? We planned on going there as a trip, we heard about the trails”.... “Don't do it! You'll hear the screams and cries of all of the men and women that have went there to take their lives”. Alex just laughed it off and walked back to his friends at the car. All of his friends just stared at him as he stared back at the man while standing outside of the car. “Well, did he give you directions or not?” said Max. Alex barely heard him, he was too busy trying to figure out what the old man meant. The group of friends had no idea that the Aokigahara forest was also known as Japan’s suicude forest and that they were in for a big surprise. “Don't go to that forest, boy! You’ll all die or be haunted for the rest of your lives!” the old man screamed from the open gas station door. “Everyone get back in the car, we have to go” said Alex in a calm but hesitant voice. The group of friends were finally back on the road and following the map that got them lost in the first place. About an hour, 4 wrong turns and 2 turn arounds later, they arrived at the cabin. Justin was the first one to point out that the cabin itself had appeared to be haunted but the group hesitantly protested and went inside where they found nothing but a dusty couch and some old books on a shelf. “Welp, it's a good thing we brought blankets and pillows huh guys?” said Max, he was always the jokester and tension breaker of the group. They all stepped inside and layed blankets out of the floor and sat on them to talk about their next moves for the day. “I’m still a bit creeped out by that guy, Alex. What did he say to you?”Alex just laughed and joked while he told his friends about his conversation with the man. All of the friends just laughed it off and decided to grab some snacks from their bags and watch a few movies that Mary downloaded on her phone until the sun went down. They all dozed off without even changing or thinking about it and woke up the next morning to the cold, crisp air hitting their faces and noticed that the door was open and heard rustling from in the bathroom as if someone were opening a candy bar. Alex, the tough guy of the group stood up while the others just scooted closer together. He walked over to the bathroom and saw a bird playing with a piece of plastic “It’s just a bird guys” he called from the bathroom and shooed the bird away. He walked back out to his friends getting changed and putting their sweaters on. “Ready to head to that haunted forest?” Max said mocking the man from the day before. “Let’s go!”. So the group walked outside, forgetting all about the door that was mysteriously open when they woke up and piled into the rental car. They arrived to the forest but no one else was there. Olivia, Justin and Mary were all a bit anxious and felt the pits of their stomachs as they walked to the trails. There was caution take along the trail to tell tourists where to go and where not to cross. Alex, being the tough guy that he is “lets go off trail, this is no fun!” The group was hesitant at first but after Alex talked them into it they hesitantly followed behind him as they stepped over the caution take and into the big sea of trees that is the ‘suicide forest’ Mary and Olivia were recording theyre adventure on their phones while Max and Justin were taking photos and joking around when Alex stopped suddenly and just stared up into the trees. The group noticed and asked him what was wrong but he kept his gaze with fear written all over his face for the first time since he was 14. The group of friends followed his gaze and were frightened to the point that they couldn’t get their feet to move. “Is that a c-c-corpse?” asked Mary hesitantly. No one could tear they're eyes from the terrifying sight long enough to stamper out the word yes. Alex tried to distract everyone acting tough and unbothered after a few moments and dragged his friends deeper into the forest while they just looked over their shoulders at the hanging corpse only a few feet above their heads. After the hanging, lifeless and decayed body was out of sight the friends walked silently for what seemed like an eternity until Max broke the awkward yet sad tension by telling a joke that his friends only snickered at due to the fact that the corpse was still in the back of their minds. The walk seemed to eventless after that as alex and Olivia walked hand in hand in front of Justin and Mary walking the same way, with Max just a few steps behind them. After being only about half a mile away from the trail Olivia took her hand out of Alex’s grasp to take more videos when her phone started to glitch out. It was starting and stopping videos on it’s own, taking photographs by itself and then turned the phone completely off. Mary then took her phone out along with Alex and Max and they’re phones too, started to do things on their own. Just when they put their phones away and shared a few hesitant and scared comments to each other the wind picked up. “Guys, I don’t feel so good” “Mary, what's wrong?” asked Alex. Mary then doubled over and threw up when Max started to sweat and shake uncontrollably. “Uhm Alex, we need to leave. Now.” “I know, Justin. Carry Mary, i’ll help Max.” said Alex. They were making their way back when they heard footsteps in the leaves as if someone were following them so the group of friends started to run. Suddenly Max dropped to the ground and started to seize. The friends all panicked as Max started to vomit up blood but suddenly was very still and in an unlockable gaze. The friends friend to get him to talk to them but his breathing was getting slower and slower so Alex hoisted Max over his shoulder and began walking at a fast pace. The wind picked up “guys, did you hear that?” asked Olivia. The friends stopped around her and looked at her with questions written on their faces. “I heard a scream” she said looking frightened. “She screamed my name. I have to find her” Olivia then ran in the opposite direction that they were going with her friends yelling after her to come back but no one had the guts to follow her. They yelled and yelled for her but she wasn't even taking a second to glance back at them but yelled “Just go, I’ll meet you guys at the cabin. I have to help her, she needs me and she knows who I am!” Her boyfriend, Alex put Max down from his shoulder and tried to run after her but Justin stopped him and said “It’s not worth your life too bro, let her go. I’m sure she’ll be okay and meet us at the cabin” trying to reassure him but not being so sure about his words himself. Alex nodded his head in disappointment but helped Max back up and the group continued to walk back to the trails, determined to get out of this hell forsaken forest. A few moments of fast paced walking later they heard a scream and stopped in their tracks. “Alex no” “I dont care anymore, Justin. I have to help her. I've been hearing the screams and voices every time the wind blows just like she was but I'm smart enough to know its all in my head but that…” he continued “that was the scream of the girl i love in fear for her life and I have to help her! Keep yelling Olivia, I’m coming!” he yelled and ran off. The group didn't know what to do. “Let’s get out of here, I need to get to a hospital and Alex is smart enough to get out of here on his own and he’ll help Olivia, we have to worry about ourselves right now.” Justin and Mary agreed with him and helped him up. They made it out of the forest and Max layed down on the backseat while Mary was in the passenger seat and Justin drove to the nearest hospital. When they pulled into the parking lot they looked back at Max who lied there with his eyes closed and looking a pale blue. Justin and Mary got out of the car. Mary rushed into the hospital to grab a nurse while Justin put Max over his shoulder and rushed him into the lobby. Max was taken into a room while Justin and Mary sat in the waiting room with anxiety running through their veins when a nurse walked into the lobby and walked over to them. “I’m sorry for your loss” said the nurse and walked away. Justin and Mary sat there arm in arm crying on one another's shoulder. About 10 minutes later they decided to grab some water and go back to the cabin. In the car thoughts about Max, Alex and Olivia raced through their minds. The ride was silent, neither of them said a word out loud despite the thousands of scary thoughts going through their minds. They make it to the cabin and the door was still open. Justin turned the car off but they just sat there silently not knowing what to say. After some time Justin breaks the silence “do you think Alex found Olivia?” “I don't know, but I’m scared and I really hope they're okay” Justin didn’t know what to say so he just nodded slowly “we should go in and sit down for a minute to try to collect our thoughts and make a plan” Mary nodded and opened her door. As they were walking into the cabin they heard Alex. “Guys, help, hurry!” Mary and Justin ran over to a limping Alex and a bleeding Olivia. “Omg you guys are okay,oh my god Olivia, why is your head bleeding?” “she fell and hit it off of a rock, help me get her into the car we have to get her to the hospital, I think she has a concussion” Justin picked up Olivia and put her into the backseat of the car and Alex got in next to her. “Where’s Max?” asked Alex. “We’ll talk about it later” Mary said hesitantly. The rest of the ride was silent. They got into the hospital and were informed that Olivia has bleeding on the brain and has to stay in the hospital for a few days to stabilize her and try to get the bleeding to stop and Alex has a sprained ankle. Justin and Mary told Alex what happened to Max while they sat in the lobby. They all shared a few memories and cried for a moment until a nurse walked up to them. “I’m sorry to bare the bad news but your friend, Olivia didn’t make it” The 3 friends broke into tears, Alex looking the most broken. “She’s gone..” The three very upset, tired and heart broken friends decided to just head out. They didn't even bother to go get their things from the hotel. They went right to the airport and were silent and left alone to their thoughts for the ride. The flight back home was the same way. The plane landed and the friends got into the car and headed to their homes. Alex spent the next few months mourning his girlfriend and doing things around the school for her such as putting flowers and her picture on a table in the hall so that all of her friends and classmates could have the chance to mourn her. Olivia and Justin set up a table for Max in the school but then shortly after they dropped out of college due to the trauma from their trip, left town and got an apartment together but no one has heard from them since they left. The group and the school was never the same without Max and Olivia.