The villagers had one unbreakable rule: if you heard someone calling your name from the plateau after sunset, you were never to answer. They claimed something, known to their ancestors as anix lived in the cliffs. Something that listened carefully, learned every voice, and waited patiently for the perfect opportunity. Outsiders laughed at the warning, dismissing it as another local superstition.
During a weekend camping trip, four friends heard Emma's younger brother calling for help from somewhere beyond the trees. Emma panicked, insisting she recognized his voice, even though he was hundreds of miles away. The others tried to stop her, reminding her that it couldn't possibly be him, but the desperate cries became louder and more convincing. Moments later, another familiar voice joined in. Her mother's, begging her to hurry before it was too late.
Ignoring every warning, Emma ran toward the voices, disappearing into the darkness surrounding the plateau. Her friends chased after her, but every path led them in circles until dawn. When sunlight finally reached the forest, they found only Emma's flashlight lying beside a patch of disturbed earth. As they searched in stunned silence, one of them suddenly heard Emma's voice drifting through the trees behind them. Calmly, she whispered,
“I'm over here... please help me."
The others froze, because they knew with absolute certainty that whatever was speaking was no longer Emma.