she beckons you closer, staying hidden within the thick layer of forest.

she seems to shimmer in and out of existence. her skin seems far too pale to be human. her eyes seem far too bright to be anything but.

you take a step closer.

she grins. she has too many teeth to be human.

the forest seems to chuckle ominously, as if you have made a mistake.

you feel the air grow cold. you feel the hairs on your arms rise up. you begin to panic.

you dare to take a glimpse behind you.

you turn back.

she is right in front of you.

your vision goes dark.

somewhere in the deep crevices of your mind, she giggles.

the cottage in the woods is showing signs of decay. you can hear the wind groaning through the holes in its walls. she is afraid. she does not want you to come any closer. but you are impulsive. you are curious. so curious, in fact, that you find yourself helplessly taking cautious steps towards the front door of the place. the groans grow louder, as if she were warning you to turn back. but it is too late. you are already pushing the door open.

the blood on the wall and the body crumpled on the floor was enough to send you bolting out the door.

so that’s where your cousin went.

tips for driving down back roads at night

• check to make sure all of your headlight bulbs are working before you depart from your starting location. not only are broken headlights against the law, you could potentially be blindly stumbling into some dangerous territory. the more area you can see, the better. the last thing you want is to be stuck on their land.
• do not let your eyes linger on the wheat fields. some have reported a sudden drop in temperature in their car. some have spoken of a tugging sensation coming from the fields. some have claimed they saw the devil himself grinning back. you do not want to find out what lurks within the wheat fields.
• if you happen to come across a hitchhiker, check for wounds or anything out of the ordinary on their person. if their eyes reflect your headlights, drive faster. do not stop under any circumstances. do not slow down until you are absolutely sure they cannot catch up to you. they are not human.
• do not slow down or stop to marvel at the cottage in the forest. do not go inside or get out of your car. you will not return unscathed.
• if you see yellow eyes watching you from the corn, continue on. they are just the ravens.
• if you see red eyes watching you from the corn, continue on. they are just the crows.
• if you see green eyes watching you from the corn, get out of there as fast as you possibly can. they will follow you. they will hunt you down.
• objects in your side mirrors indeed seem closer than they look. don’t glance over too often, though. they come nearer with every look.
• the creatures in the woods are rumored to attack pickup trucks more often than any other type of automobile. make sure all of your windows are shut and your truck bed is empty and uncovered if you drive one. you wouldn’t want to ferry one of them home without knowing.
• do not stare at the empty, broken-down cars on the side of the road. they do not welcome the gazes of strangers. it is best if you only say a quick prayer for them and drive on. you do not want to be next.
• the radio may spit out some inaudible blubber occasionally. white noise may come through for a few seconds before reverting back to what you were listening to. just convince yourself you’re driving through a spot with patchy satellite signal. don’t mind what they’re saying through the static. ignorance is bliss.
• some travelers claim they often hear shrieking while they are driving. contrary to popular belief, they do not want to hurt you. they are just playing tricks on you. just don’t slow down. just don’t stop.
• whatever you do, don’t fall asleep. pull into a rest stop, at least. do not fall asleep on the side of the road. you may not wake up again.
• the witching hour does not apply when you’re on the road. they roam after sunset. they are bloodthirsty. stay aware of your surroundings.
• that stain on the grass over there was definitely from a deer. don’t think too much about it.
• right?
• not everything that you can see is real.
• not everything that is real you can see.
• the devil never sleeps. he is out for blood. he is nothing like anything you’ve ever seen before. you have been warned.

tips for exploring the woods at night with your significant other

• bring a flashlight.
• bring another flashlight.
• both of you should have at least two flashlights each. the woods are rumored to siphon battery life from certain contraptions.
• bring spare batteries.
• dress warm. even if it’s the middle of july, the woods get colder the deeper you venture.
• make sure both your phones are fully charged. there might be service. you might get lucky.
• do not lose sight of each other.
• do not talk above a whisper. the trees are known to lash out at things they do not like, and they despise loud noises.
• there should always be some sort of noise going on around the two of you (leaves rustling, animals pattering as they walk, water rushing, etc.) if either of you notice everything has suddenly gone silent, do not panic. do not cause a commotion. just keep on walking. do not stop moving. do not look behind you, but keep your ears open. the woods can sense fear, and they prey on it.
• always keep the braver of the two of you in the back. they cannot look behind them at any time lest it has its eyes on you. neither of you can look behind you. keep your head forward and your gaze ahead. do not let your eyes stray from the path.
• the woods hold many secrets. it is best you refrain from finding out the truth. do not go searching for answers. they are annoyed by prying eyes.
• do not lose sight of each other.
• both of you may see flashes of figures in your peripherals. do not look at them. they will not hurt you, but they do not like to be looked at. they are simply curious. mind your own business.
• you may feel eyes on the back of your head. you may feel eyes everywhere around you. they are watching you. do not turn your head to search for them. do not make eye contact with them. they are also curious. mind your own business.
• do not anger it. do not look at it. it is all around you, and the two of you have ventured right into the heart of its territory. there is no guarantee the both of you will make it out alive if you do. be polite. be mindful. be humble. be wary.
• do not lose sight of each other.
• it is best you exit the woods after a few hours of walking. no one knows how long anyone can stay within the trees before they are trapped there for eternity. if you and your partner decide to explore for longer, be mindful you are voluntarily overstaying your welcome and that they might not be happy with you.
• if you see anything questionable, do not go near it. avoid it. walk around it and do not stare. the woods do not appreciate rudeness and criticism. do not look behind you to look at it once you see it for the first time. do not touch it. do not stop walking to inspect it.
• time does not exist in the woods. do not depend on the clock on your phone. it is no longer safe to rely on. nothing is safe to rely on in the woods. keep your cool at all times.
• one of you must stay awake while the other sleeps. you cannot both be asleep at the same time. you may not wake up after. the woods are known to capture sleeping souls. it is recommended the two of you stay awake at all times lest the person who is awake cannot fight it off.
• you may feel a sense of suffocation while you are walking. do not give in. fight off the sense. it will eventually give up.
• do not lose sight of each other.
• if by chance the two of you you get separated, pick up your walking pace. walk in a zigzag path. this confuses the things following you. do not call out for help or for each other. remember that the woods do not like loud noises. do not call attention to yourself. you are now at the mercy of it. from then on, watch every step you take. be swift. you may be able to find a way out if you are quick enough.
• if the two of you make it out alive, go home immediately. do not linger. they will grow restless. they need their privacy. go home. do not return to those woods. they will not be as welcoming the next time.

taipei gothic

• the airport is always packed. there is barely enough room to extend your arms out all the way. everyone is on the phone. they are cackling loudly in a language you hardly understand. hundreds of voices overlap. their laughter echoes throughout the terminal. it is never quiet. their laughter echoes in your brain. it keeps you up at night. it is never quiet.
• there are taxis everywhere you look. they are all the same shade of yellow. you open the door of one. a man greets you cheerfully through the rearview mirror. his eyes scream for help. you blink. he has no eyes. you blink. you cannot understand what he is saying. he will not let you leave the taxi. you blink. it is 10:28 pm. three hours pass. you blink. it is 10:29 pm. he will not let you leave the taxi.
• your grandparents meet you at the door. their smiles are plastic. their eyes are hollow. you hug them warmly. you haven’t visited them in years. they step aside for you to go in. there is a red handprint on the wall directly opposite from you. the bathroom is locked. no one else lives in this house. grandmother says your great-uncle was playing with sriracha sauce. you do not have a great-uncle. you hear the front door lock. the entire house smells like copper. you ask no questions.
• at night, the ambulances scream. they rip through your skull. they sound like crying children. you know that none of them will ever reach their destination. you’d be better off dead than calling for one. god knows what they do to the people who call for them.
• it is exactly 12:30 am. you are hungry. there is a 7/11 a ways down the street. you hop into your car and start driving. you pass a 7/11. that is not the right one. there is another 7/11 across the street. that is not the right one. you check your side mirrors. you have driven past three more 7/11s. none of those are the right 7/11. their led lights beckon you eerily. they tempt you. you continue driving. there is a 7/11 at every stoplight. you have been driving for ten minutes. you check your dashboard clock. it is exactly 12:30 am. you are no longer hungry. you do not stop driving. the 7/11s call to you. you do not stop driving.
• taipei 101 looms over the city. you can see it wherever you go. there is glass on every side of the tower. the tower sees all. the glass reflects the truth. you do not look at the glass. you do not want to know the truth.
• you go to visit your child cousins. they are overjoyed to see you. you notice their hair glinting raven-black in the sun. they ask you how you are. you cannot understand their language. you cannot understand the words coming out of your mouth in response. they do not stop talking. their words become slurred as the heat melts off their lips. the girl’s tongue falls out of her mouth. the boy’s eyes begin to lighten. they do not stop talking. you notice their hair shimmers strawberry-blond in the sun. you cannot understand their language. you respond anyways.
• this city is covered in cockroaches. they scuttle between people’s feet as they walk down the street. they live in the subway station. they party in the gutters. they buzz up in the air to dodge traffic. you do not step on any of them. you remember you stepped on one once, years ago. they have not stopped following you. they have not stopped judging you. you remember a story told to you about a distant cousin who stepped on too many cockroaches one day. his body was found in the road the night after. his entrails were scattered about him. the cockroaches got revenge. you see the empty husk of a cockroach lying in the corner of a store. you hear shrieking from the floorboards. you mind your own business.
• the locals say that ximen station is haunted. they say that the spirits come out and roam after sunset. you are meeting a friend in ximen for dinner. you call them and lightheartedly joke about the haunted subway. they laugh with you. they tell you that they will not hurt you. just don’t look at them directly in the eye. don’t look at the little girl at the bottom of the rails. don’t be late or they will not let you leave. you say you feel ill. you ask if you can meet tomorrow in taipei. the line goes dead. you do not hear from them again.
• “try our bubble tea!” vendors screech from the side of the road. their large sunhats keep their faces hidden. you stop at a booth and squint at the sign. you can only make out the words “milk tea” in messy, scrawled handwriting. you cannot read the other words on the sign. the vendor takes a step closer to you. in his hand is a cup of boba. the boba is not black like normal. the boba is the color of swamp moss. the vendor smiles underneath his enormous sunhat. you swear he has more teeth than normal. he thrusts the cup towards you. “only 70 dollars!” you take a step back. he takes a step forward. you manage to sneak a peek under his gigantic sunhat. you now know why the vendors wear such huge sunhats. the sun is not the reason. you no longer walk down that road. their screeches still follow you everywhere you go.
• it is the night before the day you fly home. grandfather has scrubbed the handprint off the wall. grandmother has made pig intestine for dinner. flies buzz around the dish. you lean in and take a whiff. it smells like copper. you recoil. grandmother looks at you curiously. her plastic smile fades. “do you like it?“ you bite back your tongue. you do not show disgust at grandmother’s cooking. you nod your head enthusiastically. your heart is pumping wildly. grandmother’s plastic smile returns. she leans in to give you a hug. she praises you. you hope she cannot feel how rapid your heartbeat is. everyone in the family knows what happens when you criticize grandmother’s cooking. you realize the bathroom door is still locked. the house still smells like copper. everything smells like copper. you hope she doesn’t know.
• grandmother knows all.
• grandfather comes into your room. he is holding a butcher knife in his right hand. he sets it down right by the door. he tells you it’s for emergency purposes. you cannot fathom what kind of emergency would require a butcher knife. the stray dogs cry behind your house. grandmother laughs from the living room. why is she laughing? stray dogs are not funny. you turn back to grandfather. his face is pale. you tilt your head. he does not answer. he backs out of the room and closes the door. he locks it from the outside. odd. you didn’t know your door could lock from the outside. you pick up the butcher knife. you see a reflection in the blade. you do not look back down. you scan the walls for a clock. there is none. the stray dogs howl again. you swear you hear a scream from the living room. you do not get up. you do not let go of the knife. you cannot under any circumstances let go of the knife after you’ve picked it up. it will turn against you. whatever is on the other side of the door will not lose interest in you. grandmother is not who she seems.