19 Feb The Party at Hollow Ridge — A CTFDN Choose-Your-Own Adventure Story
“The Party at Hollow Ridge — A CTFDN Choose-Your-Own Adventure Story”
Written by Craig Groshek and the CTFDN Audience Edited by Craig Groshek Thumbnail Art by Craig Groshek Narrated by N/ACopyright Statement: Unless explicitly stated, all stories published on CreepypastaStories.com are the property of (and under copyright to) their respective authors, and may not be narrated or performed, adapted to film, television or audio mediums, republished in a print or electronic book, reposted on any other website, blog, or online platform, or otherwise monetized without the express written consent of its author(s).
🎧 Available Audio Adaptations: None Available
⏰ ESTIMATED READING TIME — 4 minutes
(Last Updated: Thursday, February 20, 2025)
Visit the Chilling Tales for Dark Nights Community tab to join the fun and help choose where the story goes!
CHAPTER ONE: THE PARTY IN THE WOODS
“Don’t just stand there—come on!”
Your friend Emily waves at you from the center of the backyard, her face illuminated by the flickering light of a bonfire. Around her, the sounds of laughter and music fill the air as the party kicks into full swing. The night is young, and the woods surrounding this isolated farmhouse are deep and dark, far from the nearest town. You’ve never been this far out, and while the fresh air feels nice, there’s a strange stillness to the place.
You glance over at the woods again, the treeline looming just beyond the yard, barely visible in the flickering firelight. The leaves rustle in the gentle breeze, but there’s something about the way the night feels. Something feels… off.
“Are you coming or not?” Emily calls, a drink in hand, pulling you back to the present. You shake off the unease and head toward her, joining the group of people near the fire. The music is louder here, the chatter of your friends filling the air. It seems like a typical party—nothing out of the ordinary—but something about the place doesn’t sit right with you. The house, with its peeling paint and weathered wood, feels older than it should. And the woods—those dark woods—they feel… watchful.
As you settle into the group, someone throws another log on the fire, sending a burst of sparks into the air. You laugh, grabbing a drink from the cooler nearby, trying to push away the strange feeling creeping over you.
Suddenly, a sharp, unsettling sound cuts through the noise—a low, distant thud, like something heavy being dropped. You freeze for a moment, your senses sharpening. It comes again, this time followed by a faint scratching sound, like claws scraping against bark.
You glance toward the woods, your heart racing just a little faster. No one else seems to have noticed, as they continue chatting, oblivious to the noise. But your stomach tightens. What was that?
Before you can react, Emily nudges you. “Did you hear that?” she asks, her voice low, glancing nervously over her shoulder toward the trees.
You nod slowly. “Yeah. What was that?”
“I don’t know,” she says, her eyes wide. “I thought I saw something move…”
The sounds come again—closer this time. Thud. Scrape. Thud. Scrape.
You turn back to your friends. They’re still laughing, unaware of the growing tension. A part of you wants to tell them, to make them take this seriously. But the other part of you wants to ignore it, to stay with the group and pretend nothing’s wrong.
Emily’s grip tightens on your arm. “Maybe we should go inside. I don’t like this.”
You both stand there for a moment, frozen. The scratching sound comes again, much louder now, and you swear you hear a low growl mixed in. This time, it’s not the wind.
Your mind races. What should you do? The group is distracted. The party’s still going strong, but the woods are pulling at you, the sounds becoming more distinct and unsettling.
You look over at Emily. She’s waiting for you to decide.
CHAPTER TWO: SOMETHING’S OUT THERE
You take a deep breath, trying to steady the creeping unease twisting in your gut. The scratching, the thudding—it’s not just the wind, and it’s not your imagination. It’s real. Something is out there.
Emily is still gripping your arm, her eyes darting between you and the tree line. You can feel her tension, and that’s what pushes you to act.
You turn toward the bonfire, raising your voice over the music. “Hey! Did anyone else hear that?”
A few heads turn, but the reaction is sluggish. Someone chuckles. A guy—Tyler, maybe—leans back in his chair, beer in hand, grinning. “Hear what? The sound of you killing the vibe?”
Laughter ripples through the group, but Emily isn’t laughing. “No, seriously,” she says, stepping closer to the fire. “Something’s in the woods. We both heard it.”
That gets a few more reactions. People exchange glances, some shifting uneasily. Someone—Ava, one of Emily’s friends—wrinkles her nose. “It’s probably just an animal,” she says. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. Of course there’s something in the woods.”
“I don’t know,” you say, standing firm. You hesitate, then glance at Emily for backup. “It sounded… like it was moving toward us.”
That earns some silence. A few people shift, looking toward the trees. The fire crackles, the music hums from a speaker sitting on a folding table, but the mood has definitely changed.
“You’re serious?” someone asks.
You nod.
Tyler rolls his eyes. “Okay, so what? Even if there is something out there, what do you want us to do? Pack it up and go home?” He gestures to the house, the field, the bonfire. “We’re in the safest spot for miles. Unless a damn bear is about to crash the party, I say we let it be.”
A murmur of agreement passes through the group, but not everyone looks convinced.
Then, as if on cue, the sound comes again.
Thud. Scrape. Thud. Scrape.
This time, it’s unmistakable. Loud. Rhythmic. It’s closer.
The music suddenly feels too loud, the fire too small. Every shadow around the bonfire stretches just a little too far into the dark.
Ava curses. “Okay. That’s… that’s weird.”
“Maybe it is an animal?” someone suggests, though their voice isn’t steady.
Tyler forces a laugh. “Or maybe our friends here are just screwing with us.” He looks at you and Emily, raising an eyebrow. “You get bored or something?”
You glare. “Are you serious? We didn’t make that up.”
The mood is breaking. People are getting uncomfortable, looking at each other for answers no one has. Some are whispering. A few have gone quiet, eyes locked on the woods. You feel it too—that slow, creeping sensation that something isn’t right.
Then, another noise. Not from the woods this time.
From the house.
A loud thump—like something slamming against a wall inside.
Someone swears under their breath. Emily tenses. “What the hell was that?”
Tyler sits up now, no longer smiling. “…Was anyone inside?”
Everyone shakes their heads.
“No one went in after we got here,” Ava mutters. “I locked the door, remember?”
Another thump. Louder.
The bonfire crackles, sending up a spray of embers. The party atmosphere is completely gone now.
You swallow hard. The woods. The house. Two different sources of noises—both wrong. This isn’t just some animal wandering too close.
Something is out there. And something else might already be inside.
* * * * * *
TO BE CONTINUED…
* * * * * *
🎧 Available Audio Adaptations: None Available
Written by Craig Groshek and the CTFDN Audience Edited by Craig Groshek Thumbnail Art by Craig Groshek Narrated by N/A🔔 More stories from author: Craig Groshek and the CTFDN Audience
Publisher's Notes: N/A Author's Notes: N/AMore Stories from Author Craig Groshek and the CTFDN Audience:
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Copyright Statement: Unless explicitly stated, all stories published on CreepypastaStories.com are the property of (and under copyright to) their respective authors, and may not be narrated or performed, adapted to film, television or audio mediums, republished in a print or electronic book, reposted on any other website, blog, or online platform, or otherwise monetized without the express written consent of its author(s).