It all began in 1692, the year sinister activities took place in the Black Forest. Disappearances, unexplainable deaths, and paralyzing fear occurred around the infamous forest.

On a cold October day, Ella and Mathieu Grace began their journey through the Black Forest in search of their dearest friends, the Ackerman’s, who went on a hike a few days prior and hasn’t been heard from since. Beginning the very legend known today, the Grace twins hiked out into the eerie forest anticipating on uncovering the truth.

The day was young and they still hadn’t come across any unexplainable happenings. As their hope was thinning, so was their patience. Thinking about giving up and going home, their hearts pushed them further on, knowing that they needed to find their friends. Gathering up the strength, they walked even further into the forest, where the search finally went somewhere. Ella walked up to a huge twisted tree with broken twigs everywhere and picked up an article of clothing that did not belong to them.

“Mathieu, do you think this could belong to any of the Ackerman’s?” Questioned Ella.
“It’s possible. I don’t know many people who would even come out here. It looks old and worn down too. Maybe we are on the right path.”

As they searched diligently, they found more and more clothing and objects that could belong to the Ackerman’s.

As night was settling, they began to search for a place to sleep during the night. They wanted a clear, flat surface, so they searched until they found one. When they finally found the perfect place, Mathieu spotted what looked like a cabin. They approached the antique log cabin with caution, walking down the stone path surrounded by entangled vines. They proceeded up the tattered wooden steps, opened the door, and walked in. As they looked around, they called out for anybody who may be around. When they failed to receive any answers, they put their belongings down and examined the vacant, weathered room. As they carefully walked down a narrow hall with many holes in the floor, they walked through double doors that barely hung on by hinges that opened into a recently used kitchen.

“It looks like people do live here.” Stated Mathieu. He walked up to a neatly set up table, running his hand across the fine china. “These plates look like they are used quite often.”
“Do you think it could be the Ackerman’s?” Questioned Ella.
“No, it can’t be.”
Examining the room, they realized that unlike the front room and hallway, the kitchen was in perfect running shape. No holes, no cracks, no dust, just a normal kitchen, with finer china than what was normally used. They pulled out a couple of wooden chairs, sat down at the table, laid their head on their arms, and began to rest, tired from the hike. Not even quite a couple minutes later, they snapped back into thought covering their ears from a deafening screech. Pushing up from the chairs, they ran back to the foyer, grabbed their belongings, and went straight back out the way they came.
“What was that!” Yelled Ella.
“I don’t know, but what ever it was, was definitely not human.”
“Agree. I’m not sticking around to find out though.”

They pushed through the door and ran back out into the forest. Night had fallen, blinding them from anything that could be in their way. Trying to run as far away as they could, they kept tripping and eventually had to stop.
“I believe we should be good,” said Mathieu.
“Mathieu, what is that?” Frightfully said Ella.
“What is what?”
“That black figure by that tree?”
“Ella, there are tons a trees.”
“Mathieu! It’s coming this way!”
“I still don’t see… Run!”
“Now you see it!”

They took off running back the opposite way, away from their fear. They twisted through the trees, not paying attention to where they were headed.

“How did we manage to get back to this house?” Asked Ella.
“We have no choice. It’s either we go back into the forest and get killed by that thing chasing us, or we go back in this house and find a hiding place.”
“Neither is a good place.”
“Get out of my forest!” Yelled the unknown being chasing us.
“I’m going into the house!” Squealed Ella.
“Now you do! Just hurry. We don’t have much time.”

Pushing through as many doors as possible, they made their way through the house. Room after room, the more used the house seemed to become, and more of a twisted maze. Seeing how big the house really is, they began to get worried they may get trapped. Pushing through a set of brown doors, they ran into an empty, dark room. Stopped in their tracks, the door slammed shut, locking them in the room.

“Mathieu, I can’t get the door opened!” Mathieu ran to the door, tried to help Ella pull the door open, and stopped.
“Maybe there is another door somewhere?”
“Ella, where? There is nothing here but concrete walls, and this couch.”
“Let’s just sit down and think.”

With lost hope, they sat down and began to sulk. Sitting in silence, they forgot all about the reason why they ended up here, the being chasing them. That was until they heard a banging on the jammed door. Jumping up, Mathieu yelled for Ella to help him push the couch in front of the door.

“Why? If we can’t get out, they can’t get in.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”

Standing up, they pushed the couch as fast as the could up against the door. Relieved, they turned around and sat on the back. Gasping, Ella spoke up. “Mathieu, look! There was a door under the couch!
“No way! I wonder what it leads too.” Walking over the door, he opened it and looked inside. “There are stairs. Maybe it’s a basement? Come on, let’s go inside.”

Without hesitating, they walked down the stairs and into what seemed to be a tunnel that led to complete darkness. Lanterns everywhere, Mathieu grabbed one and started making his way down the tunnel.

“Might as well see what’s down here.” He said.
“What do you think could be down here?”
“That I don’t know, but we will find out.”

They continued down the straight tunnel with no end in sight. They began to think maybe they should head back, when all of a sudden they heard mysterious laughter. Curiosity got the best of them and they crept silently down the corridor. The farther they went, the louder and more friendly it became. The more familiar it became.

“Mathieu, I feel like we know who these people are. Were we not the only ones searching for the Ackerman’s?” Whispered Ella.
“I’m pretty sure we are the only ones.”
“Do you think somebody actually does live here in the creepy forest?”
“Maybe. Come on, let’s go look.”

Slowly, they walked to the end of the tunnel and turned to their left, facing a huge lit up room, holding everything a normal house would hold. Sitting around a table with a deck of cards was a very known family to them.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman? Charlotte, Nicholas, Kinley? What are you guys doing here?”
“The question is, what are you guys doing here?”
“Looking for you all.” Mathieu and Ella said simultaneously.
“Well, you found us.”

“We need to leave. There are horrible things out here.” Ella said.
“This forest is the most peaceful, serene place I know.” Said Mrs. Ackerman.
“We were chase by some thing!”
“That was me.” Stated Charlotte. “We don’t like people knowing about this place, so we scare off those who trespass.”
“Well that explains why people are coming back so terrified.”
“We didn’t mean to scare them that back. We just needed a break from the world.” Mr. Ackerman said.
“Why didn’t you just say that?” Asked Mathieu.
“Like we said, we didn’t want anybody knowing about our hiding out. The forest is our home. It’s where we belong.” Mr. Ackerman said.

After they talked through what was going on, the Grace twins got up and left the forest with no scare. Keeping their promise, they went back and said no word about the Ackerman’s hideout , but they did say that everybody should stay out, that bad things lurked around. The Ackerman’s continued to do what they did to the Grace twins to any trespasser, feeding the newly developed legend known today.