Filbrick Pines Novels & Stories

No acknowledgment. But that was fine. Because silence was still a response. ** The sun was just beginning to dip behind the mountains when Emily stepped off the bus, the scent of pine and earth wrapping around her like a quiet promise. Whispering Pines Eco Park was breathtaking. Tall trees swaying gently in the breeze, birdsong echoing through the woods, and a sky so wide it made her feel small in the best way. Stanley was beside her, carrying both their bags with a grin that never seemed to fade. “This place is amazing,” he said, nudging her shoulder. “You’re going to love it.”

The old guy also called the names of the people on Ley’s side. After the exchange of greetings, the oldest looked at Ley. “So what’s the reason you requested a video call? Do you know how hard it has been to set up this thing? And it’s very cold here, so old bones like me would always feel like it’s very torturous to move.” The City of Pines was famous for being cold all-year round due to its high location and even on summer, nights there would compel one to turn the house's heater on. Ley raised an eyebrow, his glance asking 'why go there in the first place'?

"We're almost there." Through the trees, I caught glimpses of a sprawling structure—weathered gray stone and dark timber, designed to blend with the forest rather than stand apart from it. Whispering Pines Estate. The name had seemed innocuous in reports, but now it loomed in my mind like a designation from a horror story.

It's secluded, alright! Our destination is 606 Pine Street. The 'cabin' looks more like a villa. A wrap-around porch and arched brick support pillars make a bold statement. Nick pulls a loose brick from the pillar to the right, and a key falls out.

Carla asked with a frown. “Yes. Tourists love to take pictures here all the time. A few people come over for their wedding photos too.” Steve said, his eyes fixed on her when he mentioned ‘wedding’. “If I remember correctly, sunflowers are your favorite. You can come here and relax anytime you want.” He added.

The rain pours down heavily, and it looks like it’s not going to stop anytime soon. Only a few tourists visit the Pines City during the rainy season and it’s perfect time for those who are seeking peace and quiet away from the noises in urban cities. Amidst the cold weather, Nate took a long stroll from the main road to the foot of the mountain where the main entrance to Pines City is. He had to stop somewhere to let the rain pass. From a distance, he discovered an old building that looks like a chapel. Later, he realized that it is the chapel of the seminary that is standing right behind it.

“Then we’ll make sure we get to.” Outside, the wind picked up. A howl echoed through the pines—far off, but real. And the scent of ash rolled in with the dark.

The Harlow Inn sat at the end of a quarter-mile gravel drive that wound through old-growth Douglas fir, the trees tall enough to turn the afternoon light green and cathedral-dim even before the clouds had properly settled in. Eli drove it slowly, partly because the rental car's suspension was already complaining about the state of the road, and partly because the inn appeared in stages through the trees and each stage gave him something new to calculate.

She nodded and put the cigarette back. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'm just lucky I guess?" "Yeah, lucky you are not crazy, yet. Anyway, the club is Dawson, turn on Whispering Pines, you can’t miss it. You know the big dumpy place down from the church? It kind of looks like a gothic hangover if a goth and a heavy metal nut case had a baby. " "I know the place, well I have seen it before and I am not sure that I am not crazy, Oshey."

It was charming, almost cinematic, and it made me ache a little for a life that simple, that rooted. Inside, The Silver Pine was dim and warm, the air thick with the scent of cedar and tobacco. The walls were lined with old photos and trophies — horse races, state fairs, musicians who’d played here decades ago. A long polished bar stretched across one side, the other filled with small wooden tables.