The Northeast's Demon's Dream: The Witch's Lullaby

In the remote and ancient village of Northeast China, nestled between towering mountains and dense forests, there was a legend that had been whispered for generations. It spoke of a witch who had once lived in the heart of the village, her presence as elusive as the mist that clung to the trees. The witch was said to have been a guardian of the land, but her magic was also dark, and she had cursed the village with an eternal sleep.

The legend was a bedtime story for the children, a tale to scare them into obedience, but for some, it was more than just a fable. It was a truth that lived on in the hearts and minds of the villagers, a truth that was about to be uncovered by a young woman named Li Wei.

Li Wei was a curious soul, always seeking answers. She had grown up hearing the whispers of the witch's lullaby, a haunting melody that seemed to echo through the village at night. It was said that the lullaby could only be heard by those who were about to die, and it was a prelude to their final moments.

One evening, as the moon hung low in the sky, Li Wei's curiosity got the better of her. She sneaked out of her home, determined to find the source of the witch's lullaby. She wandered through the village, her footsteps echoing on the cobblestone streets, until she reached the old, abandoned house where the witch was said to have lived.

The house was in ruins, its windows shattered, and its doors hanging loosely on their hinges. Li Wei pushed open the creaking door and stepped inside. The air was thick with dust and decay, and the scent of old wood and forgotten memories filled her nostrils. She moved cautiously through the house, her flashlight cutting through the darkness.

In the center of the room, she found a grand piano, its keys covered in a fine layer of dust. As she approached, she noticed a hand-written note on the music stand. The note read, "Play this melody to awaken the demon's dream."

Li Wei's heart raced. She had heard the legend of the demon's dream, a nightmarish vision that would consume the soul of the listener. She hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity was too strong. She lifted the lid of the piano and began to play the melody, the haunting notes filling the room.

As the music played, the walls of the house seemed to close in around her. She felt a chill run down her spine, and a sense of dread settled over her. She continued to play, her fingers dancing across the keys, and then she heard it—a whisper, soft and eerie, like the voice of the wind.

"Li Wei, come to me," the whisper called.

Li Wei stopped playing, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around the room, but there was no one there. She had only heard the voice in her head. She stood frozen, her mind racing with fear and confusion.

Suddenly, the room began to shake, and the walls started to crumble. Li Wei stumbled backward, her flashlight falling to the floor. She reached out to catch it, but her hand passed through the air as if it were invisible. She looked down and saw that her hand was transparent, her flesh and bone visible through the skin.

The whisper grew louder, more insistent. "Li Wei, come to me," it called.

Li Wei's eyes widened in terror. She realized that the whisper was calling her to her death. She turned and ran, her footsteps echoing through the house, but there was no escape. The walls were closing in, and the whisper was growing louder.

As she reached the front door, she saw it swinging open on its own. She pushed through the door and ran into the night, the whisper following her, a haunting melody that seemed to consume her very soul.

Li Wei ran until she reached the edge of the village, her breath coming in gasps. She collapsed on the ground, her body shaking with fear. She looked up at the stars, and in that moment, she felt a strange sense of calm.

She realized that she had been saved by the witch's curse. The lullaby had not been a prelude to death, but a warning. The witch had protected her, had given her a chance to escape the demon's dream.

Li Wei got to her feet and began to walk back to the village, her heart still pounding in her chest. She knew that the legend of the witch's lullaby was true, and she knew that she had been touched by the magic of the land.

As she walked, she thought about the villagers, about their fear and their superstitions. She knew that she had to tell them the truth, to help them understand the magic that lived in their village.

And so, Li Wei became the guardian of the witch's lullaby, a story that would be told for generations to come, a story of magic, of fear, and of hope.