One of the 13 stories in A Friday the 13th Story #9: A Hundred Black Sunrises by Tamela Miles
At the edge of Altadena, the so-called “Enchanted Forest” near the Cobb Estate feels magical…but only sometimes. At other times, it’s more like something is quietly watching and waiting in the shadows of the trees.
I grew up in Altadena, down the hill about seven minutes, and this quiet place never quite lost its eerie for me. There’s a special kind of uncomfortable there during the Santa Ana winds season. Hikers often speak of hearing distant screams or of footsteps right beside them as they tread. Others insist they’ve caught glimpses of eerie lights or felt a lingering presence trailing behind them, only to turn and find no one there – no one visible, anyway.
My story, A Hundred Black Sunrises, features the “Enchanted Forest” in my beloved Altadena, with Finn and Sienna choosing to spend an afternoon there for a picnic. Hm. It’s obvious they’re not Altadena natives, as that’s probably the last place to choose for a delightful day of fun. And that would be during the daylight hours. We don’t speak about the disturbing possibilities after dusk…
Author Alicia Dean 