Quick Reads 6: The Village the Forest Kept

By Arabella Parke

Some people seem to attract the worries of others.. They are constantly sought out, burdened with the troubles and fears of those around them.

But what becomes of the worries that are given away? Does sharing them truly lighten the burden of the one who passes them on? And what of the person who receives them? How many anxieties can one person carry before the weight becomes too much to bear?

And when it all becomes too much, to what extremes will they go to unburden themselves?

In this story we meet Amelia.
Kind-hearted to a fault, Amelia has spent her life carrying the weight of her village - their griefs, their secrets, their quiet cruelties - until the burden begins to break her. In Durley Wood, where the trees whisper and the air feels thick with old promises, she encounters a witch who offers what no one else ever has: relief.

But peace is never free.

The bargain Amelia makes promises solace, strength, and an end to her suffering - yet its cost is far darker than she could ever have imagined. As the spell takes hold, the village itself begins to change, and the line between mercy and punishment blurs beyond recognition.

With devastating consequences unfolding around her, Amelia must confront the truth of what she has unleashed. Can a bargain made in desperation be undone? Or are the villagers now trapped in a void from which there is no return?

A haunting supernatural tale of grief, sacrifice, and the terrible price of kindness.

Perfect for lovers of atmospheric horror, ghostly folklore, immersive fiction and supernatural mysteries. This story delivers chilling twists, cinematic tension, and unforgettable characters. Prepare to enter a realm where the shadows speak, the past lingers, and nothing is ever as it seems.

Each story in the Quick Reads series offers a different glimpse into the curious, sometimes unsettling forces that may exist just beyond the edges of everyday life. They are short, absorbing tales that invite the reader to step briefly out of the familiar and into something far more unpredictable.

This story was previously published as 'The Witches Bargain, ' in a collection of stories available as 'The unquiet and the Unseen.'

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GSDX4NCP
• ISBN13: 9798251825015
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"