The Echoes of the Forgotten Urinal

In the heart of the dense, whispering woods, a group of friends, led by the adventurous and somewhat reckless Alex, stumbled upon an old, abandoned urinal. It stood alone, weathered and forlorn, half-buried in the underbrush. The friends, who had been on a hike to escape the monotony of their daily lives, were drawn to the eerie object, their curiosity piqued.

"This is just a urinal," Alex said, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and fear. "Let's see if we can find out who used it last."

The group gathered around the urinal, their laughter mingling with the distant calls of unseen creatures. They took turns examining the cold metal, searching for any clues to its past. It was then that they noticed a peculiar pattern etched into the surface. The letters "T" and "M" were faintly visible, almost as if they were trying to communicate.

"That's strange," said Jamie, the most inquisitive of the group. "What does it mean?"

Just then, a sudden chill ran down Alex's spine. He felt a strange sensation, as if an unseen presence was watching them. The group exchanged nervous glances, but no one spoke. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, as if the urinal itself was somehow alive.

"Let's get out of here," Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper. "This place is giving me the creeps."

But it was too late. As they began to back away, the urinal seemed to come alive. The letters on its surface glowed faintly, and a low, echoing voice seemed to resonate from within. "You have entered my domain," it said. "Now, you must play my game."

The friends were frozen in place, their hearts pounding in their chests. The voice continued, "One of you will leave this place, and the others will stay behind. The one who leaves must find the way out without touching the ground. The one who stays must answer my questions. Fail, and you will become part of my collection."

The group exchanged worried glances. They had no idea what to expect, but they knew they had to do something. Alex stepped forward, his mind racing. "I'll go," he said. "But I need help."

Jamie nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "I'll go with you. We'll figure this out together."

The friends set off into the woods, their footsteps muffled by the thick underbrush. The voice echoed behind them, growing louder with each step. "You must not touch the ground," it warned. "The ground is my kingdom, and you will not escape that way."

As they ventured deeper into the woods, the voice became more insistent, more menacing. "You are not alone," it hissed. "I am with you, watching you, guiding you."

The friends began to feel the weight of the voice's presence. They could sense it, a cold, malevolent force that seemed to be following them, whispering in their ears. They had to stay focused, stay alert. They had to find a way out.

After what felt like hours, they finally reached a clearing. Before them stood a massive, ancient tree, its gnarled branches reaching out like twisted fingers. The voice echoed from the tree, "You must answer my questions. Fail, and you will become part of my collection."

The friends exchanged nervous glances. They knew they had to be careful. They had to answer the questions correctly, or they would be trapped forever.

The voice spoke again, "Tell me, who is the bravest among you?"

Jamie stepped forward, her voice steady. "I am," she said. "I am brave, and I will not be afraid."

The voice chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down the friends' spines. "And who is the most clever?"

Alex raised his hand, his voice filled with confidence. "I am," he said. "I am clever, and I will find a way out of this."

The voice paused, a hint of curiosity in its tone. "And who is the most loyal?"

The friends looked at each other, confused. They had never considered loyalty as a trait among themselves. But then, Alex's mind cleared. "I am loyal," he said. "I am loyal to my friends, and I will not leave them behind."

The voice chuckled again, a sound that seemed to resonate with the very earth itself. "Very well," it said. "You have answered my questions. Now, you must find the way out."

The friends looked at each other, relief washing over them. They had done it. They had answered the voice's questions correctly, and they were free to leave.

But as they turned to leave the clearing, they noticed something strange. The ancient tree was no longer there. In its place stood a urinal, just like the one they had found earlier, but this one was much larger, almost as if it had grown in size.

The voice echoed from the urinal, "You have not escaped. You have become part of my collection."

The friends looked at each other, their faces pale with shock. They had thought they had won, but they had been wrong. They were trapped, forever ensnared in the urinal's haunted hideaway.

The voice chuckled once more, a sound that seemed to fill the entire forest. "Welcome to my home," it said. "You will never leave."

And with that, the friends were enveloped in a chilling silence, the only sound the distant calls of unseen creatures. They were alone, trapped in the urinal's haunted hideaway, with no hope of escape.