Daniel Thatcher has accepted some hard truths. He knows his parents are junkies, his ex-girlfriend's a cheater, and he's one write-up away from losing his job. But what he's unwilling to accept is that his friend Tony skipped town for no reason. So when Daniel finds a map Tony left behind, he follows it to a remote section of the Cascade Mountains.

It's a land filled with haunting shadows and crowded trees—an area untouched by man. Or so Daniel thinks. Not long after arriving in the woods, Daniel discovers inhabitants living in the heart of the forest. Despite their peculiar behavior, the reclusive residents posses an allure that goes far beyond their beauty. But beneath their lovely exterior rests a sinister secret, one that's both lethal and tragic.

It seems the dead don't always stay buried. Now Daniel's forced to accept the hardest truth of all: monsters do exist, and if they have it their way, he'll soon become one of them.

***Authors note: please remember to read "The Legend" following the epilogue***