A young boy, Olof Ehrensvaerd, recounts a haunting experience from his childhood in Sweden. He and his friend Nils Sjoeberg embark on a journey to acquire a puppy they fell in love with at a market. Their excitement leads them to delay their return home, resulting in a perilous trek through the mountains as night falls. As they ascend, an oppressive silence envelops them, and they experience an overwhelming sense of dread. Suddenly, a terrifying cry pierces the stillness, prompting them to flee in panic. They run blindly through the dark forest, eventually collapsing in exhaustion among the foothills. When they regain their composure, they find themselves in an unfamiliar landscape, ultimately discovering a vast, eerie valley filled with a ghostly white mist. Despite their fear, they feel compelled to cross this ominous expanse. The protagonist experiences a chilling sensation upon entering the fog, and another horrifying cry echoes, driving them to escape back up the mountainside. Days later, the protagonist awakens from a fever, recalling the traumatic events but finding that Nils has no memory of the night. Determined to uncover the truth, he revisits the area, convinced of the valley's existence. Upon finding the valley, he is met with a desolate landscape devoid of life, dominated by a dead tree surrounded by bones. As he approaches the tree, he is struck by horror and attempts to flee, only to find himself trapped in a disorienting loop around the valley. The rising mist and encroaching darkness heighten his terror, culminating in a desperate struggle to escape before the night falls. He narrowly escapes the valley, haunted by the experience and the chilling cry that lingers in his mind.
By Ralph Adams Cram · First published 1914 · Genre: Horror, Adventure, Fantasy