Aaron Miller

john i whispered barely able to speak the air felt heavier colder here thick with decades of stale decay a sound behind me a faint shuffle snapped my head around fear surged hot and bitter as i swung my flashlight toward a narrow passage i'd overlooked Footsteps padded softly along stone, accompanied by the rhythmic hiss of breath filtering through masks. My blood turned to ice.

john i whispered barely able to speak the air felt heavier colder here thick with decades of stale decay a sound behind me a faint shuffle snapped my head around fear surged hot and bitter as i swung my flashlight toward a narrow passage i'd overlooked Footsteps padded softly along stone, accompanied by the rhythmic hiss of breath filtering through masks. My blood turned to ice.

At the passage's edge, figures emerged, stiff, motionless silhouettes in ancient military fatigues, their faces hidden behind cracked, dirt-stained gas masks. They stood rigidly, staring in unison, heads slowly turning toward me in perfect mechanical synchronicity. I stumbled backward, panic overwhelming reason.

At the passage's edge, figures emerged, stiff, motionless silhouettes in ancient military fatigues, their faces hidden behind cracked, dirt-stained gas masks. They stood rigidly, staring in unison, heads slowly turning toward me in perfect mechanical synchronicity. I stumbled backward, panic overwhelming reason.

Desperation gripped me as I darted into a small side room, slamming shut a rusted metal door. My breath came in ragged gasps. Turning sharply I saw John slumped against a wall, his face pale, eyes staring blankly ahead. John! I rushed to him, gripping his shoulder. He barely registered my touch, whispering incoherently. They were never allowed to leave. Cal, he rasped weakly.

Desperation gripped me as I darted into a small side room, slamming shut a rusted metal door. My breath came in ragged gasps. Turning sharply I saw John slumped against a wall, his face pale, eyes staring blankly ahead. John! I rushed to him, gripping his shoulder. He barely registered my touch, whispering incoherently. They were never allowed to leave. Cal, he rasped weakly.

His eyes flickered with frightened clarity. They don't breathe air like we do. They need us down here. A loud pounding echoed suddenly against the door, shaking it violently. My heart seized in terror. They were trying to get inside. "'Come on!' I yelled, dragging John upright. He stumbled, nearly collapsing again, but adrenaline lent me strength.

His eyes flickered with frightened clarity. They don't breathe air like we do. They need us down here. A loud pounding echoed suddenly against the door, shaking it violently. My heart seized in terror. They were trying to get inside. "'Come on!' I yelled, dragging John upright. He stumbled, nearly collapsing again, but adrenaline lent me strength.

Supporting him, I wrenched open another door, escaping down a side passage I prayed would lead out. The tunnel narrowed sharply, oppressive stone pressing close. I half-carried, half-dragged John toward a faint glow ahead. We burst outside just as dawn bled weakly through clouds." Gasping, lungs heaving, we fell onto damp grass. Behind us the tunnel lay silent and dark, exuding menace.

Supporting him, I wrenched open another door, escaping down a side passage I prayed would lead out. The tunnel narrowed sharply, oppressive stone pressing close. I half-carried, half-dragged John toward a faint glow ahead. We burst outside just as dawn bled weakly through clouds." Gasping, lungs heaving, we fell onto damp grass. Behind us the tunnel lay silent and dark, exuding menace.

The forest remained utterly still, its unnatural quiet returning immediately. John lay trembling, staring blankly at the pale sky. He murmured softly, lost in nightmares I couldn't see. Two days later, after leaving John safely in the hands of emergency responders, I returned with a team of forest rangers. But the hollow was unrecognizable.

The forest remained utterly still, its unnatural quiet returning immediately. John lay trembling, staring blankly at the pale sky. He murmured softly, lost in nightmares I couldn't see. Two days later, after leaving John safely in the hands of emergency responders, I returned with a team of forest rangers. But the hollow was unrecognizable.

The tunnel was gone, collapsed completely, buried beneath fresh dirt and rock. The rusted quarantine signs had vanished. Even my GPS marker had somehow been erased, leaving no trace the place had ever existed. When I asked one ranger about the quarantine zone, he hesitated, eyes clouded with unease. That part of the forest, he said quietly, glancing away. It's always been off the record.

The tunnel was gone, collapsed completely, buried beneath fresh dirt and rock. The rusted quarantine signs had vanished. Even my GPS marker had somehow been erased, leaving no trace the place had ever existed. When I asked one ranger about the quarantine zone, he hesitated, eyes clouded with unease. That part of the forest, he said quietly, glancing away. It's always been off the record.

Some places are better left unremembered. That night, alone at our campfire, I threw the faded maps and my hunting logbook into the flames, determined to erase the memory myself. But as the papers turned to ash, something metallic glinted among the embers. Reaching carefully into the cooling ash, I lifted out a small, rusted key. My stomach twisted as I read the inscription, WARDEN'S ACCESS ZONE B

Some places are better left unremembered. That night, alone at our campfire, I threw the faded maps and my hunting logbook into the flames, determined to erase the memory myself. But as the papers turned to ash, something metallic glinted among the embers. Reaching carefully into the cooling ash, I lifted out a small, rusted key. My stomach twisted as I read the inscription, WARDEN'S ACCESS ZONE B

Staring numbly at the key, I knew the forest would keep its secrets. And now, I was part of them. My name's Derek Hanley, and I've been working wildfires for over 15 years, long enough that the scent of scorched pine and hot ash lingers permanently in my memory. When lightning storms rolled across the San Juan Mountains near Telluride, sparking small, manageable blazes.

Staring numbly at the key, I knew the forest would keep its secrets. And now, I was part of them. My name's Derek Hanley, and I've been working wildfires for over 15 years, long enough that the scent of scorched pine and hot ash lingers permanently in my memory. When lightning storms rolled across the San Juan Mountains near Telluride, sparking small, manageable blazes.

I figured it would be routine work. Mop-up operations, containment sweeps, making sure nothing reignited. The usual, predictable stuff, exactly how I liked it. We'd just finished containing the main blaze near Trout Lake, and were on a mop-up patrol near Black Ridge when dispatch radioed a standard recon task. but nothing's ever routine in places like these, not really.

I figured it would be routine work. Mop-up operations, containment sweeps, making sure nothing reignited. The usual, predictable stuff, exactly how I liked it. We'd just finished containing the main blaze near Trout Lake, and were on a mop-up patrol near Black Ridge when dispatch radioed a standard recon task. but nothing's ever routine in places like these, not really.