Aaron Miller

Its pale form was ghostly against the shadows, hunched forward, elongated fingers rhythmically gouging into solid stone. My stomach tightened with nausea. The sound I'd heard, it was digging effortlessly into bedrock, carving deep clawed grooves as though it were loose soil. My breath shuddered as I eased backward into the tent, heart pounding in pure terror.

Its pale form was ghostly against the shadows, hunched forward, elongated fingers rhythmically gouging into solid stone. My stomach tightened with nausea. The sound I'd heard, it was digging effortlessly into bedrock, carving deep clawed grooves as though it were loose soil. My breath shuddered as I eased backward into the tent, heart pounding in pure terror.

The creature paused abruptly, its posture shifting slightly. My blood froze. Had it heard me? Its head turned with unnatural smoothness, revealing an elongated face marred by deep hollows where eyes should have been.

The creature paused abruptly, its posture shifting slightly. My blood froze. Had it heard me? Its head turned with unnatural smoothness, revealing an elongated face marred by deep hollows where eyes should have been.

empty cavernous sockets stared directly toward me sensing knowing though it had no eyes to see a strangled gasp escaped my lips before i could silence it in that instant the creature lunged upright with unnatural agility towering far taller than i'd expected

empty cavernous sockets stared directly toward me sensing knowing though it had no eyes to see a strangled gasp escaped my lips before i could silence it in that instant the creature lunged upright with unnatural agility towering far taller than i'd expected

i scrambled backward desperately kicking away from the tent's entrance panic blinded me as my hands grasped wildly for anything to defend myself the thing's footsteps were silent yet i felt its presence closing in heavy and overwhelming frantically i yanked open the back flap of my tent and staggered out into the darkness behind me abandoning gear shelter everything

i scrambled backward desperately kicking away from the tent's entrance panic blinded me as my hands grasped wildly for anything to defend myself the thing's footsteps were silent yet i felt its presence closing in heavy and overwhelming frantically i yanked open the back flap of my tent and staggered out into the darkness behind me abandoning gear shelter everything

I sprinted wildly through dense underbrush, crashing blindly through branches and brush. My lungs burned, breath ragged, but terror pushed me forward. Suddenly, a jolt of recognition and despair slammed through me. I burst through the trees, stumbling into the clearing of my campsite again. My feet slid to a halt, heart sinking. I hadn't escaped, I'd looped right back.

I sprinted wildly through dense underbrush, crashing blindly through branches and brush. My lungs burned, breath ragged, but terror pushed me forward. Suddenly, a jolt of recognition and despair slammed through me. I burst through the trees, stumbling into the clearing of my campsite again. My feet slid to a halt, heart sinking. I hadn't escaped, I'd looped right back.

The tent stood silent and empty, the smoldering fire ring casting weak embers. But the creature was gone. Only the freshly gouged stone marks remained, deeper than before, arranged like twisted handprints clawing into the earth itself. I staggered forward, legs weak, head spinning. My mind screamed for logic, but logic had no foothold here. Then a faint crackling noise drew my attention.

The tent stood silent and empty, the smoldering fire ring casting weak embers. But the creature was gone. Only the freshly gouged stone marks remained, deeper than before, arranged like twisted handprints clawing into the earth itself. I staggered forward, legs weak, head spinning. My mind screamed for logic, but logic had no foothold here. Then a faint crackling noise drew my attention.

It came from the ground near the fire pit, my trail camera, blinking faintly, its battery indicator nearly drained. Shaking, I lifted it, rewinding to the last captured footage. On the small glowing screen, my stomach turned cold. I saw myself sleeping next to the dying fire. Then, slowly, from the darkness behind the tent, the creature emerged.

It came from the ground near the fire pit, my trail camera, blinking faintly, its battery indicator nearly drained. Shaking, I lifted it, rewinding to the last captured footage. On the small glowing screen, my stomach turned cold. I saw myself sleeping next to the dying fire. Then, slowly, from the darkness behind the tent, the creature emerged.

Pale, gaunt, horrifyingly tall, it moved with alien grace. The creature paused, looming over my sleeping form, head tilted at an impossible angle. It seemed to study me, no eyes, just those hollow sockets, mouth hanging slack. Then the footage distorted, glitching wildly before cutting to black. I dropped the camera, staggering backward. There was no more denying it.

Pale, gaunt, horrifyingly tall, it moved with alien grace. The creature paused, looming over my sleeping form, head tilted at an impossible angle. It seemed to study me, no eyes, just those hollow sockets, mouth hanging slack. Then the footage distorted, glitching wildly before cutting to black. I dropped the camera, staggering backward. There was no more denying it.

I was prey, trapped by something impossible in a place that defied all understanding. Despair flooded through me, limbs trembling, the reality crashing in that there might be no escape from this loop. I retrieved my radio from the tent floor, battery nearly drained, my fingers fumbling desperately. Pressing the transmit button, I spoke in a voice I barely recognized. Raw. Pleading.

I was prey, trapped by something impossible in a place that defied all understanding. Despair flooded through me, limbs trembling, the reality crashing in that there might be no escape from this loop. I retrieved my radio from the tent floor, battery nearly drained, my fingers fumbling desperately. Pressing the transmit button, I spoke in a voice I barely recognized. Raw. Pleading.

This is Aaron Miller. Please. I need help. I can't escape. Something's here. Something not human. I'm trapped in a loop on the CDT south of Gibbons Pass. Coordinates frozen. Compass useless. Please, someone. Static crackled violently. For a brief second, a distorted voice came through the interference. Aaron, we hear you. Stay calm. Sending. Then silence. Around me, darkness closed tighter.

This is Aaron Miller. Please. I need help. I can't escape. Something's here. Something not human. I'm trapped in a loop on the CDT south of Gibbons Pass. Coordinates frozen. Compass useless. Please, someone. Static crackled violently. For a brief second, a distorted voice came through the interference. Aaron, we hear you. Stay calm. Sending. Then silence. Around me, darkness closed tighter.