Booze and Boos

The trail curved left, hugging the side of the ridge when I came to a fork that I hadn't been warned about. Tyler's directions were usually pretty thorough, obsessive even. He'd mention no fork, no deviation, just follow that trail all the way down. But here it was, two narrow paths splitting at a patch of brush. One angled to the left, toward a strand of sycamores.

The trail curved left, hugging the side of the ridge when I came to a fork that I hadn't been warned about. Tyler's directions were usually pretty thorough, obsessive even. He'd mention no fork, no deviation, just follow that trail all the way down. But here it was, two narrow paths splitting at a patch of brush. One angled to the left, toward a strand of sycamores.

The other veered to the right, steeper, rougher, cutting deeper into the canyon. I stood there for a moment, chewing on the inside of my cheek, scanning the treetops as if the right answer might be hanging there in front of me. The left trail looked like it just wrapped around the ridge, maybe skirted the canyon, but the right?

The other veered to the right, steeper, rougher, cutting deeper into the canyon. I stood there for a moment, chewing on the inside of my cheek, scanning the treetops as if the right answer might be hanging there in front of me. The left trail looked like it just wrapped around the ridge, maybe skirted the canyon, but the right?

The right hand dropped hard, where the water should inevitably be, right? So, I took the right. And at first, it didn't feel like the right call. The trail narrowed but stayed visible, flanked by a rock outcropping and a cluster of oaks. But half a mile in, it began choking down. Shrubs and young saplings pressed in on me, branches clawing at my sleeves.

The right hand dropped hard, where the water should inevitably be, right? So, I took the right. And at first, it didn't feel like the right call. The trail narrowed but stayed visible, flanked by a rock outcropping and a cluster of oaks. But half a mile in, it began choking down. Shrubs and young saplings pressed in on me, branches clawing at my sleeves.

I had to duck under deadfall twice, and the ground was getting wetter. Mud slick under my boots. I pushed on still, though, figuring it had to open up. And this is where I noticed the silence around me. At first, it was very subtle, just the fading of a bird song, the way my boots sounded sharp against the ground. But soon, it was like the woods had swallowed their own voice.

I had to duck under deadfall twice, and the ground was getting wetter. Mud slick under my boots. I pushed on still, though, figuring it had to open up. And this is where I noticed the silence around me. At first, it was very subtle, just the fading of a bird song, the way my boots sounded sharp against the ground. But soon, it was like the woods had swallowed their own voice.

I paused, hands on my hips, catching my breath. Something about that stillness just made the hairs on my neck rise up. I turned back to look up at the trail, and there I saw a figure, just barely peeking from behind a tree maybe 50 yards up. It was a blink, a flicker of movement there and gone. Dark hair, pale skin, maybe a woman. I froze. My heart began to hammer.

I paused, hands on my hips, catching my breath. Something about that stillness just made the hairs on my neck rise up. I turned back to look up at the trail, and there I saw a figure, just barely peeking from behind a tree maybe 50 yards up. It was a blink, a flicker of movement there and gone. Dark hair, pale skin, maybe a woman. I froze. My heart began to hammer.

Logic now kicked in, telling me, OK, it's just another hiker or maybe a local who knows the area better than you do. But that trail was a complete mess. Nobody in their right mind would come down this way unless they were as stubborn or dumb as I was. So I called out to them. Hey, are you are you all right back there? Of course, I got nothing in response, no reply, no sound of any footsteps.

Logic now kicked in, telling me, OK, it's just another hiker or maybe a local who knows the area better than you do. But that trail was a complete mess. Nobody in their right mind would come down this way unless they were as stubborn or dumb as I was. So I called out to them. Hey, are you are you all right back there? Of course, I got nothing in response, no reply, no sound of any footsteps.

So I waited, counting in my head. One, two, three. But the woods in front of me remained dead quiet. My skin began to crawl at the thoughts. I shifted my pack and gave those woods another hard look and then turned back down trail. The trees began to thicken, crowding the path until the trail just straight up vanished. Ahead it was nothing but undergrowth and scattered boulders.

So I waited, counting in my head. One, two, three. But the woods in front of me remained dead quiet. My skin began to crawl at the thoughts. I shifted my pack and gave those woods another hard look and then turned back down trail. The trees began to thicken, crowding the path until the trail just straight up vanished. Ahead it was nothing but undergrowth and scattered boulders.

Across this narrow ravine, I almost missed it, sat what looked like some kind of makeshift camp. A tarp hung low between two trees, a pile of firewood stacked under an oak, an old Coleman cooler tilted on its side. Someone was or had been living out here. My stomach turned to the thought, maybe I hadn't imagined that figure after all.

Across this narrow ravine, I almost missed it, sat what looked like some kind of makeshift camp. A tarp hung low between two trees, a pile of firewood stacked under an oak, an old Coleman cooler tilted on its side. Someone was or had been living out here. My stomach turned to the thought, maybe I hadn't imagined that figure after all.

Then, that's when I did hear footsteps, soft, almost thoughtfully, moving through the brush to my left. I froze, ears straining, feeling my throat go dry. Suddenly, I slid my phone from my pocket, not to call anybody, there wasn't any bars out here, but to use the screen like a mirror. I angled it over my shoulder, and there between the trees, maybe 30 feet back, was indeed a woman.

Then, that's when I did hear footsteps, soft, almost thoughtfully, moving through the brush to my left. I froze, ears straining, feeling my throat go dry. Suddenly, I slid my phone from my pocket, not to call anybody, there wasn't any bars out here, but to use the screen like a mirror. I angled it over my shoulder, and there between the trees, maybe 30 feet back, was indeed a woman.

Thin, tangled hair, clothes dark and baggy. She wasn't walking toward me, at least not directly, but weaving through the trees, keeping pace, eyes flicking between the ground and where I stood. I didn't want to wait anymore. I turned and started back uphill, keeping my pace steady, pretending not to notice her. I didn't sprint, not yet, just moved fast enough to show that I was leaving the area.

Thin, tangled hair, clothes dark and baggy. She wasn't walking toward me, at least not directly, but weaving through the trees, keeping pace, eyes flicking between the ground and where I stood. I didn't want to wait anymore. I turned and started back uphill, keeping my pace steady, pretending not to notice her. I didn't sprint, not yet, just moved fast enough to show that I was leaving the area.