Catherine

A sharp chill crawled its way up my spine as I watched Autumn's body disappear between the twisted branches of the thick forest. I looked down at the three forgotten hot dogs broiling over the fire, and my stomach twisted. I had lost my appetite. Sylvia and Josh wanted to play cards while they waited for Autumn to return, but I wasn't in the mood.

I faked a headache and retreated from the group, stepping over the forgotten hot dogs and slipping inside Mikey's tent. The crying from the woods had faded to a dull weeping, but whispers could still be heard cresting over the dense expanse of treetops.

I faked a headache and retreated from the group, stepping over the forgotten hot dogs and slipping inside Mikey's tent. The crying from the woods had faded to a dull weeping, but whispers could still be heard cresting over the dense expanse of treetops.

i zipped mikey's tent shut behind me drowning out the last of the wilting whimpers i tried to distract myself by flipping through some books that mikey had brought part of me was looking for some belongings of mikey's to show to the group something that would remind them of his existence The other part of me was still in complete denial about what was happening to us.

i zipped mikey's tent shut behind me drowning out the last of the wilting whimpers i tried to distract myself by flipping through some books that mikey had brought part of me was looking for some belongings of mikey's to show to the group something that would remind them of his existence The other part of me was still in complete denial about what was happening to us.

The messy collection contained mostly sci-fi novels, but the largest book was different. It was large and leather-bound, the worn edges of its pages spilling out the sides. I flipped through a few pages and was faced with scratchy scrawl and disturbing depictions of creatures I could have never imagined. I knew Mikey was into some weird stuff.

The messy collection contained mostly sci-fi novels, but the largest book was different. It was large and leather-bound, the worn edges of its pages spilling out the sides. I flipped through a few pages and was faced with scratchy scrawl and disturbing depictions of creatures I could have never imagined. I knew Mikey was into some weird stuff.

I was fairly certain he believed in Bigfoot, but this was a whole different level of weird. I wanted to believe it was another prank, something he had brought to show off around the campfire to scare us all, but some of the pages had bookmarks and notes in Mikey's handwriting scribbled in the margins. It was pretty clear he was taking what was written in this book seriously.

I was fairly certain he believed in Bigfoot, but this was a whole different level of weird. I wanted to believe it was another prank, something he had brought to show off around the campfire to scare us all, but some of the pages had bookmarks and notes in Mikey's handwriting scribbled in the margins. It was pretty clear he was taking what was written in this book seriously.

I turned through pages depicting woodland yetis and wendigos of increasing horror until my eyes felt itchy and my brain pulsed with even more paranoia. When I reached the middle of the book, a small stack of papers fell out. They were printed out website pages of research Mikey had done on our campsite.

I turned through pages depicting woodland yetis and wendigos of increasing horror until my eyes felt itchy and my brain pulsed with even more paranoia. When I reached the middle of the book, a small stack of papers fell out. They were printed out website pages of research Mikey had done on our campsite.

It was all there, information on the missing hikers, the commune, and even some research on settlers who had lived in this area. I skimmed all the printouts, and nothing seemed overtly strange about the stories. It just seemed like a string of bad luck to me. The thing I found the most odd was Mikey's obsessive fascination with this place.

It was all there, information on the missing hikers, the commune, and even some research on settlers who had lived in this area. I skimmed all the printouts, and nothing seemed overtly strange about the stories. It just seemed like a string of bad luck to me. The thing I found the most odd was Mikey's obsessive fascination with this place.

I pushed the papers away, curling up on Mikey's sleeping bag and shutting my eyes. I didn't feel panicked, just exhausted. What was happening around me was so wrong that my brain had no choice but to reject it entirely. Sleep found its way to me, muffling my awareness for moments of fitful dreaming before I would once again come back to myself and hear the sounds of crickets and birds.

I pushed the papers away, curling up on Mikey's sleeping bag and shutting my eyes. I didn't feel panicked, just exhausted. What was happening around me was so wrong that my brain had no choice but to reject it entirely. Sleep found its way to me, muffling my awareness for moments of fitful dreaming before I would once again come back to myself and hear the sounds of crickets and birds.

in my dreams i had no choice but to replay the sound we had heard in the forest until even that found its way into my waking moments mingling discordantly with the chirping crickets it took me far too many dizzy half-conscious moments to realize that the sound was no longer merely a remnant of my dreams It was real. The screaming had returned.

in my dreams i had no choice but to replay the sound we had heard in the forest until even that found its way into my waking moments mingling discordantly with the chirping crickets it took me far too many dizzy half-conscious moments to realize that the sound was no longer merely a remnant of my dreams It was real. The screaming had returned.

Josh and Sylvia were sitting on logs playing a ferocious game of Go Fish when I rejoined them. I had no idea how long I had been asleep for, but the sky had already begun to soften into a dusty orange, and my heart sank when I noticed that Autumn was nowhere to be seen. Do you guys hear that? I asked.

Josh and Sylvia were sitting on logs playing a ferocious game of Go Fish when I rejoined them. I had no idea how long I had been asleep for, but the sky had already begun to soften into a dusty orange, and my heart sank when I noticed that Autumn was nowhere to be seen. Do you guys hear that? I asked.

The sound was still faint, but I was certain I could hear it cresting over the mountain once again. The same quiet but desperate calls for help echoing off the abundant sea of trees that surrounded us. The incessant, wailing drone continued to roll over me, sending a new bout of nausea through my body. Yeah, I hear it too, Sylvia confirmed. Should one of us go check it out?