Catherine

We sat there in silence watching the forest as the sun began to set and the orange sky began to burn into black. The tension in Josh's face began to ease. The worried creases on his forehead flattened out, and a thoughtless smile lifted the corners of his lips. He had forgotten. He had forgotten everything. The forest is so beautiful, isn't it? He asked me.

I'm so glad we decided to take this trip together, just the two of us. I told Josh I wanted to head to bed early, and he agreed. As soon as I heard his breathing become slow and even, I crept from our tent as silently as I could. I tiptoed around our mostly abandoned campsite and tried to ignore how creepy our once lively circle of tents now felt.

I'm so glad we decided to take this trip together, just the two of us. I told Josh I wanted to head to bed early, and he agreed. As soon as I heard his breathing become slow and even, I crept from our tent as silently as I could. I tiptoed around our mostly abandoned campsite and tried to ignore how creepy our once lively circle of tents now felt.

As I rummaged through each of my friend's belongings, looking for anything that could help Josh and I get out of here, I felt like I was traipsing through a ghost town. In the end, I found nothing. The car keys were nowhere to be found, and the food and water we had left would only last us another day or two at most.

As I rummaged through each of my friend's belongings, looking for anything that could help Josh and I get out of here, I felt like I was traipsing through a ghost town. In the end, I found nothing. The car keys were nowhere to be found, and the food and water we had left would only last us another day or two at most.

I made my way back down the mountain, constantly tripping and scuffing up my hands and knees as I tried to traverse the massive boulders in the dark. After what felt like hours, I reached the van. I pulled desperately at each of the locked handles, but none of the doors budged. I collapsed against the cool metal of the van and let myself exhale a loud, frustrated sob.

I made my way back down the mountain, constantly tripping and scuffing up my hands and knees as I tried to traverse the massive boulders in the dark. After what felt like hours, I reached the van. I pulled desperately at each of the locked handles, but none of the doors budged. I collapsed against the cool metal of the van and let myself exhale a loud, frustrated sob.

I felt completely and utterly defeated. Whatever was going on, within my own broken, twisted mind, or out in the dense shadows of the forest was completely out of my control, and there seemed to be no escape. I was so tired and confused. I just wanted to sleep. But the fear of Josh wandering into the forest while I slept kept me from closing my weary, drooping eyelids.

I felt completely and utterly defeated. Whatever was going on, within my own broken, twisted mind, or out in the dense shadows of the forest was completely out of my control, and there seemed to be no escape. I was so tired and confused. I just wanted to sleep. But the fear of Josh wandering into the forest while I slept kept me from closing my weary, drooping eyelids.

If he was all I had left, if the rest of my friends were truly gone, the only thing I could do was get him out of this forest alive. I steeled myself and forced my shaking hands to pick up a rock off the ground. I was readying myself to smash through one of the van's windows when a faint wail made me stutter.

If he was all I had left, if the rest of my friends were truly gone, the only thing I could do was get him out of this forest alive. I steeled myself and forced my shaking hands to pick up a rock off the ground. I was readying myself to smash through one of the van's windows when a faint wail made me stutter.

The sound was faint from where I now stood, but it was undeniably present in the otherwise silent forest. The screams had returned. As I scrambled my way back up the mountain, getting lost, tripping, and falling over my feet in the darkness, I realized the sound was growing louder than ever, and even more high-pitched and pitiful sounding than I remembered.

The sound was faint from where I now stood, but it was undeniably present in the otherwise silent forest. The screams had returned. As I scrambled my way back up the mountain, getting lost, tripping, and falling over my feet in the darkness, I realized the sound was growing louder than ever, and even more high-pitched and pitiful sounding than I remembered.

I tried to follow the sound back to our campsite, but it seemed to pulsate from every direction, bleeding through every inch of the forest, making me completely unsure of where I was going.

I tried to follow the sound back to our campsite, but it seemed to pulsate from every direction, bleeding through every inch of the forest, making me completely unsure of where I was going.

help it cried over and over again until the word tangled in on itself and lost all meaning when i finally reached camp it was just in time to see josh's silhouette disappear into the tree line i screamed after him but it was too late he was gone i had only one choice left i had to go in after him i sprinted past our deserted tents and into the dense tree line

help it cried over and over again until the word tangled in on itself and lost all meaning when i finally reached camp it was just in time to see josh's silhouette disappear into the tree line i screamed after him but it was too late he was gone i had only one choice left i had to go in after him i sprinted past our deserted tents and into the dense tree line

Twisted branches seemed to come at me from every direction, scratching my face and arms as I sprinted deeper and deeper into the dark forest. ''Josh! Josh!'' I called again and again until my voice turned hoarse and unrecognizable. I could feel my breath becoming more and more desperate and erratic, but I had no time to rest or slow down.

Twisted branches seemed to come at me from every direction, scratching my face and arms as I sprinted deeper and deeper into the dark forest. ''Josh! Josh!'' I called again and again until my voice turned hoarse and unrecognizable. I could feel my breath becoming more and more desperate and erratic, but I had no time to rest or slow down.

I had to find Josh before it was too late, before he disappeared into the forest forever. The mountain was steeper on this side descending into a cliff that jutted out in odd uncontrollable angles. I hung onto the trees to keep myself upright scanning the impenetrable darkness for any signs of movement. At one point