Catherine

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?

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?

Someone might be in trouble out there. Yeah, Josh nodded in agreement. I can go see what the problem is. No, I shouted a bit too frantically. I don't think anyone else should go out there until Autumn comes back. Sylvia looked me dead in the eye and asked- Who is Autumn? Chills prickled at every inch of my clammy skin. Autumn! I yelled. Your girlfriend!

Someone might be in trouble out there. Yeah, Josh nodded in agreement. I can go see what the problem is. No, I shouted a bit too frantically. I don't think anyone else should go out there until Autumn comes back. Sylvia looked me dead in the eye and asked- Who is Autumn? Chills prickled at every inch of my clammy skin. Autumn! I yelled. Your girlfriend!

She went into the forest hours ago and she still isn't back. What the hell, Catherine? Sylvia spat at me. Having to be the third wheel on you and Josh's camping trip is bad enough without you making jokes about me having some imaginary disappearing girlfriend. Whatever joke you're trying to make seriously isn't funny.

She went into the forest hours ago and she still isn't back. What the hell, Catherine? Sylvia spat at me. Having to be the third wheel on you and Josh's camping trip is bad enough without you making jokes about me having some imaginary disappearing girlfriend. Whatever joke you're trying to make seriously isn't funny.

I turned to Josh, hoping he might back me up, but his usually supportive gaze conveyed only disappointment, as if I was truly making a joke at Sylvia's expense. It's not a joke, I insisted, and you aren't a third wheel. The five of us all agreed to come on this trip together.

I turned to Josh, hoping he might back me up, but his usually supportive gaze conveyed only disappointment, as if I was truly making a joke at Sylvia's expense. It's not a joke, I insisted, and you aren't a third wheel. The five of us all agreed to come on this trip together.

I pulled out my phone and frantically tapped at the screen, attempting to produce some kind of evidence to support my claims. Our group chat or a picture of all five of us together. Anything. Anything that could prove to my friends and to myself that I wasn't completely losing my grip on reality. It was dead. Of course it was. All our phones were probably dead by now.

I pulled out my phone and frantically tapped at the screen, attempting to produce some kind of evidence to support my claims. Our group chat or a picture of all five of us together. Anything. Anything that could prove to my friends and to myself that I wasn't completely losing my grip on reality. It was dead. Of course it was. All our phones were probably dead by now.

The gravity of the situation I had been denying all morning finally hit me. We were miles and miles away from civilization. All our phones were dead. There was something out there drawing us into the forest, and anyone who crossed the tree line was being forgotten. Autumn was gone, Mikey was gone, and Mikey had the car keys.

The gravity of the situation I had been denying all morning finally hit me. We were miles and miles away from civilization. All our phones were dead. There was something out there drawing us into the forest, and anyone who crossed the tree line was being forgotten. Autumn was gone, Mikey was gone, and Mikey had the car keys.

The insurmountable circle of trees that surrounded us felt like it was closing in on me. flooding our once idealistic campsite with a wave of dense, sticky dread that crept up my spine and tightly wound around my throat. I couldn't breathe. Whatever. Sylvia rolled her eyes. I'll let you guys spend some quality time together. I'm gonna go on a long walk, alone.

The insurmountable circle of trees that surrounded us felt like it was closing in on me. flooding our once idealistic campsite with a wave of dense, sticky dread that crept up my spine and tightly wound around my throat. I couldn't breathe. Whatever. Sylvia rolled her eyes. I'll let you guys spend some quality time together. I'm gonna go on a long walk, alone.

I wanted to reach out and stop her, but my feet felt like they were rooted to the ground. The sounds from the forest had faded once again, but the fear they had awoken in me still pulsed through my arteries. As I watched Sylvia's back sink into the treeline, I prayed once again that this was all just some horrible prank. Josh and I passed the remaining hours until sunset in silence.