David

eric shrugged wildlife maybe relax man it's just a trail but it wasn't not really dagger ridge wasn't on any map i'd ever seen the stories about it were vague half-remembered tales from older kids who swore they'd seen shadows move or heard voices calling their names I hadn't believed them, at least not until now. As we climbed higher, I noticed strange marks on the trees.

eric shrugged wildlife maybe relax man it's just a trail but it wasn't not really dagger ridge wasn't on any map i'd ever seen the stories about it were vague half-remembered tales from older kids who swore they'd seen shadows move or heard voices calling their names I hadn't believed them, at least not until now. As we climbed higher, I noticed strange marks on the trees.

At first I thought they were scratches, maybe from a bear, but the closer I looked, the less they made sense. Long, jagged lines that crossed and spiraled, as if someone had carved them deliberately. "'You see these?' I asked, stopping to trace one with my fingers." Eric didn't even glance back. Probably some hiker messing around. Let's keep moving. We'll lose the light if we don't hurry.

At first I thought they were scratches, maybe from a bear, but the closer I looked, the less they made sense. Long, jagged lines that crossed and spiraled, as if someone had carved them deliberately. "'You see these?' I asked, stopping to trace one with my fingers." Eric didn't even glance back. Probably some hiker messing around. Let's keep moving. We'll lose the light if we don't hurry.

I wanted to turn around right then. Every instinct I had screamed to go back, but Eric's confidence was infectious. Always had been. He'd charge ahead, laughing at the danger. And I'd follow, too stubborn to be the one who chickened out. By the time we reached Silver Basin, the sun was low, the sky streaked with bruised purples and fiery reds.

I wanted to turn around right then. Every instinct I had screamed to go back, but Eric's confidence was infectious. Always had been. He'd charge ahead, laughing at the danger. And I'd follow, too stubborn to be the one who chickened out. By the time we reached Silver Basin, the sun was low, the sky streaked with bruised purples and fiery reds.

The basin was a wide clearing, surrounded by jagged cliffs that seemed to lean in, as if they were listening. Eric dumped his pack and stretched, grinning. This is perfect, he said. Look at that view. I dropped my pack, sitting heavily on a flat rock. The air was still, unnaturally so. I tried to focus on the beauty of the cliffs, the way the last rays of sunlight painted them gold.

The basin was a wide clearing, surrounded by jagged cliffs that seemed to lean in, as if they were listening. Eric dumped his pack and stretched, grinning. This is perfect, he said. Look at that view. I dropped my pack, sitting heavily on a flat rock. The air was still, unnaturally so. I tried to focus on the beauty of the cliffs, the way the last rays of sunlight painted them gold.

But I couldn't drop the sensation that we weren't alone. Eric, as usual, was oblivious. He grabbed his flashlight and slung his backpack over one shoulder. "'I'm gonna check out the ridge,' he said. "'Be back in ten.' "'Wait, what?' I stood up, already reaching for my own flashlight." You're just going to wander off? It's getting dark. He laughed.

But I couldn't drop the sensation that we weren't alone. Eric, as usual, was oblivious. He grabbed his flashlight and slung his backpack over one shoulder. "'I'm gonna check out the ridge,' he said. "'Be back in ten.' "'Wait, what?' I stood up, already reaching for my own flashlight." You're just going to wander off? It's getting dark. He laughed.

That cocky, carefree laugh that always made me feel like a little kid. Relax, Ryan. I'll be fine. Just stay here and get the fire going. I'll be back before you know it. I watched him disappear into the trees, his flashlight beam bouncing ahead of him. For a moment, I considered following, but the thought of being alone in the dark woods was worse than staying put.

That cocky, carefree laugh that always made me feel like a little kid. Relax, Ryan. I'll be fine. Just stay here and get the fire going. I'll be back before you know it. I watched him disappear into the trees, his flashlight beam bouncing ahead of him. For a moment, I considered following, but the thought of being alone in the dark woods was worse than staying put.

The fire took longer to start than I'd expected. My hands wouldn't stop shaking, and the dry kindling Eric had packed wasn't cooperating. By the time I had a small flame going, the sun was gone, leaving only the flickering light of the fire and the encroaching darkness beyond it. Ten minutes passed, then twenty.

The fire took longer to start than I'd expected. My hands wouldn't stop shaking, and the dry kindling Eric had packed wasn't cooperating. By the time I had a small flame going, the sun was gone, leaving only the flickering light of the fire and the encroaching darkness beyond it. Ten minutes passed, then twenty.

The fire crackled, and the shadows it cast danced on the trees, making them look alive. I glanced at my watch, the knot in my stomach tightening. Eric? I called, my voice too small, swallowed by the vast silence. Nothing. The shadows seemed to stretch longer, deeper, their edges sharp and wrong. I stood, gripping my flashlight, and turned toward the path Eric had taken.

The fire crackled, and the shadows it cast danced on the trees, making them look alive. I glanced at my watch, the knot in my stomach tightening. Eric? I called, my voice too small, swallowed by the vast silence. Nothing. The shadows seemed to stretch longer, deeper, their edges sharp and wrong. I stood, gripping my flashlight, and turned toward the path Eric had taken.

The darkness beyond the firelight felt alive, pulsing with a weight I couldn't explain. "'Eric!' I shouted again, louder this time. A faint sound, like a branch snapping, came from the woods. Relief surged through me. "'About time!' I muttered, stepping toward the noise. But no one answered. The firelight behind me felt impossibly far away as I stared into the woods.

The darkness beyond the firelight felt alive, pulsing with a weight I couldn't explain. "'Eric!' I shouted again, louder this time. A faint sound, like a branch snapping, came from the woods. Relief surged through me. "'About time!' I muttered, stepping toward the noise. But no one answered. The firelight behind me felt impossibly far away as I stared into the woods.

My flashlight flickered, its beam weak against the thick shadows." For a second, I thought I saw movement, a figure darting between the trees. But when I focused, it was gone. Something wasn't right. I could feel it in my chest, in the way the hair on my arms stood on end. The shadows weren't just moving. They were watching.

My flashlight flickered, its beam weak against the thick shadows." For a second, I thought I saw movement, a figure darting between the trees. But when I focused, it was gone. Something wasn't right. I could feel it in my chest, in the way the hair on my arms stood on end. The shadows weren't just moving. They were watching.