David

I took a shaky step back toward the fire, my flashlight trembling in my grip. A whisper, faint, just barely audible. Ryan. It came from the woods, soft and drawn out like a breath. My heart slammed in my chest. "'Eric?' I whispered, my voice trembling, but deep down I already knew it wasn't him. I don't know how long I stood there staring into the trees.

I took a shaky step back toward the fire, my flashlight trembling in my grip. A whisper, faint, just barely audible. Ryan. It came from the woods, soft and drawn out like a breath. My heart slammed in my chest. "'Eric?' I whispered, my voice trembling, but deep down I already knew it wasn't him. I don't know how long I stood there staring into the trees.

The fire crackled behind me, but it felt miles away. My grip on the flashlight was so tight my fingers ached, but I didn't dare let go. The whisper, my name soft and stretched, like it didn't belong in this world, still hung in the air. "'Eric?' I called again, though my voice was barely a croak."

The fire crackled behind me, but it felt miles away. My grip on the flashlight was so tight my fingers ached, but I didn't dare let go. The whisper, my name soft and stretched, like it didn't belong in this world, still hung in the air. "'Eric?' I called again, though my voice was barely a croak."

the silence that followed felt heavier than before like the forest was tense i stepped forward flashlight shaking in my hands the weak beam cutting through the shadows the trees loomed taller now their branches twisted into shapes that didn't look natural my foot crunched on something and i froze heart pounding Slowly I looked down. It was Eric's backpack.

the silence that followed felt heavier than before like the forest was tense i stepped forward flashlight shaking in my hands the weak beam cutting through the shadows the trees loomed taller now their branches twisted into shapes that didn't look natural my foot crunched on something and i froze heart pounding Slowly I looked down. It was Eric's backpack.

It sat upright in the middle of the trail, like someone had placed it there on purpose. The straps were torn, one hanging by a thread, and dirt streaked the fabric. I crouched down, my hand trembling as I reached for it. "'Eric?' I whispered, as if he might jump out from behind a tree, laughing at the scare. But there was no sound, no movement.

It sat upright in the middle of the trail, like someone had placed it there on purpose. The straps were torn, one hanging by a thread, and dirt streaked the fabric. I crouched down, my hand trembling as I reached for it. "'Eric?' I whispered, as if he might jump out from behind a tree, laughing at the scare. But there was no sound, no movement.

I unzipped the pack slowly, each rasp of the zipper too loud in the suffocating silence. Inside everything was untouched—a flashlight, an unopened water bottle, Eric's old compass, and a crumpled map. My stomach turned as I realized he wouldn't have left this behind unless he had no choice. Where are you? I muttered, my voice cracking. Then I heard it again. The whisper. Ryan.

I unzipped the pack slowly, each rasp of the zipper too loud in the suffocating silence. Inside everything was untouched—a flashlight, an unopened water bottle, Eric's old compass, and a crumpled map. My stomach turned as I realized he wouldn't have left this behind unless he had no choice. Where are you? I muttered, my voice cracking. Then I heard it again. The whisper. Ryan.

It was closer this time, deeper, as if the forest itself was saying my name. My head snapped up, and my flashlight caught something. A flicker of movement just beyond the beam. A shadow, too large to be Eric, slipping between the trees. Who's there? I shouted, my voice breaking. The forest didn't answer, but I swore I heard a faint chuckle, dry and rasping, like leaves crumbling underfoot.

It was closer this time, deeper, as if the forest itself was saying my name. My head snapped up, and my flashlight caught something. A flicker of movement just beyond the beam. A shadow, too large to be Eric, slipping between the trees. Who's there? I shouted, my voice breaking. The forest didn't answer, but I swore I heard a faint chuckle, dry and rasping, like leaves crumbling underfoot.

Panic bubbled in my chest, and I stumbled back, the flashlight darting wildly across the woods. The shadows seemed alive now, stretching and shifting, moving when they shouldn't. That's when I noticed the footprints. They led away from the backpack, deeper into the forest. At first, I thought they were Eric's. Deep impressions in the soft dirt.

Panic bubbled in my chest, and I stumbled back, the flashlight darting wildly across the woods. The shadows seemed alive now, stretching and shifting, moving when they shouldn't. That's when I noticed the footprints. They led away from the backpack, deeper into the forest. At first, I thought they were Eric's. Deep impressions in the soft dirt.

But as I followed them with the beam, my stomach dropped. They were wrong. Too long, too wide, and spaced too far apart. Like whatever made them wasn't human. Eric, I whispered, my throat dry. I didn't want to follow the trail. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around, to run back to the camp and wait for daylight. But if Eric was out there, if he needed help...

But as I followed them with the beam, my stomach dropped. They were wrong. Too long, too wide, and spaced too far apart. Like whatever made them wasn't human. Eric, I whispered, my throat dry. I didn't want to follow the trail. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around, to run back to the camp and wait for daylight. But if Eric was out there, if he needed help...

I swallowed hard and took a step forward. Then another. The forest seemed darker now, the trees closer together. The air was thick, heavy, like I was breathing through a wet cloth. My flashlight flickered again, the beam weakening as if the forest was sucking the life out of it.

I swallowed hard and took a step forward. Then another. The forest seemed darker now, the trees closer together. The air was thick, heavy, like I was breathing through a wet cloth. My flashlight flickered again, the beam weakening as if the forest was sucking the life out of it.

ahead the footprints ended abruptly in a small clearing dominated by a massive tree its trunk was gnarled and twisted its bark covered in deep spiraling grooves that glowed faintly in the dark the symbols made my skin crawl their patterns too perfect too deliberate as if they were alive

ahead the footprints ended abruptly in a small clearing dominated by a massive tree its trunk was gnarled and twisted its bark covered in deep spiraling grooves that glowed faintly in the dark the symbols made my skin crawl their patterns too perfect too deliberate as if they were alive