David

When I turned back, she was gone. I blinked, scanning the store, but she had disappeared into the back. My pulse quickened and I grabbed my coffee, moving to the counter. Rick entered just as I reached it, his face pale and drawn. Pay and let's go, he muttered, his voice low. He placed a pack of gum on the counter, not meeting my eyes. The woman reappeared, her movements jerky and nervous.

When I turned back, she was gone. I blinked, scanning the store, but she had disappeared into the back. My pulse quickened and I grabbed my coffee, moving to the counter. Rick entered just as I reached it, his face pale and drawn. Pay and let's go, he muttered, his voice low. He placed a pack of gum on the counter, not meeting my eyes. The woman reappeared, her movements jerky and nervous.

She rang us up quickly, her hands trembling so badly she dropped the change. As I bent to pick it up, I saw him. A man stood near the back of the store, leaning casually against a shelf. His face was mostly hidden under the brim of a wide hat, but his eyes, his eyes were fixed on Rick. I froze. Something about him was wrong.

She rang us up quickly, her hands trembling so badly she dropped the change. As I bent to pick it up, I saw him. A man stood near the back of the store, leaning casually against a shelf. His face was mostly hidden under the brim of a wide hat, but his eyes, his eyes were fixed on Rick. I froze. Something about him was wrong.

He wasn't threatening exactly, but his presence felt heavy, oppressive, like he belonged to a different time, or maybe a different world. His gaze didn't waver, didn't blink, just stayed locked on Rick like he was studying him, measuring him. I stood, clutching the change in my hand. "'Rick,' I whispered. But when I turned to look at him, his face told me he'd already seen the man.

He wasn't threatening exactly, but his presence felt heavy, oppressive, like he belonged to a different time, or maybe a different world. His gaze didn't waver, didn't blink, just stayed locked on Rick like he was studying him, measuring him. I stood, clutching the change in my hand. "'Rick,' I whispered. But when I turned to look at him, his face told me he'd already seen the man.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the door." as we stepped outside the whispers surged louder now almost deafening the wind had picked up whipping through the trees carrying those voices with it i felt a prickling at the back of my neck like we were being watched not just by the man in the store but by something much bigger something unseen

He grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the door." as we stepped outside the whispers surged louder now almost deafening the wind had picked up whipping through the trees carrying those voices with it i felt a prickling at the back of my neck like we were being watched not just by the man in the store but by something much bigger something unseen

Rick shoved the gas cap back on and climbed into the driver's seat. I barely had time to shut my door before he floored it, the tires screeching as we sped out of the lot. I looked back, expecting to see the man standing in the doorway, but there was nothing. Just the gas station, shrinking into the distance, its neon sign flickering like a dying flame.

Rick shoved the gas cap back on and climbed into the driver's seat. I barely had time to shut my door before he floored it, the tires screeching as we sped out of the lot. I looked back, expecting to see the man standing in the doorway, but there was nothing. Just the gas station, shrinking into the distance, its neon sign flickering like a dying flame.

We drove in silence for what felt like hours. The whispers faded as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, turning the sky a muted gray. The oppressive weight that had followed us all night began to lift, but the fear lingered. Rick broke the silence first, his voice barely audible. "'Did you see him?' I nodded. "'Who was he?' Rick shook his head, gripping the wheel tighter.

We drove in silence for what felt like hours. The whispers faded as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, turning the sky a muted gray. The oppressive weight that had followed us all night began to lift, but the fear lingered. Rick broke the silence first, his voice barely audible. "'Did you see him?' I nodded. "'Who was he?' Rick shook his head, gripping the wheel tighter.

"'I don't know, but I don't think he was human.' We reached the airport just as the sun rose, its golden light washing over the landscape like a blessing. As soon as we boarded the plane, the tension finally broke, leaving us exhausted and hollow. I leaned my head against the window, staring out at the mountains below. But my thoughts were elsewhere.

"'I don't know, but I don't think he was human.' We reached the airport just as the sun rose, its golden light washing over the landscape like a blessing. As soon as we boarded the plane, the tension finally broke, leaving us exhausted and hollow. I leaned my head against the window, staring out at the mountains below. But my thoughts were elsewhere.

i didn't know what had followed us that night whether it was something ancient something angry or simply the consequences of rick's careless words but i knew one thing the forest had been watching us and it had let us leave this time I didn't plan this trip well, I'll admit that right off the bat. My idea was simple. Escape the grind, spend a weekend in nature and clear my head.

i didn't know what had followed us that night whether it was something ancient something angry or simply the consequences of rick's careless words but i knew one thing the forest had been watching us and it had let us leave this time I didn't plan this trip well, I'll admit that right off the bat. My idea was simple. Escape the grind, spend a weekend in nature and clear my head.

Vermont's backwoods sounded perfect. I didn't even bother booking a hotel, just threw my gear in the trunk and hit the road. By the time I reached the trailhead, it was pushing 5pm, way later than I'd planned. The place was deserted, not a single car in sight.

Vermont's backwoods sounded perfect. I didn't even bother booking a hotel, just threw my gear in the trunk and hit the road. By the time I reached the trailhead, it was pushing 5pm, way later than I'd planned. The place was deserted, not a single car in sight.

the sign at the trailhead said it was a five-hour hike to the nearest shelter five hours i figured if i hustled i'd make it by ten maybe ten-thirty i had a flashlight and plenty of adrenaline so i wasn't too worried still something about the empty parking lot made my skin prickle The first stretch of the trail wasn't bad. The air was crisp and smelled like deep woods.

the sign at the trailhead said it was a five-hour hike to the nearest shelter five hours i figured if i hustled i'd make it by ten maybe ten-thirty i had a flashlight and plenty of adrenaline so i wasn't too worried still something about the empty parking lot made my skin prickle The first stretch of the trail wasn't bad. The air was crisp and smelled like deep woods.