Derek

Then, without warning, multiple whistles erupted from all directions. A chilling chorus filling the dark woods, surrounding and closing in. Marcus bolted, flashlight bobbing wildly as he plunged into darkness. Tyler shouted after him, but his cries were drowned by the unsettling layered whistles. Minutes passed, long, agonizing minutes, before Tyler and I dared venture out to find Marcus.

Then, without warning, multiple whistles erupted from all directions. A chilling chorus filling the dark woods, surrounding and closing in. Marcus bolted, flashlight bobbing wildly as he plunged into darkness. Tyler shouted after him, but his cries were drowned by the unsettling layered whistles. Minutes passed, long, agonizing minutes, before Tyler and I dared venture out to find Marcus.

We followed the narrow beam of his flashlight lying abandoned on the ground. We searched frantically, calling his name, our voices swallowed instantly by the thick, stifling forest. Then Rachel pointed upward, a trembling finger aimed high into the branches. Twelve feet above us, caught tightly between the rough bark of an oak tree, fluttered a torn piece of Marcus's jacket.

We followed the narrow beam of his flashlight lying abandoned on the ground. We searched frantically, calling his name, our voices swallowed instantly by the thick, stifling forest. Then Rachel pointed upward, a trembling finger aimed high into the branches. Twelve feet above us, caught tightly between the rough bark of an oak tree, fluttered a torn piece of Marcus's jacket.

My stomach dropped, dread flooding through me. "'He couldn't have climbed that,' Jess whispered hoarsely." Tyler took a slow, shaking breath, his eyes fixed on the torn fabric. No, he couldn't. We retreated to our tents without speaking, zipping them shut tightly, as the whistles echoed once more through the darkness, closer now, purposeful and persistent.

My stomach dropped, dread flooding through me. "'He couldn't have climbed that,' Jess whispered hoarsely." Tyler took a slow, shaking breath, his eyes fixed on the torn fabric. No, he couldn't. We retreated to our tents without speaking, zipping them shut tightly, as the whistles echoed once more through the darkness, closer now, purposeful and persistent.

Marcus was gone, and we all understood instinctively he wasn't coming back. Sleep didn't come. I lay awake, listening intently to every sound. Jess was curled beside Rachel, her breath shallow, eyes wide open, staring blankly at the fabric ceiling. Tyler sat motionless, periodically checking the tent zipper as if to ensure it hadn't moved.

Marcus was gone, and we all understood instinctively he wasn't coming back. Sleep didn't come. I lay awake, listening intently to every sound. Jess was curled beside Rachel, her breath shallow, eyes wide open, staring blankly at the fabric ceiling. Tyler sat motionless, periodically checking the tent zipper as if to ensure it hadn't moved.

Marcus's absence hung over us like a heavy weight, suffocating, impossible to ignore. At dawn we emerged exhausted and silent, quickly packing our gear. Tyler checked his GPS again, but frowned, turning the device over in his palm. The screen flickered erratically, coordinates jumping without logic. Something's wrong with this, he muttered, frustration tight in his voice. It's useless.

Marcus's absence hung over us like a heavy weight, suffocating, impossible to ignore. At dawn we emerged exhausted and silent, quickly packing our gear. Tyler checked his GPS again, but frowned, turning the device over in his palm. The screen flickered erratically, coordinates jumping without logic. Something's wrong with this, he muttered, frustration tight in his voice. It's useless.

Rachel glanced nervously around, hands clenched at her sides. We should just retrace our steps, go back the way we came. Tyler nodded, though doubt darkened his face. We set off, hiking faster than the day before, driven by urgency, glancing backward constantly. But after hours of walking, nothing looked familiar. Hills rose abruptly where none had existed before.

Rachel glanced nervously around, hands clenched at her sides. We should just retrace our steps, go back the way we came. Tyler nodded, though doubt darkened his face. We set off, hiking faster than the day before, driven by urgency, glancing backward constantly. But after hours of walking, nothing looked familiar. Hills rose abruptly where none had existed before.

Streams ran in directions that contradicted the map. The forest itself felt distorted. The landscape twisted out of alignment. At midday, Jess began to hum quietly. At first none of us noticed. But soon I realized what she was humming. Two short tones. The whistle we'd heard every night. My stomach tightened painfully. "'Jess!' I snapped, louder than intended.

Streams ran in directions that contradicted the map. The forest itself felt distorted. The landscape twisted out of alignment. At midday, Jess began to hum quietly. At first none of us noticed. But soon I realized what she was humming. Two short tones. The whistle we'd heard every night. My stomach tightened painfully. "'Jess!' I snapped, louder than intended.

She jumped startled, eyes glassy and distant." What? she whispered hoarsely. You were humming the whistle, Rachel said softly, voice trembling. Jess paled, her hand rising to her mouth in horror. I didn't even realize. Her voice trailed off into silence. Keep moving, Tyler urged, gripping his pack straps tight, eyes fixed straight ahead.

She jumped startled, eyes glassy and distant." What? she whispered hoarsely. You were humming the whistle, Rachel said softly, voice trembling. Jess paled, her hand rising to her mouth in horror. I didn't even realize. Her voice trailed off into silence. Keep moving, Tyler urged, gripping his pack straps tight, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Within minutes, Ben stopped abruptly, his eyes wide, head tilted slightly as if straining to hear something distant. "'What is it?' I asked warily. Ben's eyes filled suddenly with tears, his voice barely audible. "'I hear my mom calling me. She's close.' Rachel's expression twisted in pain. Ben's mother had died three years earlier. "'Ben, listen. It can't be her.'

Within minutes, Ben stopped abruptly, his eyes wide, head tilted slightly as if straining to hear something distant. "'What is it?' I asked warily. Ben's eyes filled suddenly with tears, his voice barely audible. "'I hear my mom calling me. She's close.' Rachel's expression twisted in pain. Ben's mother had died three years earlier. "'Ben, listen. It can't be her.'

But he shook his head urgently, eyes darting through the trees. "'I know her voice. She's right here, just ahead.' Before we could stop him, Ben bolted into the dense foliage, ignoring our frantic calls. Rachel sobbed openly as we chased after him, tripping over roots, scratching our faces on branches. But he vanished completely, leaving nothing behind but an oppressive silence.

But he shook his head urgently, eyes darting through the trees. "'I know her voice. She's right here, just ahead.' Before we could stop him, Ben bolted into the dense foliage, ignoring our frantic calls. Rachel sobbed openly as we chased after him, tripping over roots, scratching our faces on branches. But he vanished completely, leaving nothing behind but an oppressive silence.