Derek

Exhausted, desperate, we pushed on, barely speaking. Late in the afternoon we stumbled upon a clearing. Rising from the tangled underbrush was an old fire lookout tower, rusted and leaning precariously. Relief surged briefly through me. Maybe we could finally get our bearings. As we approached, we saw deep gouges covering the metal supports. Claw marks gouged deeply into the rusted steel beams.

Exhausted, desperate, we pushed on, barely speaking. Late in the afternoon we stumbled upon a clearing. Rising from the tangled underbrush was an old fire lookout tower, rusted and leaning precariously. Relief surged briefly through me. Maybe we could finally get our bearings. As we approached, we saw deep gouges covering the metal supports. Claw marks gouged deeply into the rusted steel beams.

My skin prickled uneasily, my pulse quickening. Tyler climbed quickly, ignoring the groans of the aged structure. Jess, Rachel, and I followed carefully, the tower swaying slightly beneath our feet. At the top, we crowded into the cramped observation room. Dusty glass windows overlooked the sprawling forest, endless and indistinguishable in every direction.

My skin prickled uneasily, my pulse quickening. Tyler climbed quickly, ignoring the groans of the aged structure. Jess, Rachel, and I followed carefully, the tower swaying slightly beneath our feet. At the top, we crowded into the cramped observation room. Dusty glass windows overlooked the sprawling forest, endless and indistinguishable in every direction.

In a battered cabinet, Rachel found a leather-bound Ranger logbook. She flipped anxiously through yellowed pages, her face draining of color as she reached the last entry. Dated August 15th, 1994. Her voice shook as she read aloud. Two-tone whistle heard again, third hiker gone, ordered to evacuate. We're not alone in this forest.

In a battered cabinet, Rachel found a leather-bound Ranger logbook. She flipped anxiously through yellowed pages, her face draining of color as she reached the last entry. Dated August 15th, 1994. Her voice shook as she read aloud. Two-tone whistle heard again, third hiker gone, ordered to evacuate. We're not alone in this forest.

cold dread seeped into my bones jess pressed her forehead against the window-glass breathing raggedly the sun had begun to dip below the horizon casting a sickly amber glow across the endless trees then it came again-the whistles not one but dozens high-pitched and low echoing simultaneously surrounding the tower The sound rose into a chorus, unbearably loud, mocking, relentless.

cold dread seeped into my bones jess pressed her forehead against the window-glass breathing raggedly the sun had begun to dip below the horizon casting a sickly amber glow across the endless trees then it came again-the whistles not one but dozens high-pitched and low echoing simultaneously surrounding the tower The sound rose into a chorus, unbearably loud, mocking, relentless.

Mixed into the whistles, I heard a familiar voice, Tyler's voice, calling for help from somewhere deep in the woods below. We turned sharply toward Tyler. His face was pale, lips trembling. "'That's not me,' he whispered, shaking his head. The whistling intensified, nearly deafening, resonating through the tower structure." Tyler grabbed Rachel's shoulders firmly, staring directly into her eyes.

Mixed into the whistles, I heard a familiar voice, Tyler's voice, calling for help from somewhere deep in the woods below. We turned sharply toward Tyler. His face was pale, lips trembling. "'That's not me,' he whispered, shaking his head. The whistling intensified, nearly deafening, resonating through the tower structure." Tyler grabbed Rachel's shoulders firmly, staring directly into her eyes.

You have to run, he said forcefully. Go east, downhill, don't stop, don't look back. I'll distract it. Rachel shook her head fiercely, eyes streaming with tears. Tyler's voice was firm, unyielding. Now. Before any of us could object, Tyler grabbed a flare from his pack, igniting it in a blaze of red. He moved quickly, tossing it into the wooden debris piled at the base of the tower.

You have to run, he said forcefully. Go east, downhill, don't stop, don't look back. I'll distract it. Rachel shook her head fiercely, eyes streaming with tears. Tyler's voice was firm, unyielding. Now. Before any of us could object, Tyler grabbed a flare from his pack, igniting it in a blaze of red. He moved quickly, tossing it into the wooden debris piled at the base of the tower.

Flames erupted swiftly, roaring upward, heat washing over us instantly. "'Go!' Tyler shouted again, voice lost amid the flames and echoes of whistles. Rachel and Jess fled first, scrambling down the ladder. I followed rapidly, glancing upward just long enough to see Tyler silhouetted against the glowing sky, holding another flare defiantly. At the base, smoke thickened rapidly." choking the air.

Flames erupted swiftly, roaring upward, heat washing over us instantly. "'Go!' Tyler shouted again, voice lost amid the flames and echoes of whistles. Rachel and Jess fled first, scrambling down the ladder. I followed rapidly, glancing upward just long enough to see Tyler silhouetted against the glowing sky, holding another flare defiantly. At the base, smoke thickened rapidly." choking the air.

We ran frantically, branches clawing at our faces, roots catching at our feet. Jess tripped, sprawling to the ground. Rachel helped her up roughly, pulling her forward. But in that moment, Jess froze, her eyes widening as she stared into the thickening smoke behind us.

We ran frantically, branches clawing at our faces, roots catching at our feet. Jess tripped, sprawling to the ground. Rachel helped her up roughly, pulling her forward. But in that moment, Jess froze, her eyes widening as she stared into the thickening smoke behind us.

Something moved, something large, indistinct, weaving between the trees, whistles now blending with deep, guttural sounds that sent ice coursing through my veins. Jess pushed Rachel hard. "'Keep going,' she whispered urgently. We sprinted blindly, terror overriding exhaustion. My heart hammered painfully as darkness enveloped us entirely." Hours later, or perhaps minutes, time lost meaning.

Something moved, something large, indistinct, weaving between the trees, whistles now blending with deep, guttural sounds that sent ice coursing through my veins. Jess pushed Rachel hard. "'Keep going,' she whispered urgently. We sprinted blindly, terror overriding exhaustion. My heart hammered painfully as darkness enveloped us entirely." Hours later, or perhaps minutes, time lost meaning.

I stumbled onto a forest service road. I collapsed onto gravel, breathing raggedly. I glanced desperately around. Rachel emerged a moment later, eyes hollow, face streaked with dirt and tears. Jess never appeared. Days later, the rangers found no trace of Tyler, Marcus, Ben, or Jess. Rachel and I were the only survivors. The official report listed the area as restricted due to wildfire risk.

I stumbled onto a forest service road. I collapsed onto gravel, breathing raggedly. I glanced desperately around. Rachel emerged a moment later, eyes hollow, face streaked with dirt and tears. Jess never appeared. Days later, the rangers found no trace of Tyler, Marcus, Ben, or Jess. Rachel and I were the only survivors. The official report listed the area as restricted due to wildfire risk.