Derek

The smell was acrid, lingering thickly in the cold air. My pulse quickened. I snapped a few photos quickly, driven by a nervous urgency to document this new discovery. What could cause something like this? Lightning wouldn't produce such geometric precision, and the burns seemed inexplicably recent. Fresh, yet without heat. Just wrong. I retreated hastily toward Tomás, dread pushing at my chest.

The smell was acrid, lingering thickly in the cold air. My pulse quickened. I snapped a few photos quickly, driven by a nervous urgency to document this new discovery. What could cause something like this? Lightning wouldn't produce such geometric precision, and the burns seemed inexplicably recent. Fresh, yet without heat. Just wrong. I retreated hastily toward Tomás, dread pushing at my chest.

As I reached him, I found him drifting in and out of consciousness, his head slumped forward. Tomás! I shouted urgently, gripping his shoulder. He stirred slightly, groaning softly in response. Time dragged painfully slowly. Every few minutes I checked the Garmin, reassuring myself that our distress signal was broadcasting.

As I reached him, I found him drifting in and out of consciousness, his head slumped forward. Tomás! I shouted urgently, gripping his shoulder. He stirred slightly, groaning softly in response. Time dragged painfully slowly. Every few minutes I checked the Garmin, reassuring myself that our distress signal was broadcasting.

The fog continued thickening, isolating us further from the familiar landscape. i stood straining my eyes into the opaque whiteness that's when i saw it at the edge of the tree-line above us just visible through the shifting fog a figure stood motionless my heart stopped cold it was tall unnaturally so limbs elongated and disproportionate

The fog continued thickening, isolating us further from the familiar landscape. i stood straining my eyes into the opaque whiteness that's when i saw it at the edge of the tree-line above us just visible through the shifting fog a figure stood motionless my heart stopped cold it was tall unnaturally so limbs elongated and disproportionate

Not human, but something trying to appear human and failing. I froze completely, scarcely breathing. The figure remained utterly still, half hidden behind the trunks of lodgepole pines. Slowly I reached into my jacket pocket and withdrew my phone, my hands trembling as I aimed it upward. The shutter clicked softly. The figure was gone when I glanced up again, nothing but fog and empty trees.

Not human, but something trying to appear human and failing. I froze completely, scarcely breathing. The figure remained utterly still, half hidden behind the trunks of lodgepole pines. Slowly I reached into my jacket pocket and withdrew my phone, my hands trembling as I aimed it upward. The shutter clicked softly. The figure was gone when I glanced up again, nothing but fog and empty trees.

A distant hum slowly broke through my panic, the unmistakable sound of an approaching helicopter. Relief flooded my veins as I signaled frantically. Within moments, the helicopter hovered briefly, a rescue team descending rapidly via ropes, shouting commands muffled by the rotor wash.

A distant hum slowly broke through my panic, the unmistakable sound of an approaching helicopter. Relief flooded my veins as I signaled frantically. Within moments, the helicopter hovered briefly, a rescue team descending rapidly via ropes, shouting commands muffled by the rotor wash.

tomas was swiftly secured into a stretcher lifted carefully up toward safety a ranger called out to me offering to haul me out as well but stubborn pride and perhaps an irrational need to remain alert made me shake my head i'll hike down i shouted barely audible above the helicopter noise The ranger hesitated but finally nodded, ascending after Tomas.

tomas was swiftly secured into a stretcher lifted carefully up toward safety a ranger called out to me offering to haul me out as well but stubborn pride and perhaps an irrational need to remain alert made me shake my head i'll hike down i shouted barely audible above the helicopter noise The ranger hesitated but finally nodded, ascending after Tomas.

The helicopter vanished quickly, leaving me alone. Adrenaline faded rapidly, exhaustion weighing heavily now. I trudged downhill, ears tuned sharply to every sound, eyes flickering toward every shadow. By the time I reached the ranger station at the trailhead, nightfall had settled fully, deepening the quiet of the empty building. A ranger greeted me, his face lined with concern.

The helicopter vanished quickly, leaving me alone. Adrenaline faded rapidly, exhaustion weighing heavily now. I trudged downhill, ears tuned sharply to every sound, eyes flickering toward every shadow. By the time I reached the ranger station at the trailhead, nightfall had settled fully, deepening the quiet of the empty building. A ranger greeted me, his face lined with concern.

I showed him the photo from the trail cam and recounted the strange circles, the tracks, and finally, reluctantly, the figure I'd glimpsed. His expression shifted noticeably. "'You're not the first,' he said quietly, averting his eyes." What do you mean? I pressed urgently. He hesitated, shook his head softly. Just forget it. Some things out here, we don't talk about. Go home. Be glad you made it.

I showed him the photo from the trail cam and recounted the strange circles, the tracks, and finally, reluctantly, the figure I'd glimpsed. His expression shifted noticeably. "'You're not the first,' he said quietly, averting his eyes." What do you mean? I pressed urgently. He hesitated, shook his head softly. Just forget it. Some things out here, we don't talk about. Go home. Be glad you made it.

Back in Boulder a few days later, safely distant from the mountains and their cold mysteries, I reviewed the photos I'd taken. At first glance, they appeared ordinary. Landscapes, trees, snow. But one image stopped me cold. The one I'd snapped at the treeline above Thomas. Zooming carefully, my blood ran cold. There, partially obscured behind the lodgepole pine, stood the tall, blurred figure.

Back in Boulder a few days later, safely distant from the mountains and their cold mysteries, I reviewed the photos I'd taken. At first glance, they appeared ordinary. Landscapes, trees, snow. But one image stopped me cold. The one I'd snapped at the treeline above Thomas. Zooming carefully, my blood ran cold. There, partially obscured behind the lodgepole pine, stood the tall, blurred figure.

Its limbs were distorted, elongated, subtly wrong. It stood perfectly still, undeniably present. My breath shook slightly. Quickly, I attached the image to an email, intending to send it to the ranger station. But as soon as I clicked send, my laptop screen flickered sharply and went black. The computer rebooted itself, the message and photo nowhere to be found.

Its limbs were distorted, elongated, subtly wrong. It stood perfectly still, undeniably present. My breath shook slightly. Quickly, I attached the image to an email, intending to send it to the ranger station. But as soon as I clicked send, my laptop screen flickered sharply and went black. The computer rebooted itself, the message and photo nowhere to be found.