Derek

We should go back. Let's leave first thing tomorrow. Tyler nodded grimly. Yeah, we'll head east, catch that trail loop back toward the car. We returned to camp, subdued and wary. The fire had burned low, leaving glowing embers that cast faint, uncertain light across our anxious faces.

We should go back. Let's leave first thing tomorrow. Tyler nodded grimly. Yeah, we'll head east, catch that trail loop back toward the car. We returned to camp, subdued and wary. The fire had burned low, leaving glowing embers that cast faint, uncertain light across our anxious faces.

As I crawled into my sleeping bag, I tried to push away the unsettling image of Jess frozen in fear, alone in the darkness. I lay awake, listening intently. Sometime around midnight, drifting into a restless sleep, I swore I heard it again. Two sharp whistles, drifting softly through the trees. closer than before, just beyond the boundary of our camp.

As I crawled into my sleeping bag, I tried to push away the unsettling image of Jess frozen in fear, alone in the darkness. I lay awake, listening intently. Sometime around midnight, drifting into a restless sleep, I swore I heard it again. Two sharp whistles, drifting softly through the trees. closer than before, just beyond the boundary of our camp.

At dawn, we packed quickly, driven by silent urgency to leave behind the tension of the previous night. The morning air felt colder, sharper, as we hiked east toward White Rock Mountain. Tyler assured us this lesser-known trail would loop us back safely to our car, but his voice carried uncertainty I hadn't heard before. By late morning, the forest thickened significantly.

At dawn, we packed quickly, driven by silent urgency to leave behind the tension of the previous night. The morning air felt colder, sharper, as we hiked east toward White Rock Mountain. Tyler assured us this lesser-known trail would loop us back safely to our car, but his voice carried uncertainty I hadn't heard before. By late morning, the forest thickened significantly.

The trail grew narrow, fading into patches of weeds and tangled underbrush. Occasionally we passed signs of old campsites, rotting tarps tangled in brush, fire pits scorched black. filled with leaves and debris. These weren't normal campsites. They looked abandoned hastily, left behind as if someone fled. Marcus stopped, crouching to inspect something half buried in dirt.

The trail grew narrow, fading into patches of weeds and tangled underbrush. Occasionally we passed signs of old campsites, rotting tarps tangled in brush, fire pits scorched black. filled with leaves and debris. These weren't normal campsites. They looked abandoned hastily, left behind as if someone fled. Marcus stopped, crouching to inspect something half buried in dirt.

He lifted a rusted pocket knife, Its handle warped and melted, as if exposed to tremendous heat. He turned it slowly in his fingers, frowning deeply. What would make something like this? Marcus asked, his voice tight. Tyler didn't answer. He glanced down at his map, brows furrowed, eyes shifting uneasily across the forest.

He lifted a rusted pocket knife, Its handle warped and melted, as if exposed to tremendous heat. He turned it slowly in his fingers, frowning deeply. What would make something like this? Marcus asked, his voice tight. Tyler didn't answer. He glanced down at his map, brows furrowed, eyes shifting uneasily across the forest.

Rachel moved close to Jess, whispering something reassuring but unconvincing. The woods around us had grown silent, absent the usual rustling leaves or birdsong. We set camp early, uneasy fatigue draining the strength from our limbs. Tyler placed trail cams around our perimeter, small electronic eyes watching silently from sturdy trees.

Rachel moved close to Jess, whispering something reassuring but unconvincing. The woods around us had grown silent, absent the usual rustling leaves or birdsong. We set camp early, uneasy fatigue draining the strength from our limbs. Tyler placed trail cams around our perimeter, small electronic eyes watching silently from sturdy trees.

Jess set her phone to record audio, leaving it propped carefully near her tent. as dusk approached the familiar feeling of dread crept over us again stronger now we spoke less each locked in our own private thoughts glancing frequently at the encroaching darkness then as if summoned by the fading daylight the whistles returned Two sharp notes, clear and precise, echoed around the clearing.

Jess set her phone to record audio, leaving it propped carefully near her tent. as dusk approached the familiar feeling of dread crept over us again stronger now we spoke less each locked in our own private thoughts glancing frequently at the encroaching darkness then as if summoned by the fading daylight the whistles returned Two sharp notes, clear and precise, echoed around the clearing.

It sounded closer, more deliberate, like someone or something was observing us carefully, hidden in the dense foliage. The whistles repeated, methodically bouncing from one side of our campsite to the other, circling us. My pulse quickened. The air felt suddenly thick, oppressive. Marcus cursed under his breath, eyes darting from shadow to shadow. Who's out there?

It sounded closer, more deliberate, like someone or something was observing us carefully, hidden in the dense foliage. The whistles repeated, methodically bouncing from one side of our campsite to the other, circling us. My pulse quickened. The air felt suddenly thick, oppressive. Marcus cursed under his breath, eyes darting from shadow to shadow. Who's out there?

Tyler shouted, desperation edging into his voice. The forest answered only with another sharp whistle, directly ahead, tauntingly close, yet invisible. Jess pressed her back against a tree, face pale. Rachel clutched her arm, staring anxiously into the darkness. We need to check the cameras, Tyler said firmly. Marcus hesitated briefly but nodded, and together we approached the nearest tree cam.

Tyler shouted, desperation edging into his voice. The forest answered only with another sharp whistle, directly ahead, tauntingly close, yet invisible. Jess pressed her back against a tree, face pale. Rachel clutched her arm, staring anxiously into the darkness. We need to check the cameras, Tyler said firmly. Marcus hesitated briefly but nodded, and together we approached the nearest tree cam.

I watched as Tyler reached for the strap and found nothing but a dangling piece of fabric. The camera had been removed cleanly, the mount undamaged, the device itself nowhere in sight. A chill ran through me as we moved quickly around camp, checking every tree. Each camera was gone, meticulously removed. It felt intentional, calculated. Jess, hands shaking, retrieved her phone.

I watched as Tyler reached for the strap and found nothing but a dangling piece of fabric. The camera had been removed cleanly, the mount undamaged, the device itself nowhere in sight. A chill ran through me as we moved quickly around camp, checking every tree. Each camera was gone, meticulously removed. It felt intentional, calculated. Jess, hands shaking, retrieved her phone.