Derek

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.

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.