Derek

The landscape changed subtly, becoming steep and heavily wooded. The ground softened, carpeted with fallen needles and dense underbrush that snagged my gear. The spirals led further downhill into a narrow canyon unmarked on my maps. At the canyon bottom, I found a trickle of water barely big enough to fill my canteen.

The landscape changed subtly, becoming steep and heavily wooded. The ground softened, carpeted with fallen needles and dense underbrush that snagged my gear. The spirals led further downhill into a narrow canyon unmarked on my maps. At the canyon bottom, I found a trickle of water barely big enough to fill my canteen.

Perfect place to camp, I figured, setting up my small tent under the shade of dense oak and sycamore trees. That night, sleep was restless. Every creak of branches overhead, every rustle in the brush, set my nerves on edge. Twice I sat up abruptly, convinced I heard footsteps circling my camp.

Perfect place to camp, I figured, setting up my small tent under the shade of dense oak and sycamore trees. That night, sleep was restless. Every creak of branches overhead, every rustle in the brush, set my nerves on edge. Twice I sat up abruptly, convinced I heard footsteps circling my camp.

But when I shined my flashlight into the surrounding darkness, nothing but shadows and branches stared back. Eventually, I drifted into uneasy sleep. Just before dawn, I woke again, sharply, my pulse racing. I couldn't pinpoint why until I realized what was bothering me. The forest was completely silent. Not even the distant hoot of an owl or hum of insects, nothing.

But when I shined my flashlight into the surrounding darkness, nothing but shadows and branches stared back. Eventually, I drifted into uneasy sleep. Just before dawn, I woke again, sharply, my pulse racing. I couldn't pinpoint why until I realized what was bothering me. The forest was completely silent. Not even the distant hoot of an owl or hum of insects, nothing.

Shivering despite the mild night, I whispered into my camera, documenting my unease. Something feels off here, like I shouldn't have followed those cairns. I paused, suddenly aware of a faint noise in the trees above. A subtle scraping, almost like fingernails lightly dragging on bark. My breathing quickened. I turned the camera lens toward the trees, squinting into the darkness.

Shivering despite the mild night, I whispered into my camera, documenting my unease. Something feels off here, like I shouldn't have followed those cairns. I paused, suddenly aware of a faint noise in the trees above. A subtle scraping, almost like fingernails lightly dragging on bark. My breathing quickened. I turned the camera lens toward the trees, squinting into the darkness.

For a brief second, I thought I saw movement. A vague silhouette, human-shaped, standing absolutely still. Hello? My voice cracked slightly, betraying my fear. Silence swallowed my words, offering no reassurance. I tried convincing myself it was just shadows and tired eyes. But deep down, an unsettling thought lingered as dawn slowly broke over the canyon walls. I think it knows I'm lost.

For a brief second, I thought I saw movement. A vague silhouette, human-shaped, standing absolutely still. Hello? My voice cracked slightly, betraying my fear. Silence swallowed my words, offering no reassurance. I tried convincing myself it was just shadows and tired eyes. But deep down, an unsettling thought lingered as dawn slowly broke over the canyon walls. I think it knows I'm lost.

Morning arrived with a faint, muted sunlight filtering through heavy layers of oak leaves, barely illuminating the campsite. I sat up, groggy, trying to shake off the fatigue from the night's unrest. Checking my GPS again only deepened my unease. The device showed a distorted screen, the arrow spinning slowly, unable to lock onto any reliable coordinates.

Morning arrived with a faint, muted sunlight filtering through heavy layers of oak leaves, barely illuminating the campsite. I sat up, groggy, trying to shake off the fatigue from the night's unrest. Checking my GPS again only deepened my unease. The device showed a distorted screen, the arrow spinning slowly, unable to lock onto any reliable coordinates.

My compass was no better, trembling unsteadily in my palm. Frustration crept into my thoughts. I rarely got lost, and certainly not this thoroughly. Determined, I packed up quickly and started back up the slope, certain I could retrace my steps to the main trail. But nothing looked familiar. Each hill and gully seemed interchangeable, repeating endlessly in every direction.

My compass was no better, trembling unsteadily in my palm. Frustration crept into my thoughts. I rarely got lost, and certainly not this thoroughly. Determined, I packed up quickly and started back up the slope, certain I could retrace my steps to the main trail. But nothing looked familiar. Each hill and gully seemed interchangeable, repeating endlessly in every direction.

I felt my pulse quicken as the morning wore on, my sense of direction increasingly uncertain. Midway through the morning I came across a single cairn, but this one was different, toppled, scattered deliberately. Nearby, in the soft soil, were fresh tracks. Leaning down, I examined them closely. The prints resembled a human foot, elongated, with oddly spread toes pressed deeply into the ground.

I felt my pulse quicken as the morning wore on, my sense of direction increasingly uncertain. Midway through the morning I came across a single cairn, but this one was different, toppled, scattered deliberately. Nearby, in the soft soil, were fresh tracks. Leaning down, I examined them closely. The prints resembled a human foot, elongated, with oddly spread toes pressed deeply into the ground.

A chill crawled up my spine. I scanned the trees cautiously, scanning slowly in all directions. There was nothing visible, yet the sensation of being watched was impossible to ignore. By noon, desperation set in. My water supply dwindled rapidly, forcing me to find a stream or spring soon.

A chill crawled up my spine. I scanned the trees cautiously, scanning slowly in all directions. There was nothing visible, yet the sensation of being watched was impossible to ignore. By noon, desperation set in. My water supply dwindled rapidly, forcing me to find a stream or spring soon.

I stumbled down an overgrown hillside, leaves and branches scratching my face and arms, until I found a narrow stream. Relief flooded me, momentarily pushing aside the growing dread. But when I tried to fill my filter, it clogged immediately. The water was clouded with fine, muddy silt, unusable. Panic gnawed at my composure. Hunger and thirst weakened my limbs, clouding my thoughts.

I stumbled down an overgrown hillside, leaves and branches scratching my face and arms, until I found a narrow stream. Relief flooded me, momentarily pushing aside the growing dread. But when I tried to fill my filter, it clogged immediately. The water was clouded with fine, muddy silt, unusable. Panic gnawed at my composure. Hunger and thirst weakened my limbs, clouding my thoughts.