Derek

i opened the creaky wooden door setting down my backpack and immediately smelling old cedar damp fabric and decades of disuse sparse furnishings a battered cot a simple wooden desk shelves stocked with canned beans and coffee tins from previous rangers

i opened the creaky wooden door setting down my backpack and immediately smelling old cedar damp fabric and decades of disuse sparse furnishings a battered cot a simple wooden desk shelves stocked with canned beans and coffee tins from previous rangers

dust drifted lazily in the waning sunlight on the desk lay a thick leather-bound logbook curious i flipped through yellowed pages noting dates and signatures stretching back nearly two decades most entries were mundane patrolled trail removed fallen branches clear weather But as I turned deeper, a strange repetition caught my attention. Cabin 27, inspection overdue. Cabin 27, lantern out.

dust drifted lazily in the waning sunlight on the desk lay a thick leather-bound logbook curious i flipped through yellowed pages noting dates and signatures stretching back nearly two decades most entries were mundane patrolled trail removed fallen branches clear weather But as I turned deeper, a strange repetition caught my attention. Cabin 27, inspection overdue. Cabin 27, lantern out.

Cabin 27, C-claw damage on interior beam. These entries repeated themselves over and over in different handwriting, going back years, sometimes months apart. My brow furrowed. I pulled out the official Forest Service binder, flipping hurriedly through laminated maps and neatly printed cabin inventories.

Cabin 27, C-claw damage on interior beam. These entries repeated themselves over and over in different handwriting, going back years, sometimes months apart. My brow furrowed. I pulled out the official Forest Service binder, flipping hurriedly through laminated maps and neatly printed cabin inventories.

No mention of Cabin 27 appeared anywhere, not even as a ruin, not as a historical site, nothing. I shook my head and radioed the nearest ranger station, a crackling static voice responding after a few tries. Hey, can someone confirm something for me? I asked, trying to sound casual. Is there supposed to be a Cabin 27 somewhere in Great Gulf? Silence lingered on the line a bit too long.

No mention of Cabin 27 appeared anywhere, not even as a ruin, not as a historical site, nothing. I shook my head and radioed the nearest ranger station, a crackling static voice responding after a few tries. Hey, can someone confirm something for me? I asked, trying to sound casual. Is there supposed to be a Cabin 27 somewhere in Great Gulf? Silence lingered on the line a bit too long.

When the voice returned it was cautious, almost hesitant. Negative. No Cabin 27 listed. Probably an old logging camp or something. Best to ignore it. I thanked the ranger and hung up the radio, but his response left a strange unease gnawing at my gut.

When the voice returned it was cautious, almost hesitant. Negative. No Cabin 27 listed. Probably an old logging camp or something. Best to ignore it. I thanked the ranger and hung up the radio, but his response left a strange unease gnawing at my gut.

if it was an error why had it persisted across so many log entries over so many years i cooked a simple meal of beans and toast on the propane stove as darkness descended outside trees rustled in the breeze branches occasionally scraping against the roof I tried to put the odd log entries from my mind, chalking it up to bureaucratic oversight and boredom from previous rangers.

if it was an error why had it persisted across so many log entries over so many years i cooked a simple meal of beans and toast on the propane stove as darkness descended outside trees rustled in the breeze branches occasionally scraping against the roof I tried to put the odd log entries from my mind, chalking it up to bureaucratic oversight and boredom from previous rangers.

After dinner, I readied myself for sleep, stretching out on the narrow cot, exhaustion heavy in my limbs. Sleep came uneasily, dreams scattered with visions of shadowy cabins buried deep in twisted forest trails. I woke suddenly around midnight, unsure what had startled me. Listening closely, heart quickening, I heard nothing at first but the faint wind and distant trickle of a stream.

After dinner, I readied myself for sleep, stretching out on the narrow cot, exhaustion heavy in my limbs. Sleep came uneasily, dreams scattered with visions of shadowy cabins buried deep in twisted forest trails. I woke suddenly around midnight, unsure what had startled me. Listening closely, heart quickening, I heard nothing at first but the faint wind and distant trickle of a stream.

Then came three distinct knocks on the front door, slow deliberate taps, evenly spaced. My chest tightened, muscles stiffening. i rose from the cot quietly grabbing the flashlight from the desk and inching toward the door for a long moment i stood there breath shallow waiting silence gathering courage i swung the door open flashlight beam slicing through the inky blackness

Then came three distinct knocks on the front door, slow deliberate taps, evenly spaced. My chest tightened, muscles stiffening. i rose from the cot quietly grabbing the flashlight from the desk and inching toward the door for a long moment i stood there breath shallow waiting silence gathering courage i swung the door open flashlight beam slicing through the inky blackness

Nothing greeted me except darkness and the trees. But as I lowered my beam to the ground, a chill spread across my shoulders. There, clear as day, stamped into the soft, damp earth at the edge of the porch, was a single wet bootprint. And it wasn't mine. Morning came slow, breaking gray and heavy over the great gulf wilderness.

Nothing greeted me except darkness and the trees. But as I lowered my beam to the ground, a chill spread across my shoulders. There, clear as day, stamped into the soft, damp earth at the edge of the porch, was a single wet bootprint. And it wasn't mine. Morning came slow, breaking gray and heavy over the great gulf wilderness.

I hadn't slept since the knocking, haunted by the image of that wet bootprint just outside my door. I ate breakfast mechanically, stale bread and cold coffee, my thoughts cycling back relentlessly to the strange logbook entries and that disembodied tapping. A restless energy crawled through my limbs. I needed answers, something to settle my mind.

I hadn't slept since the knocking, haunted by the image of that wet bootprint just outside my door. I ate breakfast mechanically, stale bread and cold coffee, my thoughts cycling back relentlessly to the strange logbook entries and that disembodied tapping. A restless energy crawled through my limbs. I needed answers, something to settle my mind.