Evan Mallory

One uncoiled to its full height, at least seven feet, and raised two dead branches in each hand. Click, click. The sticks met, perfectly mimicking Jenna's laugh from dinner, brittle and bright in the stillness. My skin crawled so hard it almost tore. "'Leave!' I shouted, taking another step, but the headlamp trembled in my fist and the beam jittered across tree trunks.

One uncoiled to its full height, at least seven feet, and raised two dead branches in each hand. Click, click. The sticks met, perfectly mimicking Jenna's laugh from dinner, brittle and bright in the stillness. My skin crawled so hard it almost tore. "'Leave!' I shouted, taking another step, but the headlamp trembled in my fist and the beam jittered across tree trunks.

In that strobe the figures scattered, no stumbling, no snapping brush, only a blur of gray limbs melting upslope, then absolute silence. Even the creak we'd heard all evening had gone mute." I backed inside, zipped the flap, and pressed my shoulder against Jenna's. We sat like that until dawn turned the fog a dingy silver. Outside, the dew-heavy ground around the tent was pocked with prints.

In that strobe the figures scattered, no stumbling, no snapping brush, only a blur of gray limbs melting upslope, then absolute silence. Even the creak we'd heard all evening had gone mute." I backed inside, zipped the flap, and pressed my shoulder against Jenna's. We sat like that until dawn turned the fog a dingy silver. Outside, the dew-heavy ground around the tent was pocked with prints.

Bare, narrow, each foot six toes wide, and ending in tiny claw points. They formed a perfect circle. Toes aimed inward, as though the three had stood equidistant all night simply watching the nylon walls breathe. Jenna whispered, "'We're leaving now.' I nodded, unable to answer. As I shouldered my pack, the souvenir board shifted against my spine."

Bare, narrow, each foot six toes wide, and ending in tiny claw points. They formed a perfect circle. Toes aimed inward, as though the three had stood equidistant all night simply watching the nylon walls breathe. Jenna whispered, "'We're leaving now.' I nodded, unable to answer. As I shouldered my pack, the souvenir board shifted against my spine."

I almost hurled it into the woods, but I couldn't bring myself to let it go. We hiked out without breakfast. The forest gave nothing but the hollow echo of our own footsteps, and every so often I swore I heard sticks tapping together, click-click, deep in the fog behind us. The fog never quite lifted, only stretched itself thinner as we hustled south.

I almost hurled it into the woods, but I couldn't bring myself to let it go. We hiked out without breakfast. The forest gave nothing but the hollow echo of our own footsteps, and every so often I swore I heard sticks tapping together, click-click, deep in the fog behind us. The fog never quite lifted, only stretched itself thinner as we hustled south.

By what I guessed was late morning, my watch kept skipping minutes. We had chewed through nearly 20 miles of switchbacks. The pack straps sawed at my collarbones, but I refused to slow. Every birdsong perched above us in the canopy, as if the warblers were escorting our flight but wouldn't dare land on the trail itself.

By what I guessed was late morning, my watch kept skipping minutes. We had chewed through nearly 20 miles of switchbacks. The pack straps sawed at my collarbones, but I refused to slow. Every birdsong perched above us in the canopy, as if the warblers were escorting our flight but wouldn't dare land on the trail itself.

Whenever I stopped to sip water, the woods went pin drop still, then resumed the moment I moved again, like a show restarting after the critic leaves the room. We gained the spine below Chestnut Knob just before noon. Gray clouds stacked like stone blocks overhead, and the forest floor bled a sour metallic scent. Wet pennies baked in sun that never reached the ground.

Whenever I stopped to sip water, the woods went pin drop still, then resumed the moment I moved again, like a show restarting after the critic leaves the room. We gained the spine below Chestnut Knob just before noon. Gray clouds stacked like stone blocks overhead, and the forest floor bled a sour metallic scent. Wet pennies baked in sun that never reached the ground.

Along a mossy cut bank, we found pine trunks, skinned of bark. The strips had been trimmed into human shapes and nailed head high, all of them facing the cliff wall, as if some deranged sculptor wanted the effigies to watch the rock instead of the trail. Rust streaked under every nail, but when I touched the streaks, my fingers came away clean.

Along a mossy cut bank, we found pine trunks, skinned of bark. The strips had been trimmed into human shapes and nailed head high, all of them facing the cliff wall, as if some deranged sculptor wanted the effigies to watch the rock instead of the trail. Rust streaked under every nail, but when I touched the streaks, my fingers came away clean.

The red was embedded in the wood grain itself, dark as dried liver. Jenna's breath started a quick cadence between her teeth. I tucked an arm around her pack and guided her forward, promising that two more ridges would drop us onto the service road. I no longer believed my own words. By deep afternoon we found a sliver of level ground pressed tight against a shale cliff.

The red was embedded in the wood grain itself, dark as dried liver. Jenna's breath started a quick cadence between her teeth. I tucked an arm around her pack and guided her forward, promising that two more ridges would drop us onto the service road. I no longer believed my own words. By deep afternoon we found a sliver of level ground pressed tight against a shale cliff.

No approach possible from behind, and only a five-foot mouth for entry. We pitched the tent there, doors out, rainfly cinched low. I loaded both pistols and placed them within an easy reach. Jenna threaded our last length of paracord across the only entrance, hitching it to her titanium stakes and dangling my titanium mug so it would clang if anything brushed the line. Sunset never brightened.

No approach possible from behind, and only a five-foot mouth for entry. We pitched the tent there, doors out, rainfly cinched low. I loaded both pistols and placed them within an easy reach. Jenna threaded our last length of paracord across the only entrance, hitching it to her titanium stakes and dangling my titanium mug so it would clang if anything brushed the line. Sunset never brightened.

The clouds merely thickened until day and night became the same dark slate. some time passed midnight i know because my phone pinged once then died we both jerked awake to the faintest tink of metal my mug shivering against itself i rolled onto one elbow pistol in hand listening Something crouched just outside the fly, breathing slow as a diver conserving air.

The clouds merely thickened until day and night became the same dark slate. some time passed midnight i know because my phone pinged once then died we both jerked awake to the faintest tink of metal my mug shivering against itself i rolled onto one elbow pistol in hand listening Something crouched just outside the fly, breathing slow as a diver conserving air.