Evan Mallory

Maybe they're all curled up in a den somewhere, I said shrugging. And then it came. A sound echoed back to us, but it wasn't a coyote. It started low, like a whistle caught in the wind, and then climbed into this piercing, unnatural screech that seemed to stretch too long, like it didn't need to breathe. It came from up the ridge behind us. Not far. Anna stiffened. What the hell was that?

Maybe they're all curled up in a den somewhere, I said shrugging. And then it came. A sound echoed back to us, but it wasn't a coyote. It started low, like a whistle caught in the wind, and then climbed into this piercing, unnatural screech that seemed to stretch too long, like it didn't need to breathe. It came from up the ridge behind us. Not far. Anna stiffened. What the hell was that?

I froze. Bobcat, maybe, I said. But I knew that wasn't right. I've heard bobcats. This sounded higher, like metal tearing, like a scream that didn't know how to stop. Anna backed closer to the fire. That was not a bobcat. I didn't answer. I just scanned the trees. That part of the ridge is dense with undergrowth, especially in fall.

I froze. Bobcat, maybe, I said. But I knew that wasn't right. I've heard bobcats. This sounded higher, like metal tearing, like a scream that didn't know how to stop. Anna backed closer to the fire. That was not a bobcat. I didn't answer. I just scanned the trees. That part of the ridge is dense with undergrowth, especially in fall.

The fog had started to roll in heavy, thickening between the trunks like smoke. My skin prickled, and I could feel the warmth of the fire only in theory. We didn't stay up much longer. We doused the fire, zipped into the tent and lay there listening. I kept my headlamp and my knife by my side. Anna fell asleep eventually.

The fog had started to roll in heavy, thickening between the trunks like smoke. My skin prickled, and I could feel the warmth of the fire only in theory. We didn't stay up much longer. We doused the fire, zipped into the tent and lay there listening. I kept my headlamp and my knife by my side. Anna fell asleep eventually.

I didn't, because I kept hearing something moving just past the tree line, something that clicked when it walked, something that stopped moving every time I held my breath.

I didn't, because I kept hearing something moving just past the tree line, something that clicked when it walked, something that stopped moving every time I held my breath.

and sometime after midnight i swear to god i saw two pale eyes watching from just beyond the trees they didn't glow they just reflected i don't know when i fell asleep must have been sometime after three when the movement outside finally stopped or maybe it didn't Maybe I just passed out from pure exhaustion, adrenaline finally giving up on me. Either way, I woke up with a start just before dawn.

and sometime after midnight i swear to god i saw two pale eyes watching from just beyond the trees they didn't glow they just reflected i don't know when i fell asleep must have been sometime after three when the movement outside finally stopped or maybe it didn't Maybe I just passed out from pure exhaustion, adrenaline finally giving up on me. Either way, I woke up with a start just before dawn.

That hazy blue light was barely bleeding through the nylon of our tent, and my mouth felt dry, like I'd been grinding my teeth all night. Anna was still asleep beside me, but she was twitching, her legs jerking under the sleeping bag like she was dreaming of running. And then I heard it again. That clicking.

That hazy blue light was barely bleeding through the nylon of our tent, and my mouth felt dry, like I'd been grinding my teeth all night. Anna was still asleep beside me, but she was twitching, her legs jerking under the sleeping bag like she was dreaming of running. And then I heard it again. That clicking.

It was faint this time, slower than the night before, like hooves gently tapping against stone or wood. I held my breath. It was circling us. I didn't dare look through the mesh this time. I just lay there, paralyzed, trying to convince myself it was a deer, maybe a curious buck, maybe something explainable. Then I heard a voice. It sounded like Anna, but it was coming from outside the tent.

It was faint this time, slower than the night before, like hooves gently tapping against stone or wood. I held my breath. It was circling us. I didn't dare look through the mesh this time. I just lay there, paralyzed, trying to convince myself it was a deer, maybe a curious buck, maybe something explainable. Then I heard a voice. It sounded like Anna, but it was coming from outside the tent.

It was soft. almost whispering. Hey, come out here. Her exact cadence, her exact tone. But Anna was still asleep next to me. I watched her breathing, her lips slack and pale in the cold. I didn't move. I didn't make a sound. I just waited. The voice repeated, same words, same softness. Come out here. And then everything went quiet again. No birds, no wind, not even the creek.

It was soft. almost whispering. Hey, come out here. Her exact cadence, her exact tone. But Anna was still asleep next to me. I watched her breathing, her lips slack and pale in the cold. I didn't move. I didn't make a sound. I just waited. The voice repeated, same words, same softness. Come out here. And then everything went quiet again. No birds, no wind, not even the creek.

I don't know how long I lay there, but when Anna finally woke up, she said she had the worst dream of her life. That she saw me standing over her in the woods, asking her to follow me into the trees. Only I wasn't wearing a shirt, and my chest was covered in blood. We broke camp in silence. No jokes. No breakfast. We didn't even talk about going home. We just knew.

I don't know how long I lay there, but when Anna finally woke up, she said she had the worst dream of her life. That she saw me standing over her in the woods, asking her to follow me into the trees. Only I wasn't wearing a shirt, and my chest was covered in blood. We broke camp in silence. No jokes. No breakfast. We didn't even talk about going home. We just knew.

This wasn't just a creepy night in the woods. Something was wrong here. Wrong in a way I can't fully explain. We started hiking fast, packs bouncing, barely checking the map. But the trail felt off. Places I remembered weren't where they should have been. A footbridge that should have crossed the creek was gone. We found stone piles, cairns, stacked neatly in rows beside the trail. Dozens of them.

This wasn't just a creepy night in the woods. Something was wrong here. Wrong in a way I can't fully explain. We started hiking fast, packs bouncing, barely checking the map. But the trail felt off. Places I remembered weren't where they should have been. A footbridge that should have crossed the creek was gone. We found stone piles, cairns, stacked neatly in rows beside the trail. Dozens of them.