Evan Mallory

The fog stayed with us the whole day, and the worst part, every so often, faint and distant but unmistakable, we kept hearing that laughter, just behind the trees, never ahead of us, always behind. By late afternoon, none of us were talking. The fog hadn't let up at all. We kept waiting for it to burn off like normal, but it just hung there. Thick, still, and cold.

The fog stayed with us the whole day, and the worst part, every so often, faint and distant but unmistakable, we kept hearing that laughter, just behind the trees, never ahead of us, always behind. By late afternoon, none of us were talking. The fog hadn't let up at all. We kept waiting for it to burn off like normal, but it just hung there. Thick, still, and cold.

The kind of cold that settles into your clothes and never leaves. We hadn't seen another blaze in hours. No mileage markers, no trail junctions, nothing.

The kind of cold that settles into your clothes and never leaves. We hadn't seen another blaze in hours. No mileage markers, no trail junctions, nothing.

it felt like we were walking in circles even though we stuck to a straight line as best we could we tried checking our compasses but they were all giving slightly different bearings josh said it was probably a mineral deposit but even he didn't sound confident Around dusk, we heard the kids again. Laughter. Same pitch, same cadence. Too close. It was different this time. Closer and sharper.

it felt like we were walking in circles even though we stuck to a straight line as best we could we tried checking our compasses but they were all giving slightly different bearings josh said it was probably a mineral deposit but even he didn't sound confident Around dusk, we heard the kids again. Laughter. Same pitch, same cadence. Too close. It was different this time. Closer and sharper.

It would pop up to the left of us, then to the right, then straight ahead. Like they were circling us, following us, not playing anymore. Josh stopped and pointed at a tree ahead. Carved into the bark was a spiral. Not a normal one. It was jagged and uneven, almost like it was scratched in with something sharp. Inside the spiral were eight small stick figures.

It would pop up to the left of us, then to the right, then straight ahead. Like they were circling us, following us, not playing anymore. Josh stopped and pointed at a tree ahead. Carved into the bark was a spiral. Not a normal one. It was jagged and uneven, almost like it was scratched in with something sharp. Inside the spiral were eight small stick figures.

Liam leaned in close, then backed away fast. They're all missing eyes, he muttered. We were losing it. Caroline wanted to set up camp before dark. Ray agreed, said hiking blind in fog was a bad idea. We found a spot near a rock wall, not ideal, but at least we had our backs covered. We set up quickly and agreed to keep watch in pairs. That night, I barely slept. I was on second watch with Ray.

Liam leaned in close, then backed away fast. They're all missing eyes, he muttered. We were losing it. Caroline wanted to set up camp before dark. Ray agreed, said hiking blind in fog was a bad idea. We found a spot near a rock wall, not ideal, but at least we had our backs covered. We set up quickly and agreed to keep watch in pairs. That night, I barely slept. I was on second watch with Ray.

Around one in the morning, we realized we hadn't heard Josh in a while. His tent was zipped but empty. No gear, no pack, no sign of him walking off. He didn't snore like usual, wasn't even rustling around. We started calling for him, first quietly, then louder. No response. Caroline joined us, barefoot, flashlight in one hand, knife in the other.

Around one in the morning, we realized we hadn't heard Josh in a while. His tent was zipped but empty. No gear, no pack, no sign of him walking off. He didn't snore like usual, wasn't even rustling around. We started calling for him, first quietly, then louder. No response. Caroline joined us, barefoot, flashlight in one hand, knife in the other.

We didn't go far, just twenty yards from camp, when we saw him. He was standing perfectly still in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by eight tiny piles of rocks. Each pile was stacked exactly the same. Three stones on the bottom, one small flat stone on top. The same eight pattern from before. Josh wasn't moving. Eyes open, but blank, pale. He looked right through us.

We didn't go far, just twenty yards from camp, when we saw him. He was standing perfectly still in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by eight tiny piles of rocks. Each pile was stacked exactly the same. Three stones on the bottom, one small flat stone on top. The same eight pattern from before. Josh wasn't moving. Eyes open, but blank, pale. He looked right through us.

When I called his name, he finally spoke. They showed me the real path. That's all he said. Then our flashlights all cut out at once. no flicker no warning just dead everything went pitch black and the fog got thicker i swear to god i heard something exhale not a person not an animal it was low and long and sounded wrong like it didn't come from lungs branches snapped all around us

When I called his name, he finally spoke. They showed me the real path. That's all he said. Then our flashlights all cut out at once. no flicker no warning just dead everything went pitch black and the fog got thicker i swear to god i heard something exhale not a person not an animal it was low and long and sounded wrong like it didn't come from lungs branches snapped all around us

Ray grabbed Josh and we dragged him back to camp, stumbling the whole way. Liam was standing by the fire pit, holding a flare he hadn't lit yet. We got the tents zipped, huddled up, knives out. No one slept. When the light started coming back the next morning, I unzipped the tent. We were right back in that same clearing. Same piles of rocks.

Ray grabbed Josh and we dragged him back to camp, stumbling the whole way. Liam was standing by the fire pit, holding a flare he hadn't lit yet. We got the tents zipped, huddled up, knives out. No one slept. When the light started coming back the next morning, I unzipped the tent. We were right back in that same clearing. Same piles of rocks.

But now one of them had a small rotted child's shoe placed neatly on top. That's when Caroline lost it. She sat down, shaking, muttering that we needed to get off this trail immediately. Liam said we should retrace our steps, but that was impossible. We had no idea where we were. Josh didn't say a word. He just stared at the shoe. We tried to move fast that morning. No breakfast.

But now one of them had a small rotted child's shoe placed neatly on top. That's when Caroline lost it. She sat down, shaking, muttering that we needed to get off this trail immediately. Liam said we should retrace our steps, but that was impossible. We had no idea where we were. Josh didn't say a word. He just stared at the shoe. We tried to move fast that morning. No breakfast.