Micah

Not a second.

We sat with our backs pressed to the fire pit, as darting to the trees at every crack of a branch.

The silence out there was heavy, and every time I thought I heard a step, my chest seized up.

When dawn finally broke, we didn't even bother making breakfast.

We backed up in silence, shoving gear haphazardly into our bags.

and headed for the trail out and of course it was normal completely normal the switchbacks were exactly how they should have been wide steady predictable no man no twist to pass just a long hike back to the parking lot as if the night before had never happened i've never come back to the blue ridge i doubt daniel is either people still laugh about the story of the switchback man joke about it like it's some dumb urban legend but i don't laugh at it anymore

a couple of friends and i had planned this camping trip up in the upper michigan mountains we were looking for something quiet away from all the usual campgrounds packed with families and tourists we wanted space a place where it felt like we were the only people for miles when we stopped in a little town before heading up a few of the locals gave us a look half warning half amusement one older guy even told us people came back from those woods where in the trails went the same when they returned some swore they'd seen a friend walking of them only to find their friend miles away

Another woman turned and sighed in the woods like to trick people who didn't belong there.

We laughed, of course.

We figured it was their way of spooking outsiders.

But none of us wanted to admit the warnings made us just the tiniest bit uneasy.

The drive up into the mountains took us winding roads that felt like they'd never end.

By the time we found a clearing that looked good for a base camp, the sun was already slipping behind the ridge.

We rushed to set up the tents, stumbling around with poles and stakes, arguing over instructions but laughing at how unprepared we were.

Dinner was nothing fancy sausages and instant noodles over the fire.

But after the lawn hike and all the howling, it tasted amazing.

We sat around joking, telling stories.

And it felt like we made the right call coming out here.

When everyone finally started turning in, I stayed up a bit longer.

I wanted one last drink of water before bed.