Samantha (Corrections Officer)

Not when we'd invested so much energy just getting there. The last thing I remember before drifting off was wishing the night would pass quickly, but deep down, I sensed things were about to get a whole lot worse. Night settled around us in a suffocating hush. I remember lying there, counting the seconds between the crackling embers of our dying fire and the distant rustle of undergrowth.

Not when we'd invested so much energy just getting there. The last thing I remember before drifting off was wishing the night would pass quickly, but deep down, I sensed things were about to get a whole lot worse. Night settled around us in a suffocating hush. I remember lying there, counting the seconds between the crackling embers of our dying fire and the distant rustle of undergrowth.

Dylan's breathing was shallow. I could tell he was as on edge as I was, though neither of us admitted it. Sometime past midnight, must have been closer to 3am, an awful noise tore through the silence. It was this warped combination of metal scraping across gravel and a machine trying to start up. It came in bursts, each one echoing through the trees.

Dylan's breathing was shallow. I could tell he was as on edge as I was, though neither of us admitted it. Sometime past midnight, must have been closer to 3am, an awful noise tore through the silence. It was this warped combination of metal scraping across gravel and a machine trying to start up. It came in bursts, each one echoing through the trees.

My chest tightened as I strained to figure out how close it was. Dylan quietly unzipped the tent window, just enough to peer out. The moonlight painted the clearing in pale light, but everything looked still. The sound must have been bouncing around the hills, or maybe it was closer than I realized. My mind was racing with questions I didn't dare say out loud.

My chest tightened as I strained to figure out how close it was. Dylan quietly unzipped the tent window, just enough to peer out. The moonlight painted the clearing in pale light, but everything looked still. The sound must have been bouncing around the hills, or maybe it was closer than I realized. My mind was racing with questions I didn't dare say out loud.

I heard Dylan whisper that it could be far away, but his voice wavered. It didn't sound like he believed that himself. I kept imagining shapes moving at the edge of the clearing, people lurking just out of sight. Usually I'd rationalize it all away, tell myself it was a weird echo, an animal, anything. But there was nothing familiar about that metallic grinding.

I heard Dylan whisper that it could be far away, but his voice wavered. It didn't sound like he believed that himself. I kept imagining shapes moving at the edge of the clearing, people lurking just out of sight. Usually I'd rationalize it all away, tell myself it was a weird echo, an animal, anything. But there was nothing familiar about that metallic grinding.

A few minutes later, Dylan sat up and started rummaging through our gear. My pulse hammered as he pulled out the machete we'd packed. It was still wrapped in that plastic packaging because we never intended to use it for more than chopping brush. Seeing him carefully remove it in the middle of the night, in total silence, made me realize we were past the point of hoping this would all blow over.

A few minutes later, Dylan sat up and started rummaging through our gear. My pulse hammered as he pulled out the machete we'd packed. It was still wrapped in that plastic packaging because we never intended to use it for more than chopping brush. Seeing him carefully remove it in the middle of the night, in total silence, made me realize we were past the point of hoping this would all blow over.

He motioned for me to get dressed quickly. No big speech, no debate. We both knew we needed to leave. We moved as quietly as possible, unzipping the tent and emerging into the cool night. My senses were in overdrive. My eyes jumped to every shifting shadow. My ears caught every twitch in the undergrowth. We started gathering our gear.

He motioned for me to get dressed quickly. No big speech, no debate. We both knew we needed to leave. We moved as quietly as possible, unzipping the tent and emerging into the cool night. My senses were in overdrive. My eyes jumped to every shifting shadow. My ears caught every twitch in the undergrowth. We started gathering our gear.

In the weak moonlight, I almost tripped over an empty can I hadn't noticed before. I nudged Dylan, and he froze. We hadn't brought any beer, so it definitely wasn't ours. That realization sent a jolt of panic through me. Someone had been here, close enough to leave trash by our embers. We didn't bother taking time for a detailed cleanup.

In the weak moonlight, I almost tripped over an empty can I hadn't noticed before. I nudged Dylan, and he froze. We hadn't brought any beer, so it definitely wasn't ours. That realization sent a jolt of panic through me. Someone had been here, close enough to leave trash by our embers. We didn't bother taking time for a detailed cleanup.

We crammed our sleeping bags into the trunk, tossed the tent on top, and locked ourselves in the car. Dylan checked the gas gauge. He'd been worried that whoever was out there might have siphoned our tank. Thankfully, we still had enough to get out of there. He fired up the engine and the headlights carved two stark beams through the dark.

We crammed our sleeping bags into the trunk, tossed the tent on top, and locked ourselves in the car. Dylan checked the gas gauge. He'd been worried that whoever was out there might have siphoned our tank. Thankfully, we still had enough to get out of there. He fired up the engine and the headlights carved two stark beams through the dark.

Every tree seemed like a potential hiding spot, and every bend in the muddy road threatened to reveal something we weren't ready to face. We kept our eyes peeled for movement as we barreled through puddles and slick patches, slipping a bit now and then, but never stopping. Once we finally got onto a more solid stretch of gravel, I let myself breathe a little.

Every tree seemed like a potential hiding spot, and every bend in the muddy road threatened to reveal something we weren't ready to face. We kept our eyes peeled for movement as we barreled through puddles and slick patches, slipping a bit now and then, but never stopping. Once we finally got onto a more solid stretch of gravel, I let myself breathe a little.

Dylan tried to make a joke, something about how a hybrid saved us from ending up in some horror movie, but even the humor felt forced. We were both still wired, scanning the roadside as if the woman by the truck or that circling car might appear around the next bend. When we reached a main road, we didn't say much. Relief washed over us, but it was the kind that left a bitter aftertaste.

Dylan tried to make a joke, something about how a hybrid saved us from ending up in some horror movie, but even the humor felt forced. We were both still wired, scanning the roadside as if the woman by the truck or that circling car might appear around the next bend. When we reached a main road, we didn't say much. Relief washed over us, but it was the kind that left a bitter aftertaste.