Samantha (Corrections Officer)

In that moment, a subtle impulse tugged at me. It's difficult to explain, an instinct maybe. Without a single conscious thought, I reached for my dog's collar, shortened the leash, and crouched low. A crack of anxiety moved through me. It was as if every sense sharpened simultaneously, telling me to wait. I scanned the tree line.

In that moment, a subtle impulse tugged at me. It's difficult to explain, an instinct maybe. Without a single conscious thought, I reached for my dog's collar, shortened the leash, and crouched low. A crack of anxiety moved through me. It was as if every sense sharpened simultaneously, telling me to wait. I scanned the tree line.

At first I noticed a group of turkeys perched in the branches, nearly invisible in the morning glare. They were big, bulky silhouettes rustling quietly in the canopy. Relief flickered in me, thinking maybe that was the cause of my nerves. Still, I stayed put, not wanting to disturb them or get a surprise wingslap if one spooked. A moment later, a rustle came from behind.

At first I noticed a group of turkeys perched in the branches, nearly invisible in the morning glare. They were big, bulky silhouettes rustling quietly in the canopy. Relief flickered in me, thinking maybe that was the cause of my nerves. Still, I stayed put, not wanting to disturb them or get a surprise wingslap if one spooked. A moment later, a rustle came from behind.

My dog flinched, and I pivoted carefully, expecting a deer or another hiker. What emerged from the brush was a man dressed in top-tier camouflage, cradling a bow in one hand. I barely made out his outline until he stepped fully into the light. He wore a mask of irritation that I understood too well. A hunter, interrupted mid-stalk.

My dog flinched, and I pivoted carefully, expecting a deer or another hiker. What emerged from the brush was a man dressed in top-tier camouflage, cradling a bow in one hand. I barely made out his outline until he stepped fully into the light. He wore a mask of irritation that I understood too well. A hunter, interrupted mid-stalk.

He froze when he spotted me, probably guessing I'd been sitting there like some clueless bystander. For a second, I thought he might say something or lay into me for messing up his morning. But instead, he just stood, shoulders tense, staring first at the turkeys, then at me. I raised a hand in an uneasy wave not sure if words would help. He glanced from me to my dog and then back to the creek.

He froze when he spotted me, probably guessing I'd been sitting there like some clueless bystander. For a second, I thought he might say something or lay into me for messing up his morning. But instead, he just stood, shoulders tense, staring first at the turkeys, then at me. I raised a hand in an uneasy wave not sure if words would help. He glanced from me to my dog and then back to the creek.

His mouth twitched, some mix of annoyance and resignation, before he turned and cut an entirely new path through the thicket. I watched as he melted into the undergrowth, quiet as a shadow, leaving barely a snapped branch in his wake. A swirl of conflicting emotions churned in my gut.

His mouth twitched, some mix of annoyance and resignation, before he turned and cut an entirely new path through the thicket. I watched as he melted into the undergrowth, quiet as a shadow, leaving barely a snapped branch in his wake. A swirl of conflicting emotions churned in my gut.

i couldn't decide whether i was more sorry for scaring off his quarry or relieved i'd spotted him before he loosed an arrow in our direction there was no question something in me had registered his presence moments before my eyes ever found him it made me look at these woods differently

i couldn't decide whether i was more sorry for scaring off his quarry or relieved i'd spotted him before he loosed an arrow in our direction there was no question something in me had registered his presence moments before my eyes ever found him it made me look at these woods differently

I'd always been confident in my outdoors sense, knew the habits of local wildlife, knew the sweet spots where deer like to bed, had a notion of how to tread without spooking half the forest, but this felt personal. I'd caught that man's glare before fully seeing him, like an invisible alarm telling me, you're not alone. My dog whined softly, as if echoing my thoughts.

I'd always been confident in my outdoors sense, knew the habits of local wildlife, knew the sweet spots where deer like to bed, had a notion of how to tread without spooking half the forest, but this felt personal. I'd caught that man's glare before fully seeing him, like an invisible alarm telling me, you're not alone. My dog whined softly, as if echoing my thoughts.

I gave her a scratch behind the ears, and we continued on, though it wasn't the same calm hike I'd planned. Every step forward felt loaded, my eyes scanning for any movement in the brush. My mind kept returning to the hunter's cold, laser-focused expression, a look that said, you just cost me a morning's work.

I gave her a scratch behind the ears, and we continued on, though it wasn't the same calm hike I'd planned. Every step forward felt loaded, my eyes scanning for any movement in the brush. My mind kept returning to the hunter's cold, laser-focused expression, a look that said, you just cost me a morning's work.

I left that trail with fresh respect for how quietly danger, or at least tension, can lurk in the woods. Sometimes it announces itself with snapping branches and fluttering wings.

I left that trail with fresh respect for how quietly danger, or at least tension, can lurk in the woods. Sometimes it announces itself with snapping branches and fluttering wings.

other times it hovers unseen relying on your instincts to register it and occasionally you get lucky you sense the observer before they have a chance to fade away like they were never there at all my second encounter happened a year later I chose the suburban edge trail that day expecting a straightforward stroll, something to clear my head without the rugged challenge of backcountry terrain.

other times it hovers unseen relying on your instincts to register it and occasionally you get lucky you sense the observer before they have a chance to fade away like they were never there at all my second encounter happened a year later I chose the suburban edge trail that day expecting a straightforward stroll, something to clear my head without the rugged challenge of backcountry terrain.