Samantha (Corrections Officer)

Most people would have avoided it, but I preferred the quiet. At least, that's what I told myself. on one of my first runs down that road i noticed something odd on the left side a sagging fence half concealed by wild undergrowth and behind it an orchard gone wild gnarled apple trees clustered together their twisted limbs heavy with fruit except the fruit never seemed picked.

Most people would have avoided it, but I preferred the quiet. At least, that's what I told myself. on one of my first runs down that road i noticed something odd on the left side a sagging fence half concealed by wild undergrowth and behind it an orchard gone wild gnarled apple trees clustered together their twisted limbs heavy with fruit except the fruit never seemed picked.

Loads of it lay rotting on the ground, filling the air with a syrupy, overripe smell that clung to my clothes if I got too close. It was bizarre, this abandoned patch of land producing so much, yet no one around to collect a single thing. Late one afternoon, I decided to head that way just as the sun started slipping beneath the horizon.

Loads of it lay rotting on the ground, filling the air with a syrupy, overripe smell that clung to my clothes if I got too close. It was bizarre, this abandoned patch of land producing so much, yet no one around to collect a single thing. Late one afternoon, I decided to head that way just as the sun started slipping beneath the horizon.

The temperature dipped, and the shadows along the road lengthened. I told myself it was just another workout, but deep down I sensed a heavy silence. Each footstep echoed louder than it should have, like the trees were leaning in to hear every breath. Farther down, the brush on both sides of the road grew thicker, almost forming a tunnel. The deeper I went, the more anxious I got.

The temperature dipped, and the shadows along the road lengthened. I told myself it was just another workout, but deep down I sensed a heavy silence. Each footstep echoed louder than it should have, like the trees were leaning in to hear every breath. Farther down, the brush on both sides of the road grew thicker, almost forming a tunnel. The deeper I went, the more anxious I got.

There were these faint rustling noises, almost inaudible over my breathing. At first I chalked it up to small critters. Still, my nerves were on edge. I kept glancing back, half expecting a shape to slink out of the trees. Finally, as I drew close to that broken fence, the smell of fermenting apples washed over me again. I slowed my pace.

There were these faint rustling noises, almost inaudible over my breathing. At first I chalked it up to small critters. Still, my nerves were on edge. I kept glancing back, half expecting a shape to slink out of the trees. Finally, as I drew close to that broken fence, the smell of fermenting apples washed over me again. I slowed my pace.

The property looked darker than usual, like the encroaching woods were swallowing it whole. A nasty feeling twisted in my stomach.

The property looked darker than usual, like the encroaching woods were swallowing it whole. A nasty feeling twisted in my stomach.

i'd come for a simple run but i found myself in that orchard's orbit wishing i'd turned around sooner nothing jumped out at me nothing screamed but the sense that i wasn't entirely alone stuck with me and for the first time on that road i regretted being there by myself I went back to that overgrown orchard a few days later, telling myself it would be a quick visit.

i'd come for a simple run but i found myself in that orchard's orbit wishing i'd turned around sooner nothing jumped out at me nothing screamed but the sense that i wasn't entirely alone stuck with me and for the first time on that road i regretted being there by myself I went back to that overgrown orchard a few days later, telling myself it would be a quick visit.

The memory of those apple trees had been rattling around in my mind. It felt wrong that so much fruit was just rotting away. Even though I sensed something was off the last time, I convinced myself I was imagining things. Looking back, I should have known better. The sun dipped lower than I had anticipated.

The memory of those apple trees had been rattling around in my mind. It felt wrong that so much fruit was just rotting away. Even though I sensed something was off the last time, I convinced myself I was imagining things. Looking back, I should have known better. The sun dipped lower than I had anticipated.

By the time I reached the battered fence, daylight was fading, and the place looked even bleaker.

By the time I reached the battered fence, daylight was fading, and the place looked even bleaker.

i could barely make out the tree trunks in the dimness except for ghostly outlines of twisted branches the scattered apples on the ground shone with a pale gleam more white than red in that light every step crunched on fallen debris the kind of sound that makes you think you're disturbing a space best left alone

i could barely make out the tree trunks in the dimness except for ghostly outlines of twisted branches the scattered apples on the ground shone with a pale gleam more white than red in that light every step crunched on fallen debris the kind of sound that makes you think you're disturbing a space best left alone

I gingerly stepped around thorny brambles, hoping to snag some apples that weren't completely bruised. The heavy, fermenting scent clung to the air, enough to make me cough. I grabbed a couple of half-decent pieces and turned to head back, no reason to linger. My instincts nagged me to hurry, like I was trespassing on land that had quietly decided it wanted to be left in peace.

I gingerly stepped around thorny brambles, hoping to snag some apples that weren't completely bruised. The heavy, fermenting scent clung to the air, enough to make me cough. I grabbed a couple of half-decent pieces and turned to head back, no reason to linger. My instincts nagged me to hurry, like I was trespassing on land that had quietly decided it wanted to be left in peace.