Samantha (Corrections Officer)

I think we all just wanted to make light of the situation to keep the weirdness away. The sun started sliding down behind the treetops faster than we expected, painting the sky with these fiery streaks of orange and red. We hurried to pitch the tents before darkness got too thick.

I think we all just wanted to make light of the situation to keep the weirdness away. The sun started sliding down behind the treetops faster than we expected, painting the sky with these fiery streaks of orange and red. We hurried to pitch the tents before darkness got too thick.

I was fumbling with the poles more than usual, which I blamed on shaky hands, but I didn't want to admit I was on edge. It almost felt like every small noise in the forest had been amplified. The rustle of leaves sounded just a bit too close. The crack of a twig snapping somewhere off to the left made me turn my head. Nothing ever appeared, but that didn't make me any less jumpy.

I was fumbling with the poles more than usual, which I blamed on shaky hands, but I didn't want to admit I was on edge. It almost felt like every small noise in the forest had been amplified. The rustle of leaves sounded just a bit too close. The crack of a twig snapping somewhere off to the left made me turn my head. Nothing ever appeared, but that didn't make me any less jumpy.

By the time our tents were secured and the fire was crackling, night had fully settled in. We set up camp chairs around the flames and doled out some snacks. The glow of the fire felt comforting on my face, but I kept finding myself peering past it, into the blackness beyond. It's amazing how quickly my mind started conjuring images of shapes and figures out there, hunched between trees.

By the time our tents were secured and the fire was crackling, night had fully settled in. We set up camp chairs around the flames and doled out some snacks. The glow of the fire felt comforting on my face, but I kept finding myself peering past it, into the blackness beyond. It's amazing how quickly my mind started conjuring images of shapes and figures out there, hunched between trees.

I couldn't see anything, but the sense of being watched lingered around the edges of my thoughts. When the conversation drifted, someone finally brought up the missing gear from the year before. We debated the odds of it being an animal versus a person who crept in. My friend swore up and down she was positive she'd left everything right by her tent flap, only to discover it gone at sunrise.

I couldn't see anything, but the sense of being watched lingered around the edges of my thoughts. When the conversation drifted, someone finally brought up the missing gear from the year before. We debated the odds of it being an animal versus a person who crept in. My friend swore up and down she was positive she'd left everything right by her tent flap, only to discover it gone at sunrise.

No scraps of fabric, no stray shoe left behind, just gone. We tried to rationalize it, but excuses felt hollow in the silence.

No scraps of fabric, no stray shoe left behind, just gone. We tried to rationalize it, but excuses felt hollow in the silence.

i remember glancing at her noticing her eyes dart toward the shadowy brush as she spoke like she was both angry and uneasy at once i attempted to change the topic steering everyone back to climbing routes we were excited to try the next day that worked for about five minutes until we heard a sharp snap of a branch nearby

i remember glancing at her noticing her eyes dart toward the shadowy brush as she spoke like she was both angry and uneasy at once i attempted to change the topic steering everyone back to climbing routes we were excited to try the next day that worked for about five minutes until we heard a sharp snap of a branch nearby

every head swung around flashlights raised we stared for a long moment but saw nothing just the flicker of our own firelight bouncing off tree trunks tension hung thick in the air i could practically taste it eventually we forced our shoulders to relax and carried on it was still early in the night and we weren't about to let jitters ruin the trip

every head swung around flashlights raised we stared for a long moment but saw nothing just the flicker of our own firelight bouncing off tree trunks tension hung thick in the air i could practically taste it eventually we forced our shoulders to relax and carried on it was still early in the night and we weren't about to let jitters ruin the trip

We told a few more stories, some of them genuinely funny, about epic bouldering fails and the time someone nearly tumbled off a ledge because they sneezed mid-climb. Laughter helped a little. It felt like a small shield against the feeling that something might not be right. Hours passed, and the flames died down to glowing embers.

We told a few more stories, some of them genuinely funny, about epic bouldering fails and the time someone nearly tumbled off a ledge because they sneezed mid-climb. Laughter helped a little. It felt like a small shield against the feeling that something might not be right. Hours passed, and the flames died down to glowing embers.

i offered to fetch more wood but the stack was already running low we decided to call it a night saving what was left for the morning chill nobody said it aloud but i think we were all relieved to retreat to our tents as if zipping ourselves inside could provide some semblance of real safety

i offered to fetch more wood but the stack was already running low we decided to call it a night saving what was left for the morning chill nobody said it aloud but i think we were all relieved to retreat to our tents as if zipping ourselves inside could provide some semblance of real safety

Before heading to mine, I took a quick walk around the perimeter, trying to assure myself no one else was out there. The trees loomed tall, and the moonlight filtered in patches through the canopy. It felt eerie, but I chalked it up to imagination. Satisfied, more like too spooked to keep looking, I went back to my tent and crawled inside.

Before heading to mine, I took a quick walk around the perimeter, trying to assure myself no one else was out there. The trees loomed tall, and the moonlight filtered in patches through the canopy. It felt eerie, but I chalked it up to imagination. Satisfied, more like too spooked to keep looking, I went back to my tent and crawled inside.