Samantha (Corrections Officer)

my friend in the next tent over called out a half-joking don't vanish on us which earned a few nervous chuckles i tried to settle in but sleeping was impossible every time i let my eyes drift shut i'd become acutely aware of how thin the tent walls were how close the forest was

my friend in the next tent over called out a half-joking don't vanish on us which earned a few nervous chuckles i tried to settle in but sleeping was impossible every time i let my eyes drift shut i'd become acutely aware of how thin the tent walls were how close the forest was

I kept replaying that moment when the gear disappeared last time, wondering if someone had been brazen enough to sneak up while we all slept. My mind kept circling back to that question. If there was a thief, or something worse, would they be desperate enough to come back? That final thought stuck with me. I ended up lying there, eyes wide open, listening to the wind whistle through the branches.

I kept replaying that moment when the gear disappeared last time, wondering if someone had been brazen enough to sneak up while we all slept. My mind kept circling back to that question. If there was a thief, or something worse, would they be desperate enough to come back? That final thought stuck with me. I ended up lying there, eyes wide open, listening to the wind whistle through the branches.

I wanted so badly to believe it was just a normal night in the woods, that nobody was out there, that everything was fine. But some distant part of me suspected that we weren't alone, and that maybe we never had been. I must have only dozed off for a few minutes at a time because it seemed like every small noise yanked me back to reality.

I wanted so badly to believe it was just a normal night in the woods, that nobody was out there, that everything was fine. But some distant part of me suspected that we weren't alone, and that maybe we never had been. I must have only dozed off for a few minutes at a time because it seemed like every small noise yanked me back to reality.

my friend's muffled snore would fade and the wind would stir the leaves just enough to make it sound like movement outside i kept picturing someone creeping between the tents scanning through our stuff it was relentless at one point i couldn't take it anymore

my friend's muffled snore would fade and the wind would stir the leaves just enough to make it sound like movement outside i kept picturing someone creeping between the tents scanning through our stuff it was relentless at one point i couldn't take it anymore

i slipped on my boots grabbed a flashlight and unzipped the tent the cold air on my face was sobering the embers in the fire pit still cast a faint orange glow across the clearing i could make out the silhouettes of the other tents bent domes in the darkness

i slipped on my boots grabbed a flashlight and unzipped the tent the cold air on my face was sobering the embers in the fire pit still cast a faint orange glow across the clearing i could make out the silhouettes of the other tents bent domes in the darkness

i decided to step a little farther away partly just to confirm there wasn't anything sinister lurking right beside us and partly because i needed a moment alone to steady my nerves i moved beyond the reach of that feeble light where the forest floor turned into patches of undergrowth and tangled roots the flashlight's beam danced across tree trunks

i decided to step a little farther away partly just to confirm there wasn't anything sinister lurking right beside us and partly because i needed a moment alone to steady my nerves i moved beyond the reach of that feeble light where the forest floor turned into patches of undergrowth and tangled roots the flashlight's beam danced across tree trunks

Everything looked ordinary, yet I couldn't help but feel exposed. I tried to shake off the paranoia, forcing myself to believe I was just psyching myself out. That's when I noticed something off. There was a subtle shift in the gloom a few yards ahead, low to the ground. I froze, shining my light in that direction. Initially, I thought I'd caught sight of an animal, a raccoon or maybe a fox.

Everything looked ordinary, yet I couldn't help but feel exposed. I tried to shake off the paranoia, forcing myself to believe I was just psyching myself out. That's when I noticed something off. There was a subtle shift in the gloom a few yards ahead, low to the ground. I froze, shining my light in that direction. Initially, I thought I'd caught sight of an animal, a raccoon or maybe a fox.

The shape didn't move though, so I took a step closer. A creeping sense of dread started pooling in my gut because I realized I was seeing a human silhouette, splayed out as if lying prone. It reminded me of old military movies where someone in camouflage is crawling through the brush. We locked eyes, or at least I sensed we did. My mind went blank for half a second.

The shape didn't move though, so I took a step closer. A creeping sense of dread started pooling in my gut because I realized I was seeing a human silhouette, splayed out as if lying prone. It reminded me of old military movies where someone in camouflage is crawling through the brush. We locked eyes, or at least I sensed we did. My mind went blank for half a second.

i flicked the flashlight directly on him sure enough whoever it was wore a ghillie suit the kind that makes people almost melt into the surroundings he had clearly been watching the campsite head lifted in our direction the reflection from his eyes was unnerving like an animal caught in the headlights I couldn't decide whether to shout or run.

i flicked the flashlight directly on him sure enough whoever it was wore a ghillie suit the kind that makes people almost melt into the surroundings he had clearly been watching the campsite head lifted in our direction the reflection from his eyes was unnerving like an animal caught in the headlights I couldn't decide whether to shout or run.

My body didn't want to do either, so I just stood there, gripping the flashlight. It felt like an eternity, but it might have only been two seconds. Finally, this figure realized I was onto him and launched up from the ground. He took off deeper into the forest, vanishing so fast that I didn't even hear much in the way of snapping twigs or rustling foliage. He just melted into the darkness.

My body didn't want to do either, so I just stood there, gripping the flashlight. It felt like an eternity, but it might have only been two seconds. Finally, this figure realized I was onto him and launched up from the ground. He took off deeper into the forest, vanishing so fast that I didn't even hear much in the way of snapping twigs or rustling foliage. He just melted into the darkness.