Samantha (Corrections Officer)

My flashlight beam darted around, trying to track him. No luck. I was left with the echoes of my own heartbeat thudding in my ears, and a panicked feeling that maybe he wasn't alone. Adrenaline kicked in, and I practically sprinted back to camp, nearly tripping over a root as I went. By the time I reached the tents, I was gasping for air, stammering over my words to explain what had happened.

My flashlight beam darted around, trying to track him. No luck. I was left with the echoes of my own heartbeat thudding in my ears, and a panicked feeling that maybe he wasn't alone. Adrenaline kicked in, and I practically sprinted back to camp, nearly tripping over a root as I went. By the time I reached the tents, I was gasping for air, stammering over my words to explain what had happened.

Everyone scrambled out of their sleeping bags, disoriented but fully alert, after hearing the fear in my voice. Flashlights flicked on in every direction. My friends kept asking me to repeat myself, not sure if I was exaggerating. Once they realized I was serious, we all stood in a tight knot around the dying embers, shining beams across the treeline. Nothing stirred.

Everyone scrambled out of their sleeping bags, disoriented but fully alert, after hearing the fear in my voice. Flashlights flicked on in every direction. My friends kept asking me to repeat myself, not sure if I was exaggerating. Once they realized I was serious, we all stood in a tight knot around the dying embers, shining beams across the treeline. Nothing stirred.

It was like the forest had gone silent. No chirping insects, no sway in the branches. Someone muttered that we should go look for footprints or broken bushes, so a couple of us inched forward with flashlights scanning the ground. The rest stayed near the tents, half-packed in case we needed to bolt. I had my eyes peeled for any sign of him.

It was like the forest had gone silent. No chirping insects, no sway in the branches. Someone muttered that we should go look for footprints or broken bushes, so a couple of us inched forward with flashlights scanning the ground. The rest stayed near the tents, half-packed in case we needed to bolt. I had my eyes peeled for any sign of him.

Bent grass, a snapped branch, maybe a stray piece of ghillie fabric. We found nothing. The area where I'd seen him lying looked undisturbed as if he'd never been there. We gathered again by the fire pit, forming a circle. The conversation was a mess of suggestions. Should we stay awake all night? Should we drive off right now? Should we report it somehow?

Bent grass, a snapped branch, maybe a stray piece of ghillie fabric. We found nothing. The area where I'd seen him lying looked undisturbed as if he'd never been there. We gathered again by the fire pit, forming a circle. The conversation was a mess of suggestions. Should we stay awake all night? Should we drive off right now? Should we report it somehow?

Part of me wanted to leave immediately, but the idea of stumbling through unfamiliar backroads in total darkness freaked me out just as much. Eventually we agreed to keep watch in shifts, huddling close to the low flames. I doubt any of us truly relaxed. Every gust of wind set our nerves on edge, flashlights cut across the darkness, searching for signs of movement. Time dragged on.

Part of me wanted to leave immediately, but the idea of stumbling through unfamiliar backroads in total darkness freaked me out just as much. Eventually we agreed to keep watch in shifts, huddling close to the low flames. I doubt any of us truly relaxed. Every gust of wind set our nerves on edge, flashlights cut across the darkness, searching for signs of movement. Time dragged on.

Minutes felt like hours, and the black sky slowly turned gray as dawn approached. The relief that came with those first light rays was almost overwhelming. We hurried to break down the tents, tossing gear into bags without caring about neatness. Loading up the cars felt like it took an eternity, each of us scanning the shadows in case the figure was still around.

Minutes felt like hours, and the black sky slowly turned gray as dawn approached. The relief that came with those first light rays was almost overwhelming. We hurried to break down the tents, tossing gear into bags without caring about neatness. Loading up the cars felt like it took an eternity, each of us scanning the shadows in case the figure was still around.

once everything was stowed we locked the doors and climbed inside nobody spoke much on the drive out even once we hit the main road i couldn't stop checking my mirror half expecting to see a ghillie suited stranger sprinting down the asphalt By the time I reached home, my mind was still buzzing with questions.

once everything was stowed we locked the doors and climbed inside nobody spoke much on the drive out even once we hit the main road i couldn't stop checking my mirror half expecting to see a ghillie suited stranger sprinting down the asphalt By the time I reached home, my mind was still buzzing with questions.

I couldn't figure out what this person wanted, why they'd target our camp, or what happened to my friend's gear the previous year. There was no closure, just the unsettling reality that someone out there knew our habits, watched us without making a sound, and slipped away like a phantom.

I couldn't figure out what this person wanted, why they'd target our camp, or what happened to my friend's gear the previous year. There was no closure, just the unsettling reality that someone out there knew our habits, watched us without making a sound, and slipped away like a phantom.

in the days that followed we swapped a flood of anxious group texts everyone wondered if we should report it to the park rangers or something like that in the end we made our choices quietly none of us planned to return to that spot The cliffs and boulders might still be calling to some other carefree group of campers, but I'm not so sure that forest is as innocent as it seems.

in the days that followed we swapped a flood of anxious group texts everyone wondered if we should report it to the park rangers or something like that in the end we made our choices quietly none of us planned to return to that spot The cliffs and boulders might still be calling to some other carefree group of campers, but I'm not so sure that forest is as innocent as it seems.

And the truth is, I'd rather not find out who's hiding in the undergrowth, keeping close tabs on anyone foolish enough to spend the night. I tossed my gear in the truck at dawn, feeling excited and just a bit anxious about the day ahead. My friend and I had planned a shooting trip in this logging area that was supposedly so remote we'd have the place to ourselves.

And the truth is, I'd rather not find out who's hiding in the undergrowth, keeping close tabs on anyone foolish enough to spend the night. I tossed my gear in the truck at dawn, feeling excited and just a bit anxious about the day ahead. My friend and I had planned a shooting trip in this logging area that was supposedly so remote we'd have the place to ourselves.