Samantha (Corrections Officer)

A next-door neighbor grumbled about strange footprints in his backyard. Some folks blamed raccoons, others blamed coyotes. I tried to do the same, telling myself it had to be local wildlife. But those prints looked wrong, like the front and back legs weren't quite in the right alignment. Sleep became a mess.

A next-door neighbor grumbled about strange footprints in his backyard. Some folks blamed raccoons, others blamed coyotes. I tried to do the same, telling myself it had to be local wildlife. But those prints looked wrong, like the front and back legs weren't quite in the right alignment. Sleep became a mess.

Even the slightest noise outside felt magnified, pulling me to the window to check the yard. Most times, I'd see nothing but darkness and an empty street. I told myself I was overreacting. After all, more than a decade had passed since that horrifying encounter. That was back in Riverton, and I was older now, smarter. "'Tougher, right?'

Even the slightest noise outside felt magnified, pulling me to the window to check the yard. Most times, I'd see nothing but darkness and an empty street. I told myself I was overreacting. After all, more than a decade had passed since that horrifying encounter. That was back in Riverton, and I was older now, smarter. "'Tougher, right?'

One night around 1 a.m., I heard a loud clatter from the backyard. Grabbing a flashlight and a heavy-duty crowbar that I'd been using as a doorstop, I went outside. My breath hitched in my throat the moment I clicked on the flashlight.' The trash can was knocked over and this gangly figure was hunched beside it, rummaging through the scattered garbage.

One night around 1 a.m., I heard a loud clatter from the backyard. Grabbing a flashlight and a heavy-duty crowbar that I'd been using as a doorstop, I went outside. My breath hitched in my throat the moment I clicked on the flashlight.' The trash can was knocked over and this gangly figure was hunched beside it, rummaging through the scattered garbage.

A pungent odor like rotting leaves hung in the air. I aimed the beam at the intruder's back and it turned its head toward me. When those eyes reflected in the light, everything froze. My limbs stiffened and the flashlight wobbled in my hand.

A pungent odor like rotting leaves hung in the air. I aimed the beam at the intruder's back and it turned its head toward me. When those eyes reflected in the light, everything froze. My limbs stiffened and the flashlight wobbled in my hand.

staring back was something tall enough that even crouched it looked half my height pale scabbed skin clung to a wiry frame and faded scars trailed across its shoulders and ribcage before i could fully process the sight it bolted In a single fluid motion, it lunged over the chain-link fence and vanished into the brush behind my grandmother's house. The yard fell silent, like reality had paused.

staring back was something tall enough that even crouched it looked half my height pale scabbed skin clung to a wiry frame and faded scars trailed across its shoulders and ribcage before i could fully process the sight it bolted In a single fluid motion, it lunged over the chain-link fence and vanished into the brush behind my grandmother's house. The yard fell silent, like reality had paused.

I blinked a few times, chest tight, trying to wrap my head around it. The shape, the scars, the eyes. I couldn't shake the idea that I'd seen all of this before. My first impulse was to call the police. The dispatcher sounded half asleep when I told her a large animal had knocked over my garbage. She promised a patrol car would circle the neighborhood, but I could already guess what that meant.

I blinked a few times, chest tight, trying to wrap my head around it. The shape, the scars, the eyes. I couldn't shake the idea that I'd seen all of this before. My first impulse was to call the police. The dispatcher sounded half asleep when I told her a large animal had knocked over my garbage. She promised a patrol car would circle the neighborhood, but I could already guess what that meant.

The next day, I set out on a mission to secure the yard. I replaced the flimsy gate lock, shoved bricks around the base of the fence, and even rigged up some old wind chimes near the back corner so I'd hear if anything approached. My grandmother watched me from the porch, an uneasy expression on her face.

The next day, I set out on a mission to secure the yard. I replaced the flimsy gate lock, shoved bricks around the base of the fence, and even rigged up some old wind chimes near the back corner so I'd hear if anything approached. My grandmother watched me from the porch, an uneasy expression on her face.

I tried to smile and make it seem like a minor nuisance, but she's known me too long to buy it. She asked, "'Is this about that thing you saw years ago?' I sidestepped the question, just saying I felt uneasy. She stayed quiet, but I could tell she wanted me to open up." I got more and more paranoid.

I tried to smile and make it seem like a minor nuisance, but she's known me too long to buy it. She asked, "'Is this about that thing you saw years ago?' I sidestepped the question, just saying I felt uneasy. She stayed quiet, but I could tell she wanted me to open up." I got more and more paranoid.

Each evening I'd check the window locks, test the doorknobs, and flick the backyard light on and off a dozen times. I'd peer through the curtains at random intervals, searching for a silhouette that wasn't supposed to be there. The dread was worse than a mosquito bite you can't scratch. It stayed under my skin, making me jumpy and exhausted.

Each evening I'd check the window locks, test the doorknobs, and flick the backyard light on and off a dozen times. I'd peer through the curtains at random intervals, searching for a silhouette that wasn't supposed to be there. The dread was worse than a mosquito bite you can't scratch. It stayed under my skin, making me jumpy and exhausted.

A few nights later, while I was up reading in the living room, I caught movement outside through the corner of my eye. The old street lamp near the curb flickered. For a split second, something seemed to linger beneath it, shoulders hunched, almost like it was waiting.

A few nights later, while I was up reading in the living room, I caught movement outside through the corner of my eye. The old street lamp near the curb flickered. For a split second, something seemed to linger beneath it, shoulders hunched, almost like it was waiting.