Samantha (Corrections Officer)

But deep down, I think we all understood we were crossing a line into unknown territory. None of us was ready to admit it, though. We parted ways with a plan, armed, recording, no more messing around. And I lay awake into the early morning, listening to the echo of that laugh over and over, questioning whether we were making the worst mistake of our lives by going back.

But deep down, I think we all understood we were crossing a line into unknown territory. None of us was ready to admit it, though. We parted ways with a plan, armed, recording, no more messing around. And I lay awake into the early morning, listening to the echo of that laugh over and over, questioning whether we were making the worst mistake of our lives by going back.

I always trusted the woods. They were familiar to me, like the worn grip of my shotgun or the weight of a lantern in my hand. I grew up in these hollows of Tennessee, my boots sinking into the same dirt paths my father hunted on, and his father before him. But that night, that night the woods changed. It started like any other hunt.

I always trusted the woods. They were familiar to me, like the worn grip of my shotgun or the weight of a lantern in my hand. I grew up in these hollows of Tennessee, my boots sinking into the same dirt paths my father hunted on, and his father before him. But that night, that night the woods changed. It started like any other hunt.

the sun dipped below the tree line casting long shadows that stretched like claws over the undergrowth i remember the way the air felt heavy like the trees were holding their breath eli and i trudged down the old fence line our boots crunching softly against the frost-bitten leaves

the sun dipped below the tree line casting long shadows that stretched like claws over the undergrowth i remember the way the air felt heavy like the trees were holding their breath eli and i trudged down the old fence line our boots crunching softly against the frost-bitten leaves

The dogs, copper and red, were ahead of us, noses to the ground, tails wagging with the kind of confidence that made me feel like nothing in these woods could surprise us. But even then, I could feel it. A wrongness in the air, like something was watching from the shadows just beyond our lantern's glow. "'You feel that?' I muttered more to myself than Eli. He snorted, the sound forced.

The dogs, copper and red, were ahead of us, noses to the ground, tails wagging with the kind of confidence that made me feel like nothing in these woods could surprise us. But even then, I could feel it. A wrongness in the air, like something was watching from the shadows just beyond our lantern's glow. "'You feel that?' I muttered more to myself than Eli. He snorted, the sound forced.

"'Feel what? The cold?' but his eyes darted to the tree line and i knew he felt it too we pushed deeper into the woods the fence line our guide through the thickening dark usually the woods hummed with life at night the chirp of crickets the hoot of owls the rustling of raccoons in the brush but not tonight tonight the woods were silent and then the dogs stopped

"'Feel what? The cold?' but his eyes darted to the tree line and i knew he felt it too we pushed deeper into the woods the fence line our guide through the thickening dark usually the woods hummed with life at night the chirp of crickets the hoot of owls the rustling of raccoons in the brush but not tonight tonight the woods were silent and then the dogs stopped

copper the older of the two froze mid-step his nose lifted to the wind red let out a low growl the fur on his back bristling i'd seen them face down bobcats even a bear once and they never flinched like this what's gotten into them eli whispered his voice tight

copper the older of the two froze mid-step his nose lifted to the wind red let out a low growl the fur on his back bristling i'd seen them face down bobcats even a bear once and they never flinched like this what's gotten into them eli whispered his voice tight

before i could answer i heard it crunch not on the ground above us we froze our lanterns casting shaky light into the tangled branches overhead for a heartbeat there was nothing but shadows then my eyes caught it a shape too big and too still crouched in the branches of an old oak it was watching us the thing was massive its black fur blending into the night but its eyes

before i could answer i heard it crunch not on the ground above us we froze our lanterns casting shaky light into the tangled branches overhead for a heartbeat there was nothing but shadows then my eyes caught it a shape too big and too still crouched in the branches of an old oak it was watching us the thing was massive its black fur blending into the night but its eyes

its eyes glowed not like the reflection you see in an animal's eyes when the light hits just right these eyes were aware calculating christ eli breathed wait i hissed but it was too late crack the shot echoed through the woods loud and sharp the bullet hit i saw the flick of movement in the creature's shoulder but it didn't flinch it didn't even blink it just kept staring then it moved

its eyes glowed not like the reflection you see in an animal's eyes when the light hits just right these eyes were aware calculating christ eli breathed wait i hissed but it was too late crack the shot echoed through the woods loud and sharp the bullet hit i saw the flick of movement in the creature's shoulder but it didn't flinch it didn't even blink it just kept staring then it moved

With a sound like tearing flesh, the thing dropped from the tree. Fifteen feet, straight down, landing on all fours with a thud that rattled my bones. For a moment it crouched there, its long sinewy tail twitching like a cat ready to pounce. Then it charged. Copper was the first to meet it. My brave, stupid old hound lunged with a bark that turned into a yelp mid-air.

With a sound like tearing flesh, the thing dropped from the tree. Fifteen feet, straight down, landing on all fours with a thud that rattled my bones. For a moment it crouched there, its long sinewy tail twitching like a cat ready to pounce. Then it charged. Copper was the first to meet it. My brave, stupid old hound lunged with a bark that turned into a yelp mid-air.

The thing caught him in its jaws like he was nothing more than a rabbit. And I'll never forget the sound, the crunch of bone quick and final. Red didn't stand a chance. He leapt, teeth bared, and the thing swiped him aside with a single clawed paw. Red's body hit a tree trunk with a sickening snap, sliding to the ground in a heap of fur and blood. My body moved before my brain caught up.

The thing caught him in its jaws like he was nothing more than a rabbit. And I'll never forget the sound, the crunch of bone quick and final. Red didn't stand a chance. He leapt, teeth bared, and the thing swiped him aside with a single clawed paw. Red's body hit a tree trunk with a sickening snap, sliding to the ground in a heap of fur and blood. My body moved before my brain caught up.