Unknown Narrator

He'd been exhausted. and there was no sense in both of us suffering through that drive. Still, part of me wanted to give him a gentle nudge, say, "'Hey, something about this place is wrong.' Just so I wouldn't feel so alone. But I kept quiet. Instead, I stayed glued to the road." Breathing in shallow bursts every time I rounded another tight curve.

He'd been exhausted. and there was no sense in both of us suffering through that drive. Still, part of me wanted to give him a gentle nudge, say, "'Hey, something about this place is wrong.' Just so I wouldn't feel so alone. But I kept quiet. Instead, I stayed glued to the road." Breathing in shallow bursts every time I rounded another tight curve.

Around one particularly narrow bend, the trees were almost uncomfortably close. My headlights only illuminated a few feet ahead, leaving everything else swallowed by gloom. Then, off to the left, I saw movement in my peripheral vision. Maybe 20 feet away, something massive peeled away from the tree line. At first, my brain refused to register what I was seeing.

Around one particularly narrow bend, the trees were almost uncomfortably close. My headlights only illuminated a few feet ahead, leaving everything else swallowed by gloom. Then, off to the left, I saw movement in my peripheral vision. Maybe 20 feet away, something massive peeled away from the tree line. At first, my brain refused to register what I was seeing.

It was as if an entire trunk had stepped free from the rest of the forest. A jolt of unease shot through me, and I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles ached. My mind scrambled for a logical explanation. Maybe the fog was playing tricks with shadows. Maybe a snagged branch moved in the wind. But it was huge. Taller than any living thing has a right to be.

It was as if an entire trunk had stepped free from the rest of the forest. A jolt of unease shot through me, and I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles ached. My mind scrambled for a logical explanation. Maybe the fog was playing tricks with shadows. Maybe a snagged branch moved in the wind. But it was huge. Taller than any living thing has a right to be.

And it seemed to vanish back into the darkness in one smooth motion. One moment, there was this towering shape. The next, nothing. I wanted to slam on the brakes and get a better look, but I was afraid the car might skid on the wet asphalt. Besides, I couldn't risk stopping in such an isolated spot. with no shoulder to pull onto and no visibility behind me.

And it seemed to vanish back into the darkness in one smooth motion. One moment, there was this towering shape. The next, nothing. I wanted to slam on the brakes and get a better look, but I was afraid the car might skid on the wet asphalt. Besides, I couldn't risk stopping in such an isolated spot. with no shoulder to pull onto and no visibility behind me.

For a few seconds, I seriously questioned my own eyes. A detached part of me was yelling. It was just the fog, while another part insisted I'd just witnessed something that didn't belong in any nature guide. My breath came quicker as I pressed the accelerator. motivated by a primal instinct that shouted, Get away!

For a few seconds, I seriously questioned my own eyes. A detached part of me was yelling. It was just the fog, while another part insisted I'd just witnessed something that didn't belong in any nature guide. My breath came quicker as I pressed the accelerator. motivated by a primal instinct that shouted, Get away!

Each second dragged until the next clearing appeared, where I spotted a lonely, flickering motel sign in the distance. It seemed like a tiny beacon of safety, a reminder that civilization still existed. I exhaled a bit, thinking maybe I'd just let my mind wander. The gloom could have twisted a perfectly ordinary tree trunk into something monstrous.

Each second dragged until the next clearing appeared, where I spotted a lonely, flickering motel sign in the distance. It seemed like a tiny beacon of safety, a reminder that civilization still existed. I exhaled a bit, thinking maybe I'd just let my mind wander. The gloom could have twisted a perfectly ordinary tree trunk into something monstrous.

right then the pang of doubt came roaring back i'd seen it move it didn't sway like branches in the wind it slinked back the way a tall person might step behind a wall only this was the height of a three-story building maybe taller No way, that was normal. I thought about stopping at that motel, but it looked deserted. Just a handful of rooms with the lights off.

right then the pang of doubt came roaring back i'd seen it move it didn't sway like branches in the wind it slinked back the way a tall person might step behind a wall only this was the height of a three-story building maybe taller No way, that was normal. I thought about stopping at that motel, but it looked deserted. Just a handful of rooms with the lights off.

It didn't feel any safer than the open road. So I kept going. My husband stirred in his seat, mumbled something about the rain, and drifted back to half-sleep. I envied him for a second. I'd give anything not to be so keyed up right now. We pressed on, the road curving again under a canopy of dripping leaves. My eyes kept darting to the side, expecting another glimpse of that shape.

It didn't feel any safer than the open road. So I kept going. My husband stirred in his seat, mumbled something about the rain, and drifted back to half-sleep. I envied him for a second. I'd give anything not to be so keyed up right now. We pressed on, the road curving again under a canopy of dripping leaves. My eyes kept darting to the side, expecting another glimpse of that shape.

Each time the wind rustled the branches, my pulse picked up. But the trees refused to reveal any more secrets. I was tempted to rifle through the radio channels again, just for some human voices, but I realized my hands were shaking, and I didn't want to lose focus on the wheel. Eventually, we came upon a slightly wider stretch, and there was a run-down diner, with all its lights off.

Each time the wind rustled the branches, my pulse picked up. But the trees refused to reveal any more secrets. I was tempted to rifle through the radio channels again, just for some human voices, but I realized my hands were shaking, and I didn't want to lose focus on the wheel. Eventually, we came upon a slightly wider stretch, and there was a run-down diner, with all its lights off.

It was just as desolate as the motel, but the parking lot offered a place to pull over. I did, briefly, to calm my nerves." My husband blinked awake, asked if everything was alright. I wanted to tell him everything, but the words refused to come. I just stared at the dripping overhang above the diner's door, half expecting that giant figure to emerge from behind the building. We didn't stay long.

It was just as desolate as the motel, but the parking lot offered a place to pull over. I did, briefly, to calm my nerves." My husband blinked awake, asked if everything was alright. I wanted to tell him everything, but the words refused to come. I just stared at the dripping overhang above the diner's door, half expecting that giant figure to emerge from behind the building. We didn't stay long.