Derek

It was late afternoon when we finally reached Mulberry Mountain, far beyond the well-worn paths of Ozark National Forest. Tyler had insisted on leading us deep into the backcountry, promising solitude away from the usual weekend campers. The five of us, me, Tyler, Rachel, Marcus, and Jess, set up camp in a small clearing ringed by dense stands of white oak and hickory.

It was late afternoon when we finally reached Mulberry Mountain, far beyond the well-worn paths of Ozark National Forest. Tyler had insisted on leading us deep into the backcountry, promising solitude away from the usual weekend campers. The five of us, me, Tyler, Rachel, Marcus, and Jess, set up camp in a small clearing ringed by dense stands of white oak and hickory.

The trees pressed close, their leafy canopy filtering sunlight into muted streaks across the forest floor. as we pitched our tents marcus joked about bears and mountain lions but rachel's eyes flickered nervously toward the shadowy woods i smiled reassuringly telling her it was all part of the adventure still an odd tension hung in the air the kind you only notice in hindsight

The trees pressed close, their leafy canopy filtering sunlight into muted streaks across the forest floor. as we pitched our tents marcus joked about bears and mountain lions but rachel's eyes flickered nervously toward the shadowy woods i smiled reassuringly telling her it was all part of the adventure still an odd tension hung in the air the kind you only notice in hindsight

By the time we'd gathered around the campfire, the sky had turned a deep orange, the sun dipping behind distant ridges. Jess pulled out her phone, snapping photos of our silhouettes against the fading light. That's when we first heard it. Two sharp whistles echoed faintly from the trees, crisp and clear, like someone calling their dog back home. Tyler raised an eyebrow, glancing around the circle.

By the time we'd gathered around the campfire, the sky had turned a deep orange, the sun dipping behind distant ridges. Jess pulled out her phone, snapping photos of our silhouettes against the fading light. That's when we first heard it. Two sharp whistles echoed faintly from the trees, crisp and clear, like someone calling their dog back home. Tyler raised an eyebrow, glancing around the circle.

Anyone else hear that? Marcus shrugged. Probably another group of campers nearby. Jess leaned forward, smirking. Two quick whistles, right? Maybe it's Morse code. Dot, dot. They're trying to tell us something important, like they're out of marshmallows. We laughed, but Rachel stayed quiet, eyes fixed uneasily on the darkening woods.

Anyone else hear that? Marcus shrugged. Probably another group of campers nearby. Jess leaned forward, smirking. Two quick whistles, right? Maybe it's Morse code. Dot, dot. They're trying to tell us something important, like they're out of marshmallows. We laughed, but Rachel stayed quiet, eyes fixed uneasily on the darkening woods.

The fire crackled low, sparks drifting upward into the gathering darkness. Tyler spoke up, voice quieter than usual. You know, I read some weird stuff online about this area. Some hikers claimed people have disappeared out here, east of Shores Lake toward Dun Hollow. Said something about it being bad ground. Marcus rolled his eyes. Come on, Tyler, those stories are just meant to scare tourists.

The fire crackled low, sparks drifting upward into the gathering darkness. Tyler spoke up, voice quieter than usual. You know, I read some weird stuff online about this area. Some hikers claimed people have disappeared out here, east of Shores Lake toward Dun Hollow. Said something about it being bad ground. Marcus rolled his eyes. Come on, Tyler, those stories are just meant to scare tourists.

But Tyler didn't smile. He poked at the fire with a stick, causing embers to swirl upward. Just figured you guys should know. I glanced at Rachel. Her eyes had gone wide, reflecting firelight as she stared silently into the trees. Darkness settled fully, bringing with it a dense, oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional crackle of firewood.

But Tyler didn't smile. He poked at the fire with a stick, causing embers to swirl upward. Just figured you guys should know. I glanced at Rachel. Her eyes had gone wide, reflecting firelight as she stared silently into the trees. Darkness settled fully, bringing with it a dense, oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional crackle of firewood.

I felt strangely exposed sitting in that clearing, ringed by trees whose trunks vanished into endless shadow. Just before we turned in, the whistles came again, clearer this time, cutting through the night air like sharp blades. Jess tensed, sitting up rigidly. Okay, seriously, that's closer, isn't it? Her voice held an edge of unease.

I felt strangely exposed sitting in that clearing, ringed by trees whose trunks vanished into endless shadow. Just before we turned in, the whistles came again, clearer this time, cutting through the night air like sharp blades. Jess tensed, sitting up rigidly. Okay, seriously, that's closer, isn't it? Her voice held an edge of unease.

Tyler stood slowly, flashlights sweeping over the edges of the camp. The beam illuminated nothing but empty forest. Rachel whispered, I don't think anyone else is out here. Jess grabbed her audio recorder, determined to capture evidence, walking hesitantly toward the trees at the edge of camp. We watched her slender figure blend into darkness, illuminated only by her dim flashlight beam.

Tyler stood slowly, flashlights sweeping over the edges of the camp. The beam illuminated nothing but empty forest. Rachel whispered, I don't think anyone else is out here. Jess grabbed her audio recorder, determined to capture evidence, walking hesitantly toward the trees at the edge of camp. We watched her slender figure blend into darkness, illuminated only by her dim flashlight beam.

She paused several yards out, holding her recorder aloft. Silence returned for a moment, the forest seeming to hold its breath. Then, clearly and distinctly from somewhere right behind Jess, came two short, piercing whistles. She whirled around, flashlight jerking wildly through shadows, voice cracking with panic. Who's there? Tyler and I sprinted over, flashlights slicing through the gloom.

She paused several yards out, holding her recorder aloft. Silence returned for a moment, the forest seeming to hold its breath. Then, clearly and distinctly from somewhere right behind Jess, came two short, piercing whistles. She whirled around, flashlight jerking wildly through shadows, voice cracking with panic. Who's there? Tyler and I sprinted over, flashlights slicing through the gloom.

We reached Jess, who stood trembling, eyes wide with disbelief. I swear to God, she whispered urgently, someone was standing right behind me. We searched the immediate area, beams casting stark shadows across empty underbrush and rough bark. There was no sign of anyone having been there at all. No footprints, no broken twigs, no disturbance of any kind. Rachel pulled Jess close, her voice shaking.

We reached Jess, who stood trembling, eyes wide with disbelief. I swear to God, she whispered urgently, someone was standing right behind me. We searched the immediate area, beams casting stark shadows across empty underbrush and rough bark. There was no sign of anyone having been there at all. No footprints, no broken twigs, no disturbance of any kind. Rachel pulled Jess close, her voice shaking.