Hilda and The Watchtower

Chapter 4: Where did you send me?

The ranger made his way to the balcony to see two glowing eyes watching him near the lake.

He couldn't bear to keep his eyes off those two glowing dots knowing what the creature beyond the trees had done to those unfortunate under his watch. Not again, the ranger thought. Not this time. It was only a matter of time before the Goatman found an opening to disappear at the moment the ranger blinked.

He rushed to the railing, scouring the trees below for any sign of unnatural movement. Where are you?  the ranger thought as he looked below. Suddenly, another transmission finally came in from the little girl.

Hilda: "Hi again... just out of curiosity... Have you..."

The girl's voice carried a nervous tone, causing the ranger to quickly stride over to his microphone and speaker set.

Hilda: "Do... you have experience with dealing with monsters out here?"

That question, no matter how simple, was enough to make the Ranger uneasy. Nevertheless, he quickly thought of an answer to say to the frightened little girl.

Tower Four: "No."

Hilda: "...Really? Because you seem like you know how to keep me safe from... whatever's out here..."

Tower Four: "I just know how to do my job."

Hilda: "...Okay..."

From the girl's tone alone, no doubt that the ranger was slowly either losing her trust or at the very least making himself seem suspicious, but what else is he supposed to do? What is he supposed to tell her? 'Hey little girl, the Goatman is coming to get you, but don't you worry, I can get you to safety on the account how much I had to learn through failing other people and getting them killed by, said, Goatman?'

Hilda?: "Are you... going... to save... her..."

Speak of the devil. Regardless of how the girl feels about him and how much taunting he endures from the Goatman, the ranger knew that he had to make sure this kid got home safe, not for the reputation of this blasted park, but for the sake of the other campers whoever the child's guardians are.

The child's transmission would soon pick up again for the ranger to hear.

Hilda: "Seems like we're at another fork in the road... Any advice?"

The ranger looked back at his map, finding the fork the girl had found. There were two paths: one to fire tower two, and a straight shot to him. He thought about his options for a minute or two. The fire towers are secure, meaning that tower two should be enough, to say the least, to keep the girl from harm. Sending her here would work just as well, if the ranger hadn't learned plenty about the Goatman.

It may seem irresponsible to lead a lost little girl and her pet off alone to a location they don't know too well about, but the ranger wasn't willing to risk the Goatman coming to his tower... not even after all that it's done.

Tower Four: "Head off this path to the left."

Hilda: "Left, got it."

Walking towards the railing, the ranger could see the girl's flashlight as she headed off towards the second tower.

Hilda: "Hey... do you ever get the feeling that someone's watching you?"

All the time, the ranger thought to himself. All the time.

There was radio silence from her for a little while. The ranger stopped looking over the railing for a while, looking over everything he'd collected from the Goatman's incidents. He'd feel pretty tired had he not already been sleep deprived of everyone else that creature had taken haunting his memories.

Hilda?: "Hello? Are you there?"

The ranger looked over to the radio expecting to hear a question and give the girl a quick answer. However, just as he was about to reach for the radio, an unexpected type of question was directed to him.

Hilda?: "Where... Are you...?"

That familiar tone... that's not her...

Hilda?: "Where did you send me? Because I just showed up to an empty tower!"

The ranger couldn't be fooled this time, he couldn't risk being fooled this time...

Hilda?: "You have to tell me where you are, show me where you are. I need to know that I'm not alone out here..."

Yes, it sounded like the child, and yes, it sounded desperate... but old tricks become predictable when used a certain amounts of time. So, what will he do? Nothing, he decided. He refused to interact with it, and refused to touch the radio. Instead, he sat facing the wilderness, looking off to Tower Two, believing in even the littlest amount of hope that the kid made it.

It should've been hopeless in the end. The Goatman always catches its pray whether it's a little girl, or maybe even the ranger himself... but something came in that surprised him after everything he's witnessed.

Hilda: sigh... "Thank you!"

He'll... check in the morning, but based on the voice, the sound of that taunting tone non-present, could it be, just maybe, the Goatman got bored...

...And the child survived?