Lights Out

The Hike

Rebecca wanted a peaceful weekend in the woods. She had a long week at work, a miserable week in fact, and camping would bring her the solace she craved. Her son was with his father for the weekend, so she didn't let the opportunity go by. She left a note on her answering machine that she would be gone and where to find her, and then packed up her truck.

It wasn't a long drive to the campground, but because Rebecca didn't want to be bothered by tourists, she went farther up into the mountain. Her father took her when she was younger to teach her to hunt and fish so she knew the area well, and it didn't scare her to be so far from human contact. The wilderness always brought her peace of mind and that's what she wanted.

After the tent was up and she had started her food, Rebecca went down the sloping hill to the river below. She wanted to fill her extra canteen before nightfall; she would never be able to traverse the hill in the pitch dark. She heard owls and other little birds chirping above her head, crickets singing their song in the tall grass. Rebecca caught a rabbit peering out from behind a bush, twitching its pink little nose in her direction.

Rebecca stooped and cupped some of the cold, clear water in her palms, splashing it over her face before drinking another handful. She couldn't believe how beautiful it was out here. As she came back up the hill, she snapped some pictures of the layout of the valley on her phone. She made a mental note to print them when she got home.

The sun began setting as she ate her dinner quietly so she added more kindling to the fire. She didn't want a huge blaze but it would be near freezing tonight. Her sleeping bag was full of warm padding but her face would be exposed, and the last time it got this cold and she didn't make a fire she nearly got frostbite on her nose. She wasn't about to make the same mistake.

Rebecca sat and filmed some birds and squirrels in the trees next to her, laughing when they chased each other and cooing over the brightly colored sparrows. Her son would love this video; Erick had an obsession with squirrels, something Rebecca could never break. His room was littered with stuffed animals and caricatures and books about the little rodents, and at fifteen he wasn't slowing in his passion. He wanted to be a conservationist.

Once nightfall had fallen, Rebecca put away her phone. She saw she had a few missed emails and calls from work so she turned it off. She didn't want to be bothered out here. She laid beside the fire and watched the stars for a minute. It was too smoggy in town to see much of anything, but right now the sky was so clear she could imagine sitting up and falling into it. She drank from her canteen and slowly fell asleep as a meteor shower unleashed above her.

Something was watching her. Rebecca peered into the pitch black, goosebumps crawling along her skin. She could feel eyes on her even if she couldn't see them shine; something was out there and it wasn't moving from its perch.

Rebecca shook herself angrily. Of course, something was watching her. This forest was littered with small fauna as well as big ones like bobcats and bears. She would be worried if there wasn't anything out there. Calling herself an idiot out loud to break the silence, Rebecca rolled over and closed her eyes but sleep wouldn't come. Now, her mind was convincing her the thing watching her was stalking closer. She could feel it hovering over her, breathing hot air over her shoulder as it watched her lay in the sleeping bag.

Rebecca bolted out of the bag. She grabbed her flashlight and swung the beam all around her. Of course, nothing was there, but now she couldn't shake the terror and she was wide awake. She slipped on her boots and a jacket, not bothering with pants since her shorts were warm enough, and decided to take a walk around the campsite. If nothing else, it will prove nothing is lurking and waiting to make her dinner.

She swept the beam around her as she walked, occasionally startling a chipmunk or lizard out for a midnight snack. The cold was biting into her extremities and she decided she had enough, her mind finally at ease. Rebecca made a complete turn around so she wouldn't confuse herself and made her way back to the tent. She was careful to watch for den holes and dips in the forest floor.