59

You slip out the flashlight and flip the power switch. A dull beam of light cuts across the forest mist.

The rock stands nearly eight feet tall and curves halfway up the surface to present a natural arch. Under this curved formation, the rain does not fall in a two foot wide section. You creep closer to gain a better vantage and see a thick brown branch lying diagonally across the clearing in the patch of dry ground. Moving closer still, you spot a footprint in the ground, jaggedly pressed into the earth. It appears to be a recent footprint. Something about the area does not feel right, and your gut reaction is to leave now despite your desire to rest.