Aug 9, 2025
Nancy stared into the darkness…
Nancy stayed low as she moved through the trees.
The soft, damp earth beneath her exhaled a loamy perfume of pine and moss.
She stopped just shy of the grove’s edge, killed her flashlight, and stashed her phone.
The darkness swallowed her. She stared into it, willing her eyes to adjust.
It churned and twisted like smoke until the shadows gathered mass and gained silver edges.
Behind her, the noise receded.
The cops were pulling back.
Lucky timing.
She turned from the darkness and faced the moonlit grove.
It stared back at her.
A shiver slipped under her skin.
The lights had gone from the clearing.
A brief respite. A moment of peace.
It wouldn’t last.
Nancy seized the opportunity and stepped into the moonlight…
