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Courage now, folks Everyone remain calm

I turned slowly toward ho my feet one at a time I didn’t wantslowly helped, too I needed air to fuel my brain and my muscles I needed to think or run, or both simultaneously Blind terror never helped anyone

My pocketknife ed hoout, like an old woony

I juers

Fuck! I dropped the fucking knife Hold on to your dicks, folks, this is about to get hairy

Another cry, this tiround in multiple thumps

This new creature’s sounds came from the north Directly north Fifty yards, maybe, possibly a bit more

Loud grunts followed Hunka, hunka, hunka

Same direction, sio, sorunts were supposed to attract, I did not know or care

I bent in a rush, trying to peer through the deep shadows to find round, searching Dried grasses brushed my palm

Another owl blasted its warning— or maybe the same owl? I didn’t know Were they tenacious fuckers who followed trespassers like gruardless, its call was much closer this time Thirty yards, e predator

Fuck the pocketknife

I straightened up swiftly, adjusted the sack of leaves, and put on a burst of speed around the birch It shivered like it had on the way in This tih, the ether like dancing skeletons Branches creaked, waving in the absence of wind