Then Sheila opened her door carefully and stared at the woods with visible discomfort.
“This is isolated,” she said.
Richard climbed out grinning like he owned the place. “Fresh air, Dad! Survival adventure.”
Emily stepped out last.
The second she looked at me, guilt flooded across her face.
I gave her a small nod to let her know this wasn’t her fight.
Then the forest answered for itself.
A deep crashing movement sounded somewhere beyond the trees.
Not close.
But close enough.
Don froze instantly.
Another sound followed.
Heavy breathing.
Branches snapping.
Sheila grabbed Richard’s arm. “What was that?”
Right on cue, three elk burst from the treeline across the far side of the clearing at a dead run.
And a moment later, somewhere unseen behind them, came the unmistakable sound of something big moving through the woods after them.
Not rushing.
Hunting.
The entire forest suddenly felt alive.
Don stared into the trees. “Frank…”
I took a slow sip of coffee.
“Wildlife’s active this season.”
