"I Took A Job As A Fire Lookout In The Woods, I Found A Strange Set Of Rules To Follow"

After my divorce I had nothing. I wanted to start over. I moved out to a crappy apartment in a new city. I had no real job and no pets and no kids and obviously no wife. No real connections to the rest of the world. I was just existing.

I was constantly applying to any job that I could find and I had landed a crappy job in a crappy café, serving crappy coffee to crappy people. I was bored and miserable and despite only recently relocating to another city, I needed a more drastic change. And now the jackpot is hit.

Amidst all those random applications that I had submitted was one for a fire lookout in the middle of the woods. No prior experience needed. That's right, a fire lookout. And those people who live isolated in a 70-foot tower in the middle of the woods, looking after fires and knocking on campers. Despite all the weird applications that I submitted, I remember filling this one out because I found it odd as it stated the role was currently failed, but they were accepting applications in case it suddenly became available.

I remember thinking, weird, but going for it anyway. And now I've got the job. I got a phone call from a gruff sounding guy who told me to pack and that I would be living in the tower until the end of summer, so around two months. He also told me that it was imperative that I started right away, providing me with directions and informing me that I would be starting tomorrow if I showed up, which I did.

So here's to a fresh start. I've just parked my car in the furthest point that it can possibly go and now I'm going to have to hike to the tower. It's just past 8 a.m. and Mark, the guy who gave me the call, said the hike would take about four hours, so I'm setting off now expecting to be there for lunch.

Mark assured me there would be a full stock of food at my tower, my new home, and then I would be able to radio the nearest tower where I would receive the lowdown on how everything works. It's chilly for a summer morning but I'm very excited for the hike as the woods in these parts are known for their beauty and quiet atmosphere, something that I've longed for.

I've just arrived at the tower just past 1 p.m. The hike was challenging but easy to navigate as it was well signposted and had a clear trail. The tower is much bigger than I thought it would be. I would estimate it's about 100 feet tall with just a hut on the top of the four stilts, a winding staircase around the outside leading up to it.

Next to the tower an outhouse and storage unit which I'm guessing is where the food is stored. I'll explain later once I get into the hut and I set my rucksack down. The stairs were a heck of a climb, a bit tired but I'll get used to it. The hut is small, has a balcony all around the outside.

Inside there's a bed, a big radio, a table with a map, some books, a toolbox and a small portable radio, a lamp, binoculars and a flashlight. The sides of the hut were windows so from the inside I could see outstretched woods all around me and creepy but it makes sense as I'm literally keeping an eye out for fires.

I set my rucksack down and remember Mark said about radioing the nearest tower for directions, so I did. "Hello, is anyone there?" I asked as I fumbled with the big radio. "Hey, you're the new guy aren't you? I'm Allison," a chirpy sounding woman replied through the static. "I've been covering your part of the woods while you were making a journey here but can't really see too far into it so I'm glad you're here."

"It's nice to meet you, yeah. I'm the new guy, Oscar," I radioed back. "And Mark said that you would give me the lowdown." "Yeah sure I can. Well you've already figured out how to work the radio so that's a start. The toilets are at the bottom of the tower and so is the food stock which gets topped up every week by Mark or Hassan. As for the actual job, it's a lot of looking around, making sure nobody is camping at night when they shouldn't be here and making sure no fires are started," Allison went on. "Also making sure the paths are all clear but it's all in the handbook which should be on your desk. Give that a read."

"Thanks Allison, I'll give that a shot and I'll get back to you if I have any questions," I enthusiastically said. "I'll radio you if I have any questions." "No response." "Cool." She seems pleasant enough. I reached for the handbook and I began flicking through it. It basically said everything that she had just told me just in more mumbo jumbo technical terms but I'll study it back to front to make sure that I do a good job.

As I flicked through a piece of paper fell out of the handbook. It was lined paper which had been handwritten in blue ink. The handwriting was messy, almost frantic. The paper read: "Rules to avoid the Smiling Lady. 1. If you see a woman in the woods with a manic smile on her face don't approach her or draw attention to yourself. Return to your tower. 2. If your radio goes off and it's anyone except your closest tower, don't answer it no matter what you hear. 3. If you hear a woman cry between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. ignore it. 4. At night always sleep with your lamp on. If it starts to flicker quickly run to turn on your main light until morning. If your lamp flickers off completely before you can do this hide under your bed until morning. 5. At night if you hear someone running up the stairs to your tower also turn on the main light until morning. If you don't do this by the time that she's at the top it's too late. 6. If you wake up and see the Smiling Woman staring at you through your window hide under your covers and hold your breath. She will come into your hut and you will feel her breathing right above you as if she's hovering over you. Do not breathe. This will only last for a few seconds. Once you feel her leave turn on the main light until morning. 7. If you hear any scratching at any point either on your hut or by the outhouse turn off all radios and hide under your covers until the scratching stops. 8. If you are investigating a campfire at night and upon your arrival you hear a woman scream run back to the tower as fast as you can. 9. If at any point you are returning to your tower and you notice someone else inside it run. Do not stop running until you reach the next tower. Don't look back. She will be chasing you."

What the heck is this? Some sick creepy joke? I reached for the radio to ask Allison about the weird rules I just found but I don't want to be that new guy who fell for the prank and just gets made fun of for being creeped out so I'm just going to leave it. Instead I'll explore the area a bit and finally eat some food and get settled in.

"Good night dude," Allison radioed in just as I was drifting off to my first night. I jolted out of sleep with the fright and hastily radioed back. "Good night Allison thanks for the help today." My first day was done. After eating I'd explored the woods and became acquainted with the machete used for clearing paths which was a great stress relief. I'd also read up on some of the laws of the woods and for the responsibilities of the job. Allison had popped up occasionally just to check in but I never brought up the weird rules that I found.

But now I was wide awake, probably from the fright I had gotten from the radio that she gave wishing me good night. I stood up out of bed and I looked around me seeing nothing but the forest. It was dark and creepy but the darkness was a good thing. No fires. I knew that at night there were other watchers for needed fires much easier to spot at night but it was still important that I knew what to do if it was me who spotted one.

And I was just about to hop back into bed when I heard a scratchy noise. That's strange but it's probably an animal down by the storage box scratching trying to get in. Jumping into bed and tired after the first day I reached down to turn my lamp off just as I did this the scratching got faster, almost as if whatever is making it is getting excited. I moved my hands away from the light switch and the scratching slows down.

That's weird. What else is weird is that this scratching seems almost methodical. It has a rhythm to it. Suddenly both of my radios started to emit a high-pitched noise. What the heck? Crapping myself I hopped out of bed and turned on the portable radio and just as I was fiddling with the big radio I caught a glimpse of the list of rules that I had seen earlier. There was something about scratching wasn't there?

Oh crap. I'm not the superstitious type but I'm not taking any chances so I quickly grabbed the list. Rule 7. If you hear any scratching at any point either on your hut or by the outhouse turn off all radios and hide under your covers until the scratching stops. No. I turned off the big radio and I jumped under my covers. What the heck man I could still hear the scratching but it sounded closer. It sounded like it had gone from being a distant noise to being right on the wooden door of my hut.

It was weak now as if whatever was making it was lightly dragging their fingernails along the doorframe. I ain't moving. What the heck is it? It's the next morning. I had eventually fallen asleep under the covers last night. The scratching had stopped but I didn't move from my covers at all, eventually letting tiredness take over.

Looking back I feel kind of stupid. I'm in the woods and there's a ton of animals and radios can pick up all types of feedback. I guess it makes sense that the first night was the hardest, trying to adjust to living 100 feet up alone in the middle of the woods. Now well I'm going to make the most of the day today and I'm sure the rest of the nights will be much less eventful.

I can't stop thinking about that scratchy noise last night. What was it? It has to be an animal right? God I hope it's an animal. I'm also trying not to think about that list but man it's hard not to. I brought it with me just in case although I feel sort of silly doing it. I bet it's a prank. It's only my second day and I'm already being pranked. My mind is racing around the place.

Anyways I'm currently on patrol just walking some of the routes and pathways making sure nobody is camping in any of the openings. It's getting dark so I think I'm going to head back. I'm just about to take a turn that will circle me back to my tower when I catch a glimpse of a campsite. Here we go. My first real task. Telling campers that they have to pack up and leave. This area is for hiking only.

I head on over. The campsite has been set up in a large clearing in the trees. There's just a single reddish yellow tent and a dried out fire pit. "Hello?" I call out. "You can't be camping here it's for hiking only." Silence. No reply. I walk closer to the campsite veering towards the fire pit in case something jumps out of the tent at me. I'm such a wimp. I call it again. "Hello? Is anyone there?" Nothing.

That's when I start to feel weird. Something didn't feel right I can't explain it it was just off. I'm sure whoever has set this up is just hiking and will be back but it's already almost dark which made me worry. Wait. There was a rule about this I think. I took the list out of my pockets and I quickly scanned it. Sure enough Rule 8. If you are investigating a campfire at night and upon your arrival you hear a woman scream run back to the tower as fast as you can.

Okay well not okay but okay. I've not heard a scream it's just an empty campsite. There isn't even a live fire. I'll radio Allison. "Allison hey there's a campsite here no fire but have no people either what should I do?" "Whereabouts is it?" Allison replied instantly. I gave her my coordinates after referring to the map which I'd used my flashlight to view as it was getting to be complete darkness.

"I got it it's just on the edge of my zone I'll head down there now you just go back to your tower okay," Allison responded. "Alright you sure?" I asked. "Positive head back be safe." "Okay she's the pro. I'll radio Allison how it's going when I get back." I was walking for about 30 minutes almost back to my tower when I spotted a clear pathway that jutted off into the trees. Weird. I don't remember seeing that on the map. I thought the road that I was on had no paths leading off of it.

I figured that I'd missed it in the morning and then I would check it out tomorrow. I'd trudge down back to my tower. Once back I sat at my desk just staring at the rules. I hadn't asked Allison about them I don't want to unless something else weird happens. Tonight wasn't even weird I just found an empty campsite. No woman screams like the rules warned.

I've been sitting there reading the rules for about 20 minutes when my main radio goes off. "Hey Oscar I've dealt with the camper he says that he was taking a dump by some trees and wasn't aware that he wasn't allowed to camp here," Allison explains. "He must have been doing his business when you were by the site. I'm walking him to his car now." "All good?" "Okay thanks for dealing with that good night," I respond feeling bad that she tracked all the way out there for that.

As I got into bed it's the next afternoon. Last night was fine no issues. I'm feeling more safe and secure now and have left the list on my table today. I've spent the morning eating a lot I think my appetite is growing due to all the walking around. I've just been staying a lot out of the woods for my tower which is calming. It's time for my late afternoon rounds to make sure that nobody is camping but first I want to check out that weird trail that isn't on any maps.

I get to it quite quickly. It's relatively closed and sure enough it's as clear a trail as any. It's as if it had been maintained just as well as the main ones. I trudge along it not expecting much. It's a bit downhill but not a hard walk. I've been walking for about five minutes and I think that I can see the end of the trail and that's all I see just an end. That's kind of crap. This leads to literally nothing just a wall of trees.

I'm just about to turn back when I see it. There is a small red handkerchief around the branch of a nearby tree. Interesting. I walk up to it and just as I approach it I see another one slightly deeper in the woods and behind that another one. The whole heck am I about to be an idiot and walk right into a serial killer's trap by following these? Almost as if I wanted to prove to myself that I'm not a wimp I'm going to follow them.

I've gone past five handkerchiefs each playing red with no inscriptions or anything and I'm about to reach another. The difference is that this one is on the ground. The rest were all on branches. Past this one I can't see anymore. That's a bit annoying. Sigh as I reach down to pick up the last handkerchief and inspect it. What the heck? This is tied to something something wooden and kind of heavy.

I heave it up. Dirt rises off a wooden door as it reveals a small bunker. This is sweet it's literally about 10 feet deep and 10 feet wide has a ladder on its wall by where the door was lifted. I shine my flashlight in and I can see a sleeping bag on the floor below and a camera that's it. I climbed down the ladder. It was sturdy it felt like it had been crafted well in fact the whole bunker was pretty clean for being an underground bunker but there's literally just a sleeping bag in there and a camera with the charger plugged into the camera itself but obviously not to any wall sockets as it's in a bunker.

I picked the camera up and I tried to turn it on. It's dead. It's a relatively modern camera has a screen review pictures on one side which seems fine other than a slight crack. The main lens on the camera though has been smashed looks like its days of taking pictures are long over. I'm charging this when I get back to my tower. I'm excited to see what's on it. I'll radio Allison about it when I get back otherwise she'll know that I'm starting my actual rounds late.

You'll never guess that campsite from last night is back. Heck it looks like it never left. It's exactly where I saw last night has this guy come back thinking that he could sneak back to the exact same spot? I'm literally looking at the same reddish yellow tent in the same position. The only difference is that the campfire is lit this time around which was the only other light provided other than from a flashlight.

Annoyed I figured I would deal with this guy and then radio Allison the good news that I had dealt with myself and I march up to the tent and reach to pull back the cover. I don't care if I give him a fright he shouldn't be down here and he knows that. I pulled the cover off. Wait what? There is nothing in the tent. I mean nothing. No person no sleeping bag and no rucksack just dirt.

The fire is burning strong behind me here. As I swivel around towards it scanning the trees beyond its fiery glow it feels like something is staring at me. I quickly kicked the fire and pour what's left in my water on it to put it out. I am literally plunging myself into complete darkness right now. The fire is out. I'm keeping my flashlight pointed at the ground because I can't bear to look at the trees beyond the campfire still feeling uneasy.

I reached to radio Allison. A blood-curdling scream pierces the silence coming from the growth of trees that just beyond the campfire. Holy crap. The scream is one that I could never have imagined. It's a scream of pure pain and pure rage. A dark figure bursts from the trees screaming all the while and starts to run on me. I only make out part of its silhouette before turning around myself but I noted the shape of a human a woman with long hair and arms flailing loosely by her side as she sprinted at me.

I'm running through the woods that I'm only just coming to learn staying on the path I know leads back to my tower. She hasn't stopped screaming still chasing me the long drawn out scream all I can hear are piercing my thoughts making a sharp turn on the path I start to scream myself although I can't even hear my own over hers. I'm halfway back to the tower. Do I look back? No way I can't it'll slow me down.

What the heck the scream is getting louder she's gaining on me. How is she still screaming? The tower. I can see the dim glow from the lamp that I left on in the hut above breaching the darkness ahead of me providing me with hope. I reached the stairs bolting off them at full speed. The windy staircase is sort of uneven so I'm stumbling every few steps but I've yet to lose my balance.

Halfway up I hear her bolt onto the first few steps. She is fast and I can hear it. She is gaining on me but I think that I can make it. I'm at the top I run into my hut and as I slam the door the screams suddenly stop. I'm wedged up against the door adrenaline pumping holding my flashlight like a weapon ready to fight. The sudden silence that doesn't help at least when she wasn't screaming I knew where she was.

My ears are still ringing though as I stayed heaved against the door. It's been an hour now since the screaming stopped and since then I'm not here to sound my adrenaline has died but I'm still terrified. I'm finally going to move from the door and radio Allison unable to speak before from the fear. If that's a prank that's messed up although for my sake I hope that it's a prank.

I flick the main radio on. "Allison." I anxiously gasp. "Allison please answer." After it feels like an hour silence but was probably only half a minute or so I hear a croaky moan. That's not Allison is it? It was the woman's voice sounded in pain. What if that freaky thing that chased me got to Allison? Just as I was about to respond to check up on her the radio sounded again. What started as another moan got louder turning into a scream.

It was the same scream. The same scream that will haunt my dreams tainting them in pain and anger. She was screaming through my radio. I slammed it off. "Good morning man how'd you sleep?" Allison chirped the next morning. "Allison," I replied from my lack of sleep the previous night. "What is this list I found?" "What list?" Allison radioed back.

I explained to everything that had happened from finding the list to the scratching to being chased by a crazy demon chick last night. Allison sighed deeply as if to say here we go again. "This has happened before in fact it happens to every person who gets assigned to your tower," Allison stated. "I don't know what to believe anymore. At first I thought it was just people going crazy from the isolation. I mean I've never seen anything but after Harvey and you only after what four days I don't know what to believe."

"Harvey?" I replied. "Who's Harvey?" "The guy before you. He lived in your tower for over a year refused to ever go home or take a holiday," Allison continued. "He was a tough guy good with his hands. He always had a project going on sometimes towards the end I wouldn't hear from him for days. I think he spent entire nights out of this tower no idea where he went though. Towards the end I asked him."

"I wasn't letting that slide by." "Yeah he disappeared. Mark thinks he ran off as the tower was apparently just empty when he checked up on him. No bags and no belongings no Harvey but I don't know why would he just quit after a year of refusing to leave the woods at all," Allison continued. "But in the months leading up to his disappearance he became obsessed with the Smiling Lady claimed that he would see her at night but he never went into detail. If I questioned him he would just stop replying like I said he didn't talk to me much."

"Hmm but him leaving didn't explain why the job advertisement stayed at the job may suddenly become available so I questioned Allison on that." "I don't know about that," she replied. "I've been working here for two years and Mark don't ever tells me anything. And who worked here before Harvey I pondered it." "Another guy Rick," Allison said. "He left a few days after I started but he asked me once if I had seen a woman in the woods a woman that smiles. I said no and I thought nothing of it I thought he was weird."

"I didn't feel content with the amount of information I was receiving unsure if she generally doesn't know much or is hiding something so I decided to ask her about it." "What made you take this job?" "Well uh I guess we're opening up to each other this morning are we?" Allison nervously chuckled. I didn't reply waiting for her answer to my question. "My sister she went missing in these woods," Allison said a voice trembling. "It was right before I started. I took the job to I don't know try to find her I try to help others who might get lost I don't know."

"I'm sorry about your sister Allison," I felt bad for asking. "That's courageous of you though." "I'm not going to ask any more questions not yet. I'm not sure how much she's actually telling me but at the moment I feel like she's my ally and I want to keep it that way." I thanked her for talking to me. I trust her I think. I feel a bit more at ease although I'm not sure why.

Harvey apparently just disappeared and both he and Rick claimed to have seen the Smiling Lady. Oh was that the lady that chased me last night? The camera that I had found was now charged up. It's evening I still haven't slept. I've not really moved. I've just been trying to make sense of all the information Allison gave me but I can't and maybe the camera will provide some answers.

It flickers on. On the screen at three choices photo gallery settings. I choose gallery. The first few photos aren't exciting. There's a few pictures of a random lake a random house a random car nothing that helps me. Flicking through them at such a fast pace I almost didn't notice that I had skimmed over a picture of the tower my tower and at the base of the tower a family a family of three.

The father is dark hair quite tall and looks as if he's experienced with the outdoors a big sturdy guy. The mother a blonde woman with a beautiful smile her arm on her husband's shoulder. The third member is a child a boy with a short brown hair and a striking resemblance to who I guess to be his father. I continue to look through the photos but no longer see the family together only the man.

He was taking selfies inside my tower taking photos of the view from my window of the outhouse and of some of the trail. Hulsa was this Harvey or Rick? If it were Harvey why would he not want to leave the woods to see his family? And then the photos got stranger. The next photo was of a bunker the bunker the one that I had found nearby built into the ground holding onto the sleeping bag in his camera.

It looks unfinished a work in progress with each picture it looked more complete. Whoever had this camera was building it. Allison said Harvey was good with his hands didn't she? Why would he build a bunker in the woods and so close to the tower? The next photo of a random tree in the darkness in fact the next four or five photos are of this tree at the base of the tree a shadow a weird distorted shadow a shadow that doesn't make sense.

What was Harvey or whoever this guy is trying to take a photo of something? Was he trying to take a photo of the Smiling Lady? What the heck was that noise? What time is it? 2:13 a.m. Something just woke me up. I can't hear anything now but something definitely woke me up. I was so tired from the night before that I wouldn't have just woken up on my own accord. Maybe it's a I hear faint crying a woman's cry.

It doesn't sound too close but I sit up in bed and I listen to the long mournful whales. I know this rule Rule 3. If you hear a woman crying between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. ignore it. Except I can't ignore it. It sounds so sad so broken. Part of me wants to go and help her. The other part of me wants to investigate and get answers. No part of me wants to ignore it.

Quietly as I can I slide on my gear grab my flashlight and radio and open the door to my hut. I carefully went down the stairs shining the light on my feet to ensure that I don't trap. The crying is coming from an area of the woods off the path so I carefully tread towards the dark cluster of trees. The cries are of such pain such sadness I can only compare them to that of a mother who has lost her child wailing in complete despair losing a part of your soul with every agonizing sob.

My flashlight is off now as the crying gets louder I'm crouched down moving bush to bush I treat a tree. The air is foggy cold getting colder the closer I get. As I crouch behind the tree I see her. She sat down by a tree her face covered crying into her hands. She has sighed onto me and has long dark hair which sprawls down her back and rests in the dirt although I can't see it too clearly she wears a gown which seems clean and undamaged.

What is damage though are her arms. Her arms are twisted and broken one of her elbows is bent backwards with bone jutting out under the skin from both her forearms although not piercing through. Her fingernails long sharp not an ounce of meat on her body. Her body almost skeletal. Her pale white skin had glowing in the darkness hugging her collarbone accentuating her bony figure.

My radio statics only for a second I quickly looked down to turn it off and as I do I realize the crying has stopped. I'm still looking down on my radio. Crap she heard me. I can't look up I feel sick. I force myself and I slowly look up at her. She's looking at me. She is hollow a dark white eyes the look lifeless. The whites of her eyes providing a drastic contrast to her dark pupils.

Her eyebrows are raised she's smiling. Her smile is unnaturally wide spreading across her face wider than what should have been possible burying all of her teeth. Her smile some medicine dark on her face at remnants of the tears that she'd cried some tears still dripping off her sharp cheekbones and dripping down her narrow neck. Except she wasn't crying now she looked excited.

I'm about to run. I can’t look away from her but I'm trying to convince myself to freaking run. I need to run. I've been staring at her for about half a minute and she hasn't moved. Her eyes still locked with me her smile sinister. Just as I'm about to muster the courage to turn my back on her and run she moves. In one quick motion her neck snaps to the side with a click and she crawls into the darkness beyond her.

The movement so fast her broken arms cracking as she shot away. And this is my chance I turned to run. I run hard don't look back. I'm dodging some trees and running into others but not stopping. Why did you just leave me alone like that? There's the tower. I run up the stairs stumbling into my hut and I slam the door. I hear nothing.

From the safety of my hut I'm looking around the base of the tower the woods around me I see nothing. Forget it I'm getting under my covers. I turn my lamp on and I jump into bed shaking. I try to calm myself so that I can listen to my surroundings listening out for her over my pounding heartbeat but I hear nothing there is nothing but silence.

Just as I peep out from my covers building up the courage to radio Allison I see it scratch marks on the floor of my hut marks that weren't there before marks that I must have missed when I raced in it looked like something made by an animal made by something crawling marks are from the door my hut all the way across the room to my bed. I couldn't see her outside before because she was already inside the hut with me. She's under the bed.

I'm frozen. I know she's there. I can feel it she's under my bed. What do I do? I think back to the rules was there anything about this? There are two rules that could help but I don't know which one to follow. Rule 6. If you wake up and see these smiling women staring at you through your window hide under your covers and hold your breath. She will come into your hut and you will feel her breathing right above you as if she's hovering over you. Do not breathe. This will last only a few seconds. Once you feel her leave turn on the main light until morning.

Or Rule number 9. If at any point you are returning to your tower and you notice someone else inside it run. Do not stop running until you reach the next tower. Don't look back. She will be chasing you. Do I hide under my covers and wait until she leaves like in Rule number 6 or do I run because she's inside my tower like in Rule 9? She was already inside when I entered so and that's Rule 9 right?

I hear her not loud but I hear her the kind of sound made when someone is trying to move slowly while trying not to break the silence these slightly shuffle a second later the slight cracking noise her arms they're moving with it a low a stifled ground. I close my eyes. I need to make up my mind. Do I stay under my covers or run?

Rule 6 Rule 9. I feel the slightest tug at the bottom of my covers it wasn't a hard tug and it only lasted a second following this a second tug slightly harder than the last. I choose Rule 9. With an explosion of speed I leap out of my bed and I burst with the door as it slams behind me. I don't see her I don't look luckily I'm already in my shoes from earlier.

I'm halfway down the tower and I hear a bang above me the door is slamming as she leaves the hut. I'm at the bottom of my tower and I hear steps above me she's halfway down the tower. I'm running towards the path and I hear the shuffle of dirt and grass behind me she's at the bottom of the tower. I reached the bunker and quickly open it I swing out to the ladder and I shut the panel above me.

I hear her she's moving around above me on the wood and the grass around it her low mounds have freeze me making my hair stand on end as she croaks in anguish. I'm in the corner of the bunker I'm staring up towards the door but can't see it through the darkness. She's still above me. I hear her movements they're a mix of fast a sudden jolt and slow almost confused movements.

Maybe she didn't see me going to the bunker maybe she doesn't even know about it or can she not get in? Is this where Harvey would spend his nights when he wasn't at the tower? Allison said that she didn't know where he would spend some of his nights. Was it here? I can't hear anything now. It's been about 20 minutes. I think the creature above me is gone but I'm done being an idiot I'm staying here until the morning.

I eventually drift off to the calm sound of the wind crashing at nearby trees. So last night was too close. Looking back on my decision to investigate I feel stupid. I'm not sure if it was from my lack of sleep or that she had casted some sort of spell on me but I won't be making decisions like that again. I'm going to be a stickler to the rules.

It's morning I'm still in the bunker. I eventually build up the courage to lift the panel above me and peep out blinded by the sunlight after being shrouded in darkness for so long all looks clear. Wary I climb out and I head to my tower. I'm quickly climbing the stairs to my tower when I hear a voice behind me. "Hey." My crap myself spinning around and almost falling off the side of the staircase.

There's a girl at the base of the tower a normal looking girl. She has brown hair glasses and is carrying a large rucksack. She's wearing hiking gear and smiling at me. "Oh I'm sorry to scare you," she says. "Hi I'm Samantha Sam." I'm still just staring at her heart pounding. "Mark's daughter," she explains. "I'm here to top up your food." Alice I didn't mention that Mark or his son would be here for that. No mention of a daughter.

"Oh hey," that reply boy shaking. "Sorry you scared me. I'm a Oscar." "Hey Sam," she reiterates still smiling. "Are you okay?" I force a weak smile to not. "Just gave me a fright that's all. I thought it was Mark or his son that tops this up." She laughs. "Oh it usually is. I've just kind of recently started helping out I guess. You're actually my first stop today. It's nice to meet you Oscar."

It's getting dark now. I'm feeling determined to find out what's happening in these woods. Don't get me wrong I'm scared but I'm done making bad choices. As far as I know I could be on my own I don't know who to trust. Allison maybe. I'll need to see you. Just before heading to bed I radio her and I ask her something. "Hey Allison," I say. "Does Mark have a daughter?"

"Ask her hey," Allison replies a minute later. "I was about to radio you good night. I'm not too sure about that I've only met his son why?" "Okay I was just wondering." "Are you okay Oscar? Has something else happened?" "Yes. I'm fine Allison. Good night." I'm still terrified but I know what I need to do. These rules are my lifeline they will keep me alive so I need to follow them. I know that now more than ever.

I'm keeping my shoes on when I sleep tonight just in case I decide as I turn on the lamp before switching off the main light. I've been lying in bed for about 30 minutes when I heard it the scratching again. Rule 7. If you hear any scratching at any point either on your hut or by the outhouse turn off all radios and hide under your covers until the scratching stops.

The scratching is faint it sounds like it's coming from somewhere in the staircase if not down below by the outhouse. Immediately I rushed to my big radio and I switched it off. I checked that my small radio was off which it is. I swiftly moved back to my bed and I get under my covers. The scratch continues. It gets louder each one is slow and long mimicking the sound of nails against a wooden board.

Each scratch is followed by around 10 seconds of silence and then buy another one that sounds closer than the last. Soon the scratching feels as if it's right by me almost as if it's on the frame of my bed. I hold my breath and I close my eyes not a rule I'm just terrified. The next scratch is longer than the rest it's either on my bed frame or on the door of my hut. I don't know.

I can't think straight but I'm not going to move. The scratching has stopped now for about 15 minutes all I can hear is the rustling of the trees below as the wind whips through them creating an atmospheric whooshing sound right past my hut. I had already made the decision to stay under my covers for the remainder of the night just in case when I heard another sound faint footsteps.

Each fast thought increases in volume as I realized she was sprinting of the staircase. In my panic I forgot the rule instinctively I joined out of bed and run to my main light switch. I turn it on and the running immediately stops. I'm frozen standing by my light switch waiting for something to happen but nothing does. Trampoline.

I edge toward the list of rules which I kept beside my bed pick it up and check that I've done the right thing. Rule 5. At night if you hear someone running up the stairs to your tower also turn on the main lights until morning. If you don't do this by the time she's at the top it's too late. Thank god. I had known that my main light was included in more than one of the rules and I am so relieved that I chosen correctly.

I'm looking around the balcony surrounding my tower and I see nothing I stare at the top of the staircase where it feels like an eternity but nothing comes up. The bright glow of the main light makes it impossible to see out into the surrounding woods below. I thought as I sat at my desk. It's been around two hours since she tried to run up my stairs and there's no way that I'm going to be able to sleep tonight.

So I use my time wisely. I've been intensively reading the maps of the surrounding areas learning the roots around my tower like the back of my hand. However I have also learned to something new. I managed to learn the route to the next closest tower. It's not too complicated. While I still think that I can trust Allison I want to actually meet her. I want to see her for myself and talk freely face to face not hiding behind a radio.

I've decided that tomorrow I'm going to go to Allison's tower. I wake up early. I'm only on a few hours of sleep but it'll do. In fact I'm too driven to even notice. I pack a light backpack some food water flashlight radio my map and my machete. I also bring the camera to see if Allison can confirm if the man in the photos is actually Harvey.

Sunlight is peering over the outstretched trees but I've never really taken in the beauty of the sunrise. I'm usually either a sleeper scared out of my mind but it was beautiful. I decided not to tell Allison that I'm coming. While I do feel a degree of trust I don't want to wonder my whereabouts giving her a chance to change her alter anything just in case.

I lace up my shoes and start the track to Allison's tower. It should only take about three hours. The route was relatively direct and judging from the map I wouldn't have too many steep climbs or anything. I noticed a stark difference as I ventured out of my zone and Allison's. Each lookout has its own. There to maintain the pathways and deal with any issues that may arise within their zone.

However as I made the transition into Allison's I noticed that her paths were not well maintained. To be honest they weren't maintained at all. Overgrown trees bushes and flora made me thankful I brought my machete as I hacked away and continued along the barely visible paths. It was tiring work but I wanted to make sure that the pathways were clear enough to run through should I suddenly need.

I was just losing my motivation and starting to get hungry when I reached your tower. It had taken about five hours due to the work that I'd put in clearing the pathways but I'm here now. The tower is exactly like mine the same layouts with the hut on top of the four stilts huddled within a small opening in the woods. Her outhouse was on the opposite side but her food bank was in an identical position to mine just left of the tower base.

However there is one massive difference that I immediately notice. What the heck? The remains of a massive fire pit like that of a bonfire around 50 feet from her tower surrounded by stones it looks like one that someone had gotten good use out of. Considering our job is to make sure that there are no fires at all in the woods that's a bit strange isn't it?

I make my way up to the tower. I'm relatively quiet as I do so partly because I don't want her to think that I'm the Smiling Lady running up her stairs but mostly because I'm nervous. Upon reaching the top I can already see the tower has nobody in it. In fact it looks like it never has anyone in it. The hut has old nest along the top of it old spider webs along the banisters and dust literally everywhere.

I go to open the door. It's locked. That's weird. My tower doesn't even have a lock. My peer through the glass squinting to see through the thick layer of dust on the inside of the window. It's dark darker than it should be in there. I can make out the main radio on a table next to a stack of what looks like newspapers and vials. The bed messy unkempt. There's a bag peeking out from under the bed. I'm guessing it's a rucksack.



From what I can see there are no books and no decks of cards nothing to keep her occupied during the day. How does she stay sane? I decided to radio her. I haven't tracked all this way not to meet her. I pick up my radio. "Allison come in." "Hey," a fast reply. "What's up Oscar?" "Hey just wondering," I say yes I decide to investigate a bit before letting you know that I'm here. "Where about zarya?"

"Oh I'm in my tower why?" she replies. "Um." What the heck? I'm certain that this is the right tower this is her tower. I'm looking into it and nobody's there. She's lying to me. "Uh it's nothing," I lie trying to mask my trembling voice behind one of confidence. "And just some campers on the edge of my zone. I'll deal with them." "No reply." Did she buy it? Does she believe me? "Reply Allison I need to know if you believe me or not." "Cool nice one Oscar thanks for that." "Okay thank god she believes me I think."

I decided to head down the tower and I'd be on a tree nearby. I wanted to scope this out. Maybe she was just heading back to the tower so she said that she was there already. It could just be a misunderstanding. So I'm going to scope this situation out and see what happens. It's been over 30 minutes. There's not been any sign of her not any sign of anything. In fact this area is completely quiet completely dead.

Where is the rustle of animals the sound of distant hikers? It is so quiet too quiet. During the wait I told myself that if she didn't come back soon I was going to break into her tower. I have no idea if that's illegal or not it's technically the property of my employer right? I'm guessing it is illegal but I need to investigate and I need to do it soon before it gets dark.

I hit the door with the butt at my machete and just above the doorknob. The loud bang breaks the eerie silence followed by the creek of the door as it swings open freezing me for a second as I wait for something to happen. Nothing. I head inside. Dust hits me and to hold myself back from coughing. I need to be quiet and I need to be fast.

The inside of the hut is cold weirdly colder than the temperature outside. My walk over to the stacks of newspapers and files. The headline for the first newspaper I see gives me chills. "Sister hiker is missing." I skim the article. It's these woods. Two sisters missing. Oh was this Allison's sister? She only told me that she had one sister missing. Was she the other one? This doesn't make sense.

I flicked through the rest of the newspapers mostly just reiterating that two sisters were still missing until one sister found after being missing for three weeks. The article stated that one of these sisters had been found alive and well but the other one was still missing. It says that they were separated after getting lost in the woods. Hadn't mentioned that she had also gotten lost. If this was about her did she consider that too personal or did she lie?

I turned my attention to the files. Inside one piece of paper it's headlined "Oscar." What the heck? Under it information about me information that I'd shared with her about my divorce and why I took the job my age what I look like. Maybe she just kept these so she wouldn't forget. An odd way of trying to be friendly. Wait how did she know that we never met? How does she know what I look like?

Something weird is going on here. I turned my attention to the bag under the bed. It's a big rucksack a dark blue. I pull it out and I open it up. Inside clothes. They look like male clothes t-shirts hiking pants a rain jacket. I dig deeper. I find a hammer and then a wrench nothing too out of the ordinary here. The next item that I take out a pair of sunglasses and green on the side rs initials definitely not Allison's but somebodies.

I reach my hand into the bottom of the bag and feel a small metallic object. I lift it out and it's a pocket knife. It's a very nice knife it looks like something that someone had personally designed. It's got a golden outline and lays through it as a mix of wavy silver and black designs there's something ingrained in this too in very small letters "To my love to you Harvey." What the heck? Why does she have Harvey's knife? Is this his stuff? Is this where his stuff went after he disappeared?

I'm not taking anything she'll know that I was here but I'm getting out of here I don't feel safe. As I stand to leave I hear a familiar voice behind me Allison's voice. "You know ah she wants us to make you smile." I spin around. Behind me a woman stands between me and the door. She is slightly shorter than me with messy unwashed blonde hair which expels out at all angles. Her clothes long light brown hiking pants are ruined by old dirt and stains similarly her light red checkered shirt looks like it's seen better days wrinkled dirty a rip stemming from the end of one of her sleeves.

Her face normal or at least human the bright blue irises of her eyes provided a direct contrast to the red bloodshot surroundings. She looks like she hasn't slept in weeks. Her frenzied eyes screaming insanity looking at me maniacally with her hands drooped by her side. Her frail body is one of malnourishment one of abandonment. "Uh Allison," I stammer. "What do you mean she wants to make me smile?"

"She just wants you to smile," Allison replied still staring at me with a crazed look in her eyes. "Right Allison what is going on?" I try to act confident. "Are you okay?" Allison moves towards the bed. I circle around the height as she does so. I'm now by the door a good start. She sits down on the bed and looks down at the dusty floor. I see a tear run down her face. This is a broken woman.

"We we went missing," Allison called. "Both of us and I got saved and she didn't. I couldn't tell them what I did but but it was bad and now she's," she trailed off. "What did you do Allison?" I try to act confident. "We we got lost and we were lost for so long. She kept telling me it's going to be okay listen they'll find us Allison but they didn't for so long and I got so hungry. She was always so positive always smiling but food we couldn't catch anything nothing worked. We tried Oscar I promise we tried," Allison said her voice draining.

"Okay okay Allison I know you tried what happened?" She looked up. "I jumped but she only continued to speak. She was looking at me smiling when I pushed her. I pushed her far off the side. It was a moment of weakness a moment of hunger. She fell so far her arms they cracked she wasn't moving. I was so hungry." She looked back to the ground. "She died how she lived smiling."

My stomach churned. She killed her own sister. I've heard hunger makes you do crazy things. I've heard it makes you do anything for food. But after I pushed her I just I couldn't do it. She looked up at me once more tears walling in her otherwise frantic eyes. "And the next day they found me." My stomach dropped. "They found her only a day after that while I was scared of her I felt a sense of sympathy for Allison. I couldn't live with that a moment of madness defining my life forever and for literally nothing."

"And then she found me," Allison whispered as she looked back to the ground another tear rolling down her cheek. "Who found you?" I asked hoping it wasn't who I think she would say my blood frozen. "My sister still smiling still hungry," Allison murmured. "She's taking revenge on me and she's taking revenge on you," Allison stood up and looked back at me. "On all of you."

I took a small step back backing out of the hut not taking my eyes off of Allison. "What what have I done?" I ask. "She blames you all. You couldn't find her it's your job our job to find her. Instead she found me and I won't lose her again," Allison starts walking slowly towards me here. "Allison I didn't even freaking work here I I had never even been to these woods." I'm starting to panic as I take steps back.

"Allison we can get you help we can get you out." "She gets hungrier every time she's never satisfied anymore there is no getting out." As she said this I knew why these surrounding words were so quiet. Harvey even worked out the 10 rules and she still got to him eventually. Rules not even I can work out. Allison for the first time starts to smile. "And ask her she's so hungry now."

She lunges at me with a sudden sharp screech arms outstretched. Her weak frame is easy to overpower. I roll it to the side and with a swift movement push her away from me. She stumbles and her foot slides off the side of the balcony. She loses her balance hitting the wooden floor with a thud before falling from the side of the tower. It all happened so fast.

I fell to the floor as I push her mostly out of shock. I hear her hit something on the way down probably the steps followed by a solid thud as she meets the ground below. She didn't once scream as she fell. Holy crap I just killed her. Oh my god. I scramble to my feet and I rush down the stairs hoping that she's not dead. When I reach the bottom I see her lying around 10 feet from the tower's base face down arms broken and twisted a small pool of blood oozing from her head and feeding the soil below unmoving.

I'm running back to my tower stopping briefly only when the exhaustion takes over. I should be able to get there before it's dark. Forget this I'm getting out of these woods. Allison's insane she attacked me it was self-defense. She was freaking insane. Something she said is really sticking with me. Harvey worked out the ten rules. On the sheet that I now know was written by Harvey there were only nine. What is the tenth rule?

This at least explains how Harvey survived her salon a year. The poor man before him Rick who I now suspect only sunglasses and Alice and Todd only survived a week but Harvey had nine rules nine ways the Smiling Lady can get you and how to avoid her. I'm not sticking around to find out what the intent is. I'm getting out of these woods.

I'm still running back I can feel someone watching me. I see my tower. It's almost dark. I don't know how the heck I'm going to get to my car and I don't want to be walking these woods at night. So I've decided I'm going to sleep at the bunker. I figured that's where Harvey spent his nights when he wasn't at the tower. I figured that's key to how he survived. And it's even saved me in the past.

I'm going to run up to my tower and grab my main rucksack and go to the bunker. I'm on the verge of passing out from dehydration so I'm in need of some water which is also up in my tower. I'll grab my things and go in and out. In and out. In my tower. I frantically gather my things. I turn to leave. I hear something. It's faint easy to miss but it's there. I hold my breath and stop moving listening for what the sound is.

Long slow quiet sounds. I hear scratching. Rule 7. If you hear any scratching at any point either on your hut or by the outhouse turn off all radios and hide under your covers until the scratching stops. You're freaking kidding me she knows she knows I'm trying to leave. I'm frozen in place hoping this scratching will stop knowing that if it doesn't I'll have to follow the rules.

I turn to my radio. Over it in the woods directly below I see a pale white face looking up at me here. The same stringy dark hair dangling from her head. The same wide a sinister smile plastered across her face. Her white skin illuminated by the surrounding darkness. I see none of her body just her face emerging from the black at night. She's looking up at me. Her excited eyes locked with mine. She knows I'm trying to escape.

I break our gaze and turn the radios off before jumping under my covers. What Allison said to me is ringing in my mind. "She's so hungry now." The scratching stops shortly after I go under my covers. I can literally feel her hunger in the air looming above my tower focusing in on me. I peek from my bed once I'm certain that these scratchy noises have stopped. I don't want her to catch me off guard I want to be ready for anything that she throws at me.

I stand up and circle around the balcony of my hut scanning the surrounding area where she stood before she no longer does. I knew she was fast previously she had beat me back to my tower when I found her crying in the woods. She could be anywhere. I turned back to walk into my hut. I'm looking out to one of my windows as the reflection of the doll lamp starts to flicker behind me.

Crap. Rule 4. At night always sleep with your lamp on. If it starts to flicker quickly run to turn on your main lights until morning. If your lamp flickers off completely before you can do this hide under your bed until the morning. My eyes adjust as I look at the reflection of the lamp and she's there right in front of me through the glass standing on my balcony. It's her.

Her broken arms had distended her straggly hair white. Her eyes large her smile wide. Rule 6. If you wake up and see the Smiling Woman staring at you through the window hide under your covers and hold your breath. She will come into your hut and you will feel her breathing right above you as if she is hovering over you. Do not breathe. This will only last a few seconds. Once you feel her leave and turn on the main light until morning.

The lamp flickers once more and then shuts off plunging me into darkness. I have two rules that I need to follow two conflicting rules. I can't look away from her but I know that I have to turn on the main light. Her neck suddenly snaps to the side and she starts to walk fast I mean fast stopping loud with each step as she makes her way around the balcony towards the door on the other side.

Oh crap. I turn and I sprint to the main light. She's about halfway to the door when I turn it on and now I have to decide whether I hide under the bed or hide under the covers. I choose the covers. Rule 6 specified she will come into your hut and she's about to do that. I run towards my bed and pull the covers over my eyes. As I do so I see the door of my head open.

I hear loud fast footsteps charging towards me but I see only darkness now that I lay beneath thick covers. I hold my breath. I can feel her just as the rule said I would. She's right above me. I feel her breath. It's cold. My eyes are shut but I know she's there. I'm trying to hold my breath. My heart is pounding on my chest. My stomach is training in fear but I refuse to breathe.

Yet she waits desperate for me to do so. What happens if I breathe? Will she kill me here now? Will she possess me here? My chest hurts. I can't hold it for much longer here. She can sense it. She can sense that I'm struggling. Their exasperated breasts are getting more and more excitable. I feel their hair dangling on either side of me from above the covers wet.

I can't do it. I need to breathe. This is it I'm done. My mouth opens. She's gone. She just vanished. I hold on for three or four more seconds as long as I physically can before coughing and gasping for air but she's gone. No more cold breath no more presence. I was alone again.

I peel back the covers and my huts door is wide open swinging in the wind my main light is still on as is my lamp once more. Did she use the flickering on my lamp as an attempt to try to get me to mess up to choose the wrong rule? If I had chosen to hide under the bed would she have killed me?

It's been quiet for a few hours. My main light is still on and so is my lap. I feel slightly safer but I think that's her game plan to lure me into a false sense of security. I'm not letting my guard down and thank god I didn't. I see a campfire right by my tower. The glare of the light from the hut makes it harder to see but I see it. In fact I see more than one.

There are campfires all around my tower. I walk around the balcony's edge. I count six fires. By each fire there are dark human figures with their backs turned towards me. What the heck? They're all standing one per fire looking into it. The figures are of different sizes one looks like a child. I can't make out any specific features in the darkness just their shapes.

By the sixth fire there is no figure. Why is there no figure there? Just as my eyes start to adjust to the darkest below the figures begin to fall into their fires one by one. The first to fall into its fire resembles a man. This figure is tall and skinny. He drops face first into the flames almost willingly. As he squirms the flames engulf him making it impossible to make out any of his features. His screams appears the error.

As I stare in horror another figure a woman then falls into her fire. She screams as the flames cover her arriving in the fire but she does not attempt to escape it. Next the smiley figure the figure of a child a boy as he falls face down into the fire. I gasp. I can't bring myself to scream. My whole body is in shock. The child is silent but twitching.

Finally as the fire burns in fourth the largest silhouette a wide sturdy shape of a large man. He falls into his fire grunting in pain and holding back screams but barely moving as he burns. Lastly the shape of a woman. I turn to her before she falls. I need to see. I run inside grab my flashlight and run back to where I stood before. As she falls into her fire I shine it upon her catching only a glimpse of her messy blonde hair and red to check her chariot a rip along its sleeve before the flames take over.

There's one fire left burning d6 fire the fire with no figure by it. As these screams of those below me echo into the night I hear the faint sound of a woman crying somewhere in the trees below. "Oscar," a voice calls out just as the first race of sun peaked through the trees. "Oscar are you there?"

I run to the balcony albeit cautiously and see Sam Mark's daughter standing below. She's in these same clothes as the last time that I saw her. "Sam!" I yell. "Sam we have to get out of here there." "Oscar," she shouts back. "Oscar I know I know everything I know about Allison about her sister I know about Harvey and his family about Rick I know everything. Oh we have to get out of here Sam."

"We can't ask her," she cries out. "We have to burn her we have to burn Allison's sister." "Why do we have to burn her?" I scream. "That's rule 10 Oscar. She's going to follow you no matter where you go. If you leave this place she'll be a step behind you forever unless you burn her. That's rule 10. Find her body and burn it." "Rule 10 burn her body or she'll chase you forever."

"How are we supposed to find her body?" I shall defeated. "I know where it is Oscar," Sam smiles warmly in an attempt to call me. "Let me explain everything on the way it's nearby." I've survived all the other rules now I just need to survive one more. I grab my machete. It makes sense that this minor lady follows you out of the woods. That's why Harvey couldn't leave and that's why I needed good Allison. That's why Allison said there's no getting out because there isn't unless we burn her.

And Sam. Allison said Mark didn't have a daughter but what's that just to throw me off to turn me against a potential ally? Either way I don't fully trust Sam not by a long shot definitely not until I hear what she has to say. So I grabbed my machete. I edged down the steps approaching Sam. She’s looking at me. Her eyes dart to the machete but she seems to understand my consciousness.

"Didn't you tell me all this before?" I ask. "If you know everything why didn't you tell me when we first met?" "I didn't know who to trust Oscar," Sam explains. "I had known Harvey and we trusted nobody not fully except each other and Harvey's dead now." I'm starting to panic as I take steps back. "How did you know him?" "Yes," she looks down. "He is that was confirmed last night."

I struck up a friendship with him when he worked here. I would bring him extra food and take runs just to see him. That's why I'm in these woods now. I was looking for Emma but after last night it's clear yeah he's dead. "How was it confirmed last night?" I asked she seems and generally heartbroken. "The lady the Smiling Lady she seems to focus on one victim at a time. While she's hunting someone it seems like she ignores everyone else. That's why Allison kept feeding her people so that her sister wouldn't turn on her," Sam explains.

My breathing is heavy my heart racing. She carries on. "Last night I was out looking for Harvey as I've been doing. I saw the fires around your tower and I saw those figures falling into them people that she's taken. One of them resembled Harvey and some of the others his family. I saw the sixth fire the one she's made for you and I heard her crying to try to lure you out. She focuses on her prey one at a time which confirms that you're her target. She's already got Harvey. She never gives up on a pranto she gets them and it's you now. You have to burn her."

"But I killed Allison not her. I pushed her when she attacked me. So why did I see her fall under the fire last night?" I'm shaking. "I hadn't actually said aloud that I had killed her before her." "Yes I thought you might have. The Smiling Lady wouldn't have attacked her while she was focused on you but it doesn't mean that since Allison's death the Smiling Lady hasn't taken her hasn't eaten her. She's always hungry it's all she cares about."

"Why why don't you just burn her body?" I shout. "This is messed up." I'm desperate for a way out of this nightmare. "It has to be you. It has to be the one that she's hunting," Sam pleads. "I've tried but I only found her body after Harvey disappeared. Whenever I try to burn it the flames won't lie to. I don't understand it but I know it has to be you. She lit a fire for you last night and it has to be you who lights hers."

"How the heck can I trust you?" Tears rolling down my cheeks. "It made sense while she was looking for Harvey. She needed him to burn her body," Sam pleads. "I hid in a bunker last night and that's how I'm here so early. It was Harvey's bunker Oscar. The Smiling Lady doesn't know about it and that's how he survived for so long. I can show you where it is if I know where it is," I whisper. "I have no choice I have to trust her I have to burn the body."

I quickly go upstairs and I grab my backpack. In it I put my lighter and a canister of kerosene. I'm going to follow Sam but I'm not letting go of my machete. "Of course it's in a freaking cave." On the way Sam explained that after being pushed Allison's sister had crawled there in an attempt to find shelter but had succumbed to her injuries within the cave. She explained that's why I may have seen her crying because these smiling ladies were playing her final moments on a loop which drives her hate.

That also explains why she’s always smiling. Allison said that she was smiling when she pushed her. As Sam stands by the cave creviced into the side of a steep hill I shine my flashlight into its entrance. I don't see much. It's a thin tunnel-like structure around 8 feet across and 15 feet tall. There isn't much room to maneuver should we run into any trouble.

I can’t see far enough into it to see where it ends. We enter the cave. "She's near the end of the cave," Sam whispers. "There's like a turn at the end maybe 300 feet inward. We should be safe. I've never seen your ghost in the day before," Sam trolls off. She leads the way. I'm keeping a close eye on her but that becomes harder the further that we get in.

Soon we are enveloped in darkness. The light from our flashlights is all that I can see. As we leave the daylight behind us and that to the dark sound soon becomes a non-existent. Our footsteps in shallow breathing our only company. Almost as if out of nowhere and we meet a wall. To the left a downward slope takes us deeper into the cave's abyss.

"Why the heck would she go so deep?" I whisper. "If she was wanting to be rescued." "She didn't," Sam's hush reply. "She was at the entrance when she died. Something moved her further into protector. I think Allison." We walked deeper. Ten minutes later the cave expands. Usually spending this amount of time in a dark atmosphere means your eyes are just however mine haven't. It's almost as if this is a type of darkness that I haven't experienced before or if these smiling lady has put some weird effect on us I don't know.

I just know that other than the light from my flashlight and Sam's in front of me I can't see anything. A crack behind me here. A quick snapping crack. My heart jumps and I spin around to shine my flashlight where these sound originated. I see only legs for a split second crawling away from me into the darkness from which I came. The bare dirty caps of what looked like a woman shooting out of sight.

Crap something's in here with us and it's alive. The Smiling Lady is here. I turn to Sam. She's gone. What the? I'm alone. Sam's flashlight on the ground. What the where is she? Do I call out? I don't know. I'm going to leave her flashlight I need one hand to grip my machete. I can't go back. This my lady is behind me. I need to find her body and I need to burn it and I need to help Sam.

I shine my flashlight around looking for Sam when I see a backpack leaning against a cave's wall. I carefully move towards it knowing something is watching me from the dark nasa. My sweaty palms making the machete more difficult to grab. I'm squeezing it as hard as I can. I get to the backpack. Quickly skating the cave around me with a flashlight but I see nothing but rock.

I turned my attention to the bag's contents. It's already open. It doesn't look like it's been here for long maybe under a week. I hardly go through it. An old tarp a lighter and the same small canister of kerosene that I had taken the same type that was provided for me at the tower. Also in the bag a knife the same style of knife that I had found in Allison's tower only bigger. The same gold outline with silver and black designs swimming through it. On the knife ingrained "Your pair of knives are pair of hearts my Harvey." Another one of Harvey's knives. This is Harvey's bag.

I flicked the knife open recently used its previously sharp edge now blonde stained with the remnants of stone. I shine my flashlights on the wall that the back was leaning against. Writing scratching to the rock face. "10. Sam lies." Cracking behind me I spin around and I see Sam. She's smiling. "Sam," I start. Her eyes are locked with mine. She sees me through the darkness. Her arms start to break almost as if being broken by the air around them they snap with a jolting movement.

Her elbows bend backwards as her bones jut out. Hugging the skin under her forearms with every crack her smile grows wider. Soon it is unnaturally sprawled across her face. Her eyes are wide with glee. Her skin grows whiter her hair longer. She is now unrecognizable Sam. I now knew her as the Smiling Lady.

I've fallen for it. Just as Harvey had. She needs the darkness that's why she roams the night. That's why I felt I was being watched as I left Allison's tower. I was but she couldn't do anything as it wasn't dark. She watched me as Sam during the day but attacked me as the Smiling Lady during the night. That note in Allison's tower explaining what I look like only Sam had seen me before then.

God I feel so stupid. I was safe from her in the daylight but it's dark now and she's changing. She died in the dark and now she lives in the dark. I stand up. My machete is shaking in my hand. I edge towards her. I'm ready to strike. In an explosion of movement on either side of me I am grabbed. The creatures crawling me as I feel their bony hands and arms dragging me down.

I count five of them as I struggle against the grip. There are too many. They are too strong. My flashlight has fallen from my gravity and now shines in my direction. I make up the faces of my attackers. Harvey his wife his child a tall man Rick and Allison. They hold me down. Allison's broken arms cutting me as I struggle. Her shattered bones sharp.

As they all pin me against the ground they smile. I catch a glimpse of Sam as she lunges out of the darkness and bites into my chest. A new man lives in my tower now. He has a family a dog too who visits him. We only leave the darkness when she tells us to. She doesn't want to lose us. I smile now and when she tells me to burn I burn too.

I'm writing this to warn you of these smiling lady in the woods. Do not try to find me. This will be the last time that I speak to you all. Do not come looking for me. I belong to her an hour and she will never lose me. You.