Chrissy Peebles
2012
Chapter 1 A soft growl echoed in the darkness. Sarah snatched the thermal imaging camera from the row of equipment by the fire. Turning in a slow circle, she scanned the dark trees beyond. Nothing moved. Just as she was taking a few tentative steps through the ferns and thick brush, a branch snapped, making her jump. Another growl pierced the silence. She clutched her chest, as if that might calm her racing heart. Five years as a Bigfoot researcher, and she was still not used to the occasional howl. Then again, no animal she had ever encountered before had made such an ominous and menacing sound. She stopped for a moment and listened, her heart thumping hard in her eardrums. “Show yourself!” Her voice echoed from the trees with a courage she couldn’t feel. A shiver slid down her spine as she pulled her radio off her belt. “Base camp to Adam. Computer screen’s flashing like crazy. Something broke the perimeter line.” The radio crackled and a voice answered. “Adam to base camp. What zone?” “Zone 3. All cameras up and running, but I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. I’m getting sounds over here—some movement too. I’m gonna check it out. Over.” “Wait…all by yourself?” Adam’s snort carried through the static. “No way. Just because you’re running this operation, that doesn’t give you permission to break protocol. Stay by the fire. We’re coming.” “Sure, bring in the cavalry.” Sarah rolled her eyes as she picked up her infrared camera. “Listen, in the meantime, I’ll just walk around the perimeter, that’s all. Maybe I’ll see something.” “Roger that. Just be careful.” The radio transmission ended. She straightened and peered around in the darkness. A branch snapped behind her, followed by another. How many creatures are there? She switched on the walkie-talkie and moved her fingers over the buttons; she could barely see what she was doing. “Base camp to Adam. Something’s coming down the hill.” Sarah pointed the FLIR camera straight ahead, then took a few more steps into
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