The wooden steps creaked as Onyx made his way down into the front office. It had been a few weeks since anything major had happened, the events ranging from finding a lost child to telling people to put campfires out.

For the past two weeks, they've been on a mild fire watch, but it had recently been bumped to high due to high winds throughout the valley. While this meant more of the fire rangers would have to be posted out, the regular search and rescue got to remain inside for the time being.

The smell of coffee brought Onyx's attention to the main office. Tommy sat at the front desk, shuffling through paperwork.

Hey Cap, just finished a few papers you can review, he greeted, glancing over at Onyx as he walked over.

Great, thanks, Onyx picked the papers up, shuffling through them.

Had a small report earlier from the Crow's Pass.

Onyx looked up briefly from his paperwork, What about?

A small plume was seen near Spring Tower, They're scouting it now.

Keep me updated on it.

Also, sir, the gate still needs to be opened around the rear.

The maintenance crew is coming at 9:00 right? Onyx asked, flipping his page over and signing it.

Sure is, might be a good idea to send Jasper out to watch em' again, Tommy grinned, pulling up the schedule board. Onyx sighed and shook his head as he set the paperwork down, looking over the schedule.

That sergeant is gonna get himself in trouble if he keeps up with that attitude lately.

He seems to be a bit more riled up, maybe it's time we send him out to one of the forts, he's due to spend a few weeks at one, he raised a brow at Onyx.

Jasper appeared to be more distant with the captain, spending his time mainly with Cherryl or the other rangers. It was uncharacteristic for the sergeant, and he was beginning to worry about the man.

He just shook his head, He still needs some training, I think I'll just keep bringing him out on missions. He'll straighten out soon.

Yeah that's definitely gonna help his case, Tommy muttered, knocking his drawer closed.

What do you– before he could ask; Jasper, Cherryl, and Spencer came marching down the creaky stairs, laughing loudly.

Well here comes the crew, Tommy spoke, placing their paperwork on the counter.

Yeah yeah, great to see you too, Tommy, Jasper grinned, looking over the paperwork before signing it quickly. He glanced over, a glint in his eye, Mornin' Cap'n.

You're meeting the maintenance crew outside at nine, Jasper, Onyx spoke, strolling into the nearby kitchen to grab himself coffee.

Jasper balked.

Seriously? Again? You know those guys got it out for me, sir, he complained, following Onyx towards the mess hall.

It's your job, Jasper, I think you can handle making sure they don't knock over our fences or disrupt the wildlife.

So if they disrupt me does that mean I get to report 'em?

Are you wildlife? Onyx raised a brow, stirring his coffee.

Some would say, Jasper grinned.

You've got a job to do, I don't wanna hear anymore outta you.

Jasper frowned, opening his mouth to argue again until Tommy shouted for Onyx from the next room over.

Maybe I just got my way out of it, Jasper teased, darting out of the kitchen back towards the receptionist desk. Onyx frowned, following after him into the main hall.

Tommy was holding the receiver up to his ear, fighting with the system.

What's going on? Onyx asked as he walked over, taking a look at the screen. It was an emergency call from the first sector. Onyx could guess exactly where it came from.

I just had a call come through from the Perseverance, it just dropped out right as I picked it up.

Let it sit for a minute, it may pick the call up again on its own, Onyx instructed, pointing at the receiver.

The Perseverance was a popular camping ground in the first sector that offered bathrooms and other amenities for guests. Although camping was limited in the park, this was a perfect area for many guests due to the tall trees and nearby streams. At the campground was a cache box and an emergency phone that connected straight back to the receptionist's desk.

Here hold on.

Cherryl walked over, then without warning, she gave the computer box three loud smacks. Suddenly, the screen erupted to life. The phone began ringing immediately.

Spencer laughed and Cherryl nodded proudly to herself. Jasper shook his head in disbelief.

Tommy snatched the phone up, lifting it to his ear.

A loud screaming could be heard through the other side of the receiver.

Tommy visibly jumped while everyone else suddenly froze. The screaming continued as Tommy attempted to speak to the woman on the other side.

Hello? Ma'am? Can you hear me? He tried to ask, the loud shrieking almost drowning out his voice.

There's something after me! It got my boyfriend! Please, please help me! The other end screeched.

Jasper, Cherryl, Spencer, I need you three to take the buggy out there. I'll open the gate for you and find out who's staying there. I'll meet you guys down there with a few volunteers, Onyx commanded, quickly turning to run outside.

The others just nodded as they ran off to gather their supplies.

Tommy kept trying to talk to the woman when the call suddenly dropped out again.

Fuck! He shouted, trying to call the woman back.

Keep trying, I'll be right back Onyx spoke, grabbing his radio as he ran outside.

Onyx unlatched the gate, pulling it open. A second later, the two SAR buggies drove past, each with their emergency lights on. Onyx waved at them before running back towards the main center.



Jasper jumped off the buggy, following the other two rangers up towards the amenity center.

He ran his way up as quickly as the others, almost running faster over the bit of guilt he felt over what he said earlier. He'd been joking when he said he was getting out of watching over the maintenance crew, but any emergency wasn't worth whatever other menial tasks he had at the base, nevertheless a life.

It didn't help that the person on the other side of the receiver sounded so scared.

Jasper had seen his fair share of disturbing and outright gross calls, hell, he's had to reorient popped shoulders and knees before, but he'd never heard someone who sounded genuinely like they were in their last moments.

He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he felt wholly unprepared for whatever situation he was about to walk into.

That is, if they can find the damn situation first.

Hello? Spencer yelled. They all stood in the middle of the Perseverance, slightly dumbfounded.

He scanned the area, listening.

They heard nothing in response.

Actually, they saw nothing either. It seemed as though no one was even in the entire camping area.

Spencer, Jasper, keep searching the area. I'm gonna see if anyone's in the buildings.

They both nodded before splitting up.

He checked the emergency telephone. If he didn't know better, it'd seem as though no one had even touched it in the past few days. There was a slight dusting of– something over it. There appeared to be no fingerprints.

Jasper made his way around the few buildings there were, scanning the treeline.

Jasper yelled out a few times, listening after each time but there was no response. He saw nothing. No shoe marks, no items, and no blood. He was about to report back to Cherryl when his radio suddenly crackled to life.

This is the SAR Captain. We have two people who signed in yesterday morning. Barnette Carrow and Jarid Keens. How copy?

There's nothing here sir, no sign of anyone ever being here. Over, Cherryl replied, her voice slightly more clear than the captains.

Nothing? Did you find any tracks? Onyx questioned.

We need a search team to spread and search the area. The woman could've run after the second call.

Wouldn't she have run down the trail? It goes directly towards the visitor center, Spencer pointed out.

Anyone's unpredictable in a panic. Best bet is she headed back towards her camp or downhill. I'll see if Crow's Pass has heard anything, Onyx added.

Jasper held the radio up to his mouth, ready to respond when he suddenly smelled something.


He froze.


It was charred, similar to something that had been cooked for hours to the point it only smelled of smoke and ash.

It was the same exact smell from two weeks ago.

He felt like he couldn't breathe, frozen to the spot. He could hear Onyx and the others talking over the radio but he felt miles away from it.

Before he could even think about turning around, he spotted small bits of ash falling through the air around him.

Slowly he looked upwards, and if the smell hadn't shocked him before, the sight overhead certainly did.


Above was the charred remains of a body, hung up in the branches of the tall cottonwood tree, sprawled out as though it wanted to fall but was trapped in the branches. Jasper didn't know how, but nothing else appeared to be burned, only the body of the poor woman who screamed for help only 20 minutes beforehand.

Jasper clicked his emergency signal.

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