Nicole shouted. “Why?” John asked. “Because I need to puke,” Mark said. “I’m serious,” Nicole insisted. “I saw something!” John put the brakes on, and Nicole was out of the cab before the truck came to a complete stop. “I’m serious about puking,” Mark said. “Take care of it outside the cab while I find out what Nicole is up to.” The trail they had been following was slippery and narrow. They had already gotten stuck twice, but both times John had managed to get the truck loose without using the winch. He caught up to Nicole fifty yards into the woods, on the downhill side of the trail. “What did you see?” “I’m not sure.” Nicole scanned the thick trees. “It was just a glimpse of something or someone.” “We’re at least a mile above the highway and several miles from the nearest village. It’s not likely that anyone would be wandering this far above the —” The ground shook. John grabbed Nicole and pulled her down to the base of a tree, shielding her from the dead branches raining down.
