The Forest in Appalachia Remembered Her Face and Followed Her Home

Harper’s Old Voice

Exhausted and starving, Harper found a ranger station, or what looked like one. Lights were on, and the radio crackled. She stepped inside, noticing it was too quiet and too clean. The desk had a tape recorder with the play button blinking. She pressed it, and her voice filled the room.

She sounded younger as she laughed, telling Mike about some dumb summer hike. But halfway through, the voice flattened and grew slower. “It’s tired of wearing fur,” it said in her voice. “It wants skin now. Tell the forest I’m ready.” Harper dropped the recorder. But it kept playing. She heard footsteps, then chewing.

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