The trees in the forest are taller than you'd expect for this part of the cape. You guess you're far enough inland that the soil is a little less sandy and the sea winds are a little less harsh, so the trees can grow bigger. You're still happily surprised to be able to find a good number of trees that make plausible candidates for climbing.
You spring up to grab a sturdy branch and swing up, your feet instinctively finding secure places to brace yourself and your arms flexing to hold up your weight. You haven't really climbed trees since you were a kid—who does, except for kids?—but it feels just as natural now as it did then.
You hold onto the tree trunk as you angle your flashlight beam over the forest floor, using the height of your lookout point to scan quickly over the scene. Then you spot it: something that is unmistakably out of place.
It's a footprint that looks like it was made by a boot. A big heavy combat boot with thick corrugated treads. Who would wear shoes like that in summer? If anyone at Camp Cedarcrest had been wearing that kind of boot, you would definitely have noticed.
And then you see another footprint, and another, and another. There's a trail of heavy boot marks tromping off deep into the woods.
Who's in the woods that wears boots like these? If it isn't someone at Camp Cedarcrest, who is it?
You remember hearing about a hermit who lived in the backwoods in Maine for more than twenty years. Is there someone like that living in the woods here? Did they steal Samira's bracelet to sell it?
You creep along the trail, following the footprints deeper into the woods. Suddenly, your flashlight glints off of something bright and shiny. That's it! Samira's bracelet!
You grab it and push it into your pocket.
You're far enough away from the central part of Camp Cedarcrest that the darkness of the forest is nearly complete. If you turn off your flashlight, you won't be able to see anything at all. But if you leave your flashlight on, anyone who's in the woods would definitely be able to see you.
Whoever's walking through the woods wearing those combat boots, you're going to have to look for them tomorrow.
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