It's 4 am. Gabe just woke up to feed and milk the cattle. Most of the time he would go hunting after and wouldn't return until midday. I rolled over caressing the pillow where he just laid his head. The mixture of the cold air and soft silk of the lingerie I am wearing made my nipples hard. I had wondered when he would return.

My eyes closed and my mind went adrift, like a raft on the open water. "Would he come back this time?" "He will be safe, He is a great hunter." I thought. I assured myself of his hunting prowess and I fell asleep.

I woke to the sun shining on my face, I felt the cool december air touch my skin as I sat up above the covers. I let out a yawn and stumbled out of bed, haphazardly meandering towards the kitchen. The room had a deafning silence about it. Normally it would be full of life, with Gabe cooking and humming a tune to himself as the morning started. A pin dropping would provide a great deal of sanctity to my mind at this point.

I threw on some clothes and went outside. Winters are so harsh. Not much snow, but Bone-chilling winds and plenty of starving dangerous animals make it barely hospitable. It's no wonder why all of the people here are so rough around the edges. I moved here about 2 months ago after getting married to Gabe. Life for me couldn't be better.

I glanced around but couldn't see him anywhere. This is unlike him. "He should have returned by now." I thought. I started following the hunting trail he made. He always follows the trail and leaves red tape markers on trees so I would know where to find him. After following the trail for what felt like an hour, I found a red marked tree but It lead away from the trail. I thought he might have been chasing an animal and veered off the trail slightly. He marked the trees on this new path, So I kept following them.

I followed the red taped trees for about a quarter mile. I found the roll of tape and his gun. I turned around only to notice the red tape on the trees was all gone. "GABE!???" I yelled. The ground was covered by a very thin layer of murky water. I was lost. I grabbed the gun and started wandering in the direction that i thought I came from. The endless trees and water didn't make it any better. I was scared to death. "GABE!??!! GABE COME OUT!!!" I yelled. Just then, I turned and saw him. Face down in the water. I ran to him. Grabbed his hand and turned him over. I was crying as I looked into his lifeless eyes. "Oh my god! GABE!!"

I didn't know what to do. I had to find help but we were too far out in the forest. I started yelling for help, hoping somebody would be hunting at this time. I screamed until I had no breath left in my lungs. I panicked and started running like a wind animal hoping to find my way back home. I tripped and fell into the water. The sun was covered as a giant shadow was blocking it rays from reaching me. I rolled over in the water and saw the shadowy figure staring at me.






"This is my swamp."