Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
#AlaskaLife #GhostHunting #WildlifeEncounter #MooseSighting
“ J ust a little further,” Sophie promised her followers, keeping her phone steady as she walked. “Wyatt’s taking me to what he says is a paranormal hotspot, but honestly? After last night’s ghost stories, I’m starting to think the whole town might be haunted.”
“It’s not haunted,” Wyatt called from up ahead. “And I didn’t say it was a paranormal hotspot. I said there’s an old mining cabin that the historical society is restoring.”
“Same thing!” She grinned at her camera. “Stay tuned, ghost squad. This could get interesting.”
The September morning was crisp and clear, perfect for filming. They’d been hiking for about twenty minutes, following a trail that wound through towering spruce trees. Sophie had already captured footage of three different kinds of mushrooms that Wyatt had identified, a patch of late-blooming fireweed, and what she was pretty sure was a marmot, though it had moved too fast for a clear shot.
“You know,” she said, lowering her phone, “for someone who doesn’t believe in ghosts, you sure know a lot of places where people have reported seeing them.”
“Part of the job.” But there was a hint of amusement in his voice. “Tourists are always asking about local legends.”
“And you just happen to remember them all?”
He glanced back at her, and something in his expression made her heart flutter. “I pay attention.”
Before she could respond, he stopped abruptly, throwing out an arm to halt her progress. Sophie nearly ran into him, catching herself just in time.
“Don’t move,” Wyatt said quietly. “And don’t raise your phone.”
Sophie’s fingers tightened on her device, but she kept it lowered, trusting his tone. That’s when she saw it.
About thirty feet ahead on the trail stood the largest animal she’d ever seen. The moose was easily seven feet tall at the shoulder, with massive antlers that looked like they could uproot trees. It regarded them with what Sophie hoped was mild curiosity rather than aggression.
The moose took a step forward, its hooves leaving deep impressions in the soft ground. Sophie’s heart thundered in her chest. She wanted to seem brave and capable, but there was something about being this close to such a massive wild animal that stripped away all pretense.
“Wyatt?” Her voice came out embarrassingly small.
“It’s okay.” He shifted slightly, positioning himself more firmly between her and the moose. “Just stay still. He’ll move on when he’s ready.”
The moose lowered its head, sniffing the ground, then looked back up at them. Its eyes were surprisingly intelligent, and Sophie found herself holding her breath.
“Talk about paranormal activity,” she whispered. “I think he’s staring into my soul.”
She felt rather than heard Wyatt’s soft chuckle. “They do have that effect.”
Time seemed to stretch as they waited, barely breathing, while the massive animal decided their fate. Sophie was acutely aware of how close she was standing to Wyatt, of the solid warmth of him just inches away. She could smell pine needles and something woodsy—probably his soap—and despite the potentially deadly situation, she felt oddly safe.
Finally, after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, the moose turned and ambled off into the forest. As it moved away, Wyatt’s posture relaxed slightly.
“Go ahead,” he said softly. “Take a quick shot with your phone. Just make darn sure you’re not using a flash.”
Sophie raised her phone with trembling fingers, capturing several shots of the moose’s impressive backside as it disappeared between the trees. “Oh my gosh,” she whispered excitedly, “my followers are never going to believe this!”
“You did well,” Wyatt said, turning to face her, and she realized just how close they were still standing. “Most tourists would have ignored my warning about the phone.”
“I’m not most tourists.” The words came out softer than she’d intended.
“No,” he agreed, something flickering in his eyes. “You’re not.”
A branch snapped somewhere in the forest, making them both jump. The spell broke, and Wyatt stepped back, clearing his throat.
“We should probably head back,” he said. “There might be more moose in the area.”
“But what about the mining cabin?” She couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice.
“It’ll still be there tomorrow.” He started walking, but this time he stayed closer to her. “Besides, now you have a different kind of story to tell your followers.”
Sophie grinned, already planning how she’d describe the encounter. “Ghost Hunting in Alaska: Almost Trampled by Spirit Moose!”
“That is not what happened.”
“Says you.” She hurried to catch up with him. “But did you see the way it looked at us? Those eyes? Totally supernatural.”
“It was sizing us up to decide if we were a threat.”
“Or,” she said, “it was a forest guardian, making sure we were worthy to visit the haunted mining cabin.”
He shot her a look that was somewhere between exasperation and amusement. “You’re not going to turn every animal encounter into a ghost story, are you?”
“Watch me.” She pulled out her phone, making sure to walk backward so she could film them both. “Okay, ghost squad, you won’t believe what just happened! So there we were, deep in the Alaskan wilderness...”
“We’re ten minutes from town,” Wyatt interrupted.
“Deep in the Alaskan wilderness,” she continued, ignoring him, “when suddenly we encountered what I believe was a supernatural entity in the form of a massive moose...”
She caught Wyatt trying to hide a smile and counted it as a win. Maybe she hadn’t gotten to see the mining cabin today, but somehow, this felt like an even better adventure.
Even if her heart was still racing—though she wasn’t entirely sure that was just from the moose anymore.