text: Ryan, a park ranger, poured a cup of warmish coffee from his thermos for the young hiker woman in his station. Madelyn was the hiker’s name. She had tan skin and athletic build normally filled with youthful exuberance. Her body was closed, defensive, and insecure. Her green eyes distant as she stared out the window into the lush alpine forest. “Madelyn, here drink this, it's got creme and sugar. Don't be fooled by the beard, I'm not that manly.” jested Ryan. Madelyn turned her gaze and looked at him blankly. Ryan immediately became uncomfortable. He held the cup out further towards her, and she flinched slightly. “It's okay. You're safe here.” he said. Madelyn took the coffee, it's what you do. She gripped the steel cup with both hands as if to steady herself with it. “Okay. So you can sleep here in the ranger station tonight. I will walk you out tomorrow morning. No big deal. It's not uncommon for even the most experienced hikers to get turned around and spooked.” Ryan said, and waited for a response. When none came he gave a weak smile, and moved to get up from his seat. Madelyn cut him off, “That's not what happened.” Her voice was monotone, but weighty. “Sure.” Ryan said try not to sound condescending, “So what happened?” “Nothing and everything.” Madelyn’s voice trailed off as she stared down into the mocha colored coffee. Ryan looked at her perplexed. Perhaps she was a trail hippie and took some drugs while hiking. He has seen it before. She didn't look the type, but people are full of surprises. Madelyn’s chest heaved as she closed her eyes. “It was all fine until the... I'm not sure what you'd call it? A shrine?” She open her moistening eyes brimmed with madness to look at Ryan. He was startled by their intensity. “What do you mean a shrine?” said Ryan. Madelyn set the cup down abandoning its comforts, and pushed it away. “You know one when you see one. A place filled with purpose, emotional, and visceral.” She shaped an immaterial mound with her hands. “Sacred or profane?” Madelyn ask more to herself. She paused to assess her intangible mound before forcing herself to break away and meet Ryan’s eyes. “I was on the Bear’s Ears Trail.” Ryan interjected, “That's pretty fair from where I found you. Are you sure?” “I was on the Bear’s Ears Trail.” Madelyn asserted. “It was early, there was still morning mist. I rounded a blind turn and there it was. At first, I was disgusted. Who would do such an awful thing? You really wonder about people. There was a deer carcass with a pole going up into its neck and coming out its mouth.” Madelyn raised her chin exposing her neck to the ranger to emphasize the angle. Madelyn continued, “The lower half of the deer was just gone. You could see its ribs exposed. Rocks were piled around the base of the pole. I was freaked out. You think about the person that made something like that. You hope they are long gone. I felt watched. I know how it sounds, but I was also fascinated.” her voice lowered. “And there was a sign.” “What kind of sign?” Ryan shifting forward in his seat with cautious curiosity. As if burned into her mind Madelyn recited, “Eat of my flesh, and know Truth.” The ranger was at a loss for thoughts, but not words, “What the hell does that mean?” Madelyn shifted in her chair and looked back into the woods. Ryan sensed her discomfort, “You know the way you describe it, it has probably been up for a while. I'm sure whoever made it is long gone. I’ll clean it up after we get you home. Okay?” Madelyn nodded in affirmation, and began to quietly unpacked her sleeping bag. “Oh hey, you can sleep in my cot if you'd like.” said Ryan. “It's okay I don't come out her to be pampered.” Madelyn replied as if burden by his suggestion. “Okay well, I will be right over here if you need anything. Rest up, and we'll get you back soon.” said Ryan turning off the station lights. Madelyn laid facing away from Ryan in awkward silence. He resigned himself to his cot, and watch the sky change in the window. The stars were bright in the crisp air. The moon was waning. Ryan noticed these things when he was stationed, but not so much when home. He felt his eyelids grow heavy with boredom, and he drifted off to sleep. Ryan woke with a jolt. He was disoriented from equal parts grogginess and foreign objects in his station. Oh the girl, he remembered. He looked to the floor and saw her half out of her sleeping bag propped up on her hands and knees. He heard her retch and vomit. Her body convulsed and bowed like a cat stretching in starlight. He careful walked around her to the light switch gagging from the sight, sound, and smell. When the lights flicked on he saw her hand cupped to catch blackish brown vomit with copious amounts of fur intermixed. He stood aghast and with morbid confusion. Ryan refused to believe that Madelyn had eaten it, but the evidence contradicted rational thought. Madelyn looked upon him in equal horror, face ashen. “I tried to stop. You don't understand. I really tried. Oh God please help me! I don't want to know.” She clutched her abdomen and hissed in pain. She repeated, “I'm sorry. No more.” over and over again between spasms and dry retching. Ryan radioed for help. Placed a pillow under her head and tried giving her water. She died before help arrived. When they took her body away and finished their questions, he grabbed his gear and left for Bear's Ears Trail in search of Truth.