"What Happens Next?" 😯 - Footprints On The Bike Path?

@SirenOfSerenity

"Status report?" Mike asked Todd, who was currently scorekeeping. He was sure that his last trick had won him lead spot on the trails.

Todd pointed up to the highest hill near them, "You don't want to know."

As soon as Mike looked, he saw Jason on top of it, which he would have had to climb and drag his bike up somehow, and he launched himself off, shouting "Cowabunga!", landing and jumping off a smaller hill on the way down, and spinning to land it when he hit the ground.

Mike shook his head, "You guys barely got to come up for the weekend, I don't think you have time for a hospital stay."

Jason wheelied toward the trails, "Bwahaha, you're just salty because you can't keep up... On that note... Keep up!" He started fast down the trails.

"C'mon," Mike said to Todd who was still reeling, squirming inside by how scary Jason's trick looked, "We gotta catch up."

Mike could barely hear Todd behind him, enjoying the wind against him as he went faster than usual, determined to catch up.

This went on for several minutes until they were halfway down the trails, when he turned a corner and saw Jason stopped in front of him, shouting for Todd to brake, as he nearly crashed into the rock wall himself to brake.

"What gives, fearless leader?" Mike asked, as he looked to where Jason was looking and saw big footprints in front of them... They were reptilian, with three toes ending in claw shapes, as well as a claw at the back of the footprints.

Todd ran up behind them and screamed as they both shushed him, and exchanged a look, before wordlessly walking their bikes down the trails to follow the footprints.

Suddenly, the footprints stopped at the edge of a small cliff... When they looked down, they saw that the footprints continued, but now they looked human... They climbed down to follow. The human footprints looked a little smaller than theirs, and the prints rounded the corner to a dark cave in a hill.

"No way we're going in there," Todd said in a slight gasp.

"Agreed..." Said Jason, "we didn't exactly sign up for this, I have a bad feeling."

"Hello!?" Mike called out, moving closer to the entrance.

"What the heck are you doing?" Jason shouted angrily.

"It's your turn to keep up" Mike said, as soon as something else happened.

"Is someone out there? Please help!" A girl's voice echoed from the cave.

"I'm coming," Mike said, turning his phone's flashlight on, and looking back to the others... They both shook their head, and he continued on inside. It wasn't a particularly big cave, but it did round a corner. Nothing interesting was in the cave, save for a few old looking bones, and in the back corner stood a girl. She was about their age, with long black hair and light brown skin... She was wearing a sort of old green sundress, but had no shoes, and her legs and arms seemed cut up.

She ran up and threw her arms around Mike. "Thank you so much, I've needed someone to come by for so long.".

He didn't know what to think, so he hugged her. "Come on, we're going to get you back home," he whispered as she let go, and he called to his friends outside, "Hey, someone was in trouble, but everything's ok, we're coming out."

He reached to take her hand, but in the second that he turned his head, she was gone.

He called his friends in, and they helped him look for her, but she was gone. Mike's friends made fun of him at first, but then they realized that they'd heard a voice too.

The rest of the ride was cut short. By the time they decided to move on, it was already late, and they knew what they had seen and heard. Mike said his goodbyes as they left for their hotel, and Mike headed home. He'd see them again in the morning.

By the time he got ready for bed, he was so tired that he collapsed. In the morning, he heard his phone ring.

"Hullo?" Mike answered, barely able to open his eyes.

It was Todd. "Dude, you need to come outside, RIGHT NOW!"

Mike rubbed the sleep from his eyes and hurried toward the front door in his boxers.

"Follow us", Jason said, looking freaked out, and Mike winced in annoyance feeling his feet stick in the mud from the overnight rain with every step.

When he saw it, he felt his insides churn. There were reptilian footprints coming from the small forest next to his house, that turned human and stopped right in front of his bedroom window.

@SirenOfSerenity

Mike, Mark, & Steve, they were your typical college kids. Jocks, adrenaline junkies, adventurous, cardio freak fitness guys. Now let us advanced to today, college was many years in the past. They still love their mountain biking, off-road bicycling, and knocking back a few brews at the end of the day. Since college they physically moved apart and have their own families. But Mike keeps in touch with the boys, he is kind of the social glue between them.

They have their favorite trails where they usually meet up together, but this time, Mike suggested a new place. Few hours out of the way. Kind of in the dystopia type setting. Mark & Steve really didn’t care where they rode as long as they got their seat time. They are also a little more into the cardio then in the whole experience. Mike is full in with the whole experience. He wants the full package. Mike is also the older one of the group, he is slowing down a little more than the others. And since his accident he has been a little more observant. That is why he chose the Painted Desert. It’s about ~4 hrs from New Mexico. Nice trails, great views, and strange history.

The boys unloaded the vehicles and all their camping gear is in place. The equipment had been unpacked and setup. Their kick stands up and they were all on the trails. They had their Cardo Pacs on their helmets so they can talk to each other. Most of the time it was trash talking to motivate each other and also, boys will be boys. Mike is most of the time in the back of the pack. Mark & Steve are usually competing to be the head. They crested this one hill and there was the view that Mike wanted. Mike stopped to take in the view. How majestic and mysterious the view. Mike was proud of himself.

A crackle sound came through his helmet speakers which brought Mike back into the now. Panning to his left he noticed Mark & Steve flowing through the terrain with such agility and skill. Then Mike noticed a little further to the left, something strange. “Hey guys!” Mike called into the headset in his helmet. Mike didn’t hear a response. Maybe they were too far away? Mike got back on the trail and to catch up. Mike called to them a few more times and he caught up to Mark & Steve. The boys stopped. “We hear you” Mark said to Mike when they stopped. “We knew you would ride hard to catch up.” Mike interjected “Did you see something strange back in the .. “ Steve cut in “You mean the painted rocks?” “no no no. And its Painted Desert” said Mike shaking his head while correcting. “Think it might have been aliens? We are near New Mexico” Mark poked fun at the situation. “Yea ~300 miles or so” Retorted Mike while rolling his eyes. “I can’t put my finger on what I saw.” Mike stated as they started riding again.

Up the hills, twists, turns, bumps, rocks, the challenges were there. But Mike was preoccupied in his own thoughts to full comprehend the majestic experience. They finished their ride and was back at the camp site. The sun had started to set as they started cooking with fires and cracking open the even brews. Mike had put the strange experience behind him. They all were all engaged with the trails and the experience. The locals have their stories to explain the Painted Desert, a fraction or piece off the Roswell crash. The exaggerated explanation for the Petrified Forest. Mike was fascinated with the whole idea the prehistoric pants, and possible animals, etc. Then Mike remember, he had his GoPro. The battery is dead. He will have to wait until they are home to see if it captured anything or did he imagine it? Mike’s thoughts were dwelling on the ideas, Mark & Steve were not interested in hearing what Mike has to say about the local stories.

We will never know what was on the GoPro … or do we already know?