The morning sun draped the forest trail with scattering golden rays that bathed the trees in glowing light as Travis trekked his morning jog. His rhythmic breaths blended with the singing birds, and his sneakers crunched gravel as he blazed down the trail. The air was crisp, laced with the faint scent of pine and moss. This was Travis’ routine, he knew this trail like the back of his hand.

The path curved sharply, leading deeper into the woods. Here, the trees grew denser, their shadows casting out the morning sun. Travis looked around, unsure of his surroundings. Had he taken a wrong turn and not realized it? He took his earphones out and a faint sound caught his ears, tugging at his attention. It was faint, almost imperceptible—a soft, wet gurgle. Curious but cautious, Travis slowed his pace and scanned the area.

At first, he saw nothing unusual. The underbrush swayed slightly in the breeze, and the forest seemed normal. Kuudzu vines coiled and twisted around the trunks of trees, and moss grew in sporadic patches on the stones littering the trail. But as he continued jogging through, the sound grew louder. It wasn’t water bubbling—it was thicker, more dense. Then it appeared ahead: a patch of dull gray, out of place against the earthy tones of the forest floor.

Travis stopped, curious. The gray pit shimmered in the sunlight, almost invitingly. As he stepped closer, the ground gave a strange glurp noise, soft yet sharp, like a mouth opening. Travis hesitated.

But when his foot touched the edge, the surface gave way instantly, sucking him down with shocking force. The gurgling sound erupted into a wet roar as Travis fell knee-deep into the strange pit.

“Whoa! What the—?” His voice wavered as he tried to pull his leg free, but the gray muck clung to him like molasses. It wasn’t just sticky; it was practically gripping him. Each struggle seemed to draw him deeper and deeper into the clay.

The pit bubbled angrily, almost as if alive. A faint, eerie sucking sound echoed around him—wet and greedy, like the forest itself was devouring him. Panic surged through Travis’ mind as he planted his hands on the edges of the pit, trying frantically to pull himself out. But the gray sludge was relentless, creeping higher with every movement.

“Help! Somebody!” he shouted, but the woods swallowed his cries, leaving only the grotesque symphony of the pit of quicksand that hungrily slurped him deeper.

The more Travis fought, the deeper he sank. The gray quicksand rippled around his waist now, its surface trembling as if mocking him. The air felt heavier, oppressive. His heart pounded as he clawed at the ground, but the mud simply caked around his fingers and gave way before he could ever get a grip on sturdy ground.

He stopped moving for a moment, panting. Maybe if he stayed still, it would let him go. But the silence was short-lived. A new sound rose from the pit—a low, guttural slurp. And then, without warning, the quicksand began to pull him downward again, this time faster.

“No, no, no!” Travis screamed, thrashing wildly. The gray sludge oozed over his chest, cold and clammy, its texture almost alien. He could feel it seeping into his clothes, pressing against his skin.

The forest seemed to darken around him, the cheerful singing of birds replaced by the sinister squelches of the pit. Travis’ arms flailed, desperate to find purchase, but the muck was up to his neck now, and the thick weight of the sludge prevented him from pulling his arms above the surface.

“Please,” he whispered, though no one was there to hear him. The churning of the bubbling pit was enough to drown out his pathetic pleas for help. The sludge gurgled one last time, and with a final, wet slurp, the gray quicksand claimed him, pulling him beneath the surface, leaving behind the swirls of his struggle on the surface above.

Silence fell over the trail. The forest returned to its serene state, the golden sunlight once again peeking between the trees. The pit sat still, its surface smooth, as if nothing had happened. The only sound was the faint, wet gurgle, its whisper carried by the wind, seeking a new curious soul to devour.