The Whispers of Rainier
The Whispers of Rainier
The chilling mist snaked through the ancient evergreens of Mount Rainier National Park, clinging to Maya and Ben as they hiked deeper into the woods. The sun dipped behind the colossal mountain, casting long, eerie shadows that danced around them. They were alone. Utterly, terrifyingly alone.
"Are you sure this is the right trail?" Maya asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her breath clouded in the frigid air. Ben, ever the confident one, consulted the tattered map.
"Relax, Maya. We’re almost to Reflection Lake. It'll be worth it, trust me."
But Maya couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional snap of a twig underfoot or the distant caw of a raven. The trees seemed to watch them, their gnarled branches like skeletal arms reaching out.
As they rounded a bend, the trail opened up, revealing the lake. But it wasn't the serene, mirrored surface they expected. A thick, unnatural fog blanketed the water, obscuring everything beyond a few feet. And then they heard it: a whisper, carried on the wind.
"Leave…"
Ben scoffed. "Probably just the wind. Come on, let's set up camp."
Ignoring Maya's protests, Ben began unpacking their gear. As he fiddled with the tent poles, the whispering grew louder, more insistent.
- Gaunt:
- Extremely thin and bony.
- Serene:
- Calm and peaceful.
- Gnarled:
- Rough and twisted, especially with age.
- Unnatural:
- Not normal or expected.
- colossal:
- Extremely large or massive in size.
- obscuring:
- Hiding or covering something so that it is difficult to see.
- materialize:
- To appear or take form, especially in a sudden or mysterious way.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why were Maya and Ben hiking in Mount Rainier National Park?
- 2How did Maya feel about the hike?
Where this passage belongs
About this fiction passage for Middle School
“The Whispers of Rainier” is a fiction reading passage about National Parks, written for Middle School. It takes about 2 minutes to read (368 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.