Help with a panel

[Grogzilla]

In the second panel, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out if there's some sort of sound effect being used. I've looked everywhere for an answer, but nothing. Anybody have an idea what this is?

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https://imgur.com/a/K3FUP3C

 

[solstice258]

Looks like ザ to me (the sound of stopping in the dirt(?))

 

[Grogzilla]

Looks like ザ to me (the sound of stopping in the dirt(?))

That's what I thought initially, I just thought it would've been a little more clearer if that was the case (a more curved second line or the dakuten a little smaller)

 

[solstice258]

That's what I thought initially, I just thought it would've been a little more clearer if that was the case (a more curved second line or the dakuten a little smaller)

Sometimes Japanese fonts get a little weird, especially with sfx

 

[Grogzilla]

Sometimes Japanese fonts get a little weird, especially with sfx

Alright cool, I think I'll go with that then. Would something like "STEP" be a reasonable thing to typeset? (In context: walking along a hiking trail, the sound of someone's footstep ruining the moment.)