For tonight's episode, we are diving into the deep woods for
some scary encounters sent in from viewers like you.
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a bit later in the episode. It's this awesome drink that
makes you more productive. Now let's dive into some scary
deep woods horror stories. Man, I'm exhausted, Kip whined
as his boots thudded heavily against the dirt path.
His face remained hidden, but the way his back was hunched,
shoulders slumping, revealed the weight of fatigue pressing upon
him. I want to crawl under a blanket
and sleep for a whole week, maybe two.
You need to shower first. I retorted, my gaze fixed
straight ahead. You stink.
In all honesty, so did I. Hours of hiking had left us both
sweat soaked and weary. Even the short journey back to
the parking lot felt daunting, especially as the darkness
descended upon us. Tonight was exceptionally dark.
Not a single sliver of moonlight pierced the sky, enveloping our
surroundings in an impenetrable shroud of blackness.
My flashlight, the only source of illumination, cast eerie
shadows and revealed little more than Kip's silhouette in the
trail ahead. It did nothing to dispel the
menacing darkness that lurked just beyond its reach, but I
knew this trail well, having walked it for years.
It was a safe area, or so I believed.
The hike back, even in the pitch black night, should have been a
tranquil experience. The sounds of crickets chirping,
the distant hoots of an owl and the gentle breeze rustling
through my hair almost lulled me into a dreamy, half conscious
state. Do you hear that?
Kip whispered suddenly, his footsteps halting abruptly.
What? I inquired, puzzled.
Listen, he urged, his entire body tensing.
I frowned and came to a stop behind him.
I don't hear anything. Kip hushed me, his posture rigid
and vigilant. I swung my flashlight around
it's pale beam revealing only the underbrush and tree trunks.
Nothing seemed amiss, but as I tuned into the night silence, I
noticed something unsettling. The crickets had fallen silent,
the usual Symphony of night sounds was absent, and all that
remained was the soft rustling of our clothes and the rhythmic
panting of our breaths. Kip, what exactly do you hear?
A piercing scream. Pierce the stillness, followed
by a high pitched female voice shouting.
Help me. I froze in my tracks, my eyes
widening in alarm. My feet felt as though they were
glued to the ground, while Kip wasted no time and sprinted
forward, his terse command of come on echoing back to me.
Kip, wait, I protested, turning around and swinging my
flashlight just in time to catch his silhouette vanishing into
the forest. My heart raced and my hands
trembled. This was supposed to be a safe
trail. I had never encountered anything
more menacing than a rabbit here.
Why had Kip rushed off like that, leaving me in the dark
without a flashlight? Why hadn't he waited for me?
I shook my head vehemently, attempting to clear my thoughts.
I had to follow him. It was likely a minor incident.
Maybe the girl had fallen and needed medical assistance.
I reassured myself that there must be a first aid kit in my
backpack. Summoning my courage, I pressed
forward in the direction Kip had gone, stepping off the trail and
between the trees. The feeble light revealed only
the swaying grass left in his wake.
Even the sound of his hurried footsteps had faded into the
night. Alone in the darkness.
I took a deep breath and began running, calling out.
Help me again. I concentrated on the sound of
her voice, using it as a beacon. As long as she was calling out,
I assumed she was safe. If there had been a bear, or any
real danger, she would have ceased her cries long ago.
The trail had always been safe, devoid of bears for miles Kip, I
yelled into the night. There was no response.
He had a substantial lead on me, and I was certain he would reach
her first. Perhaps he was already by her
side, comforting her and waiting for me to call 911.
He had mentioned that his phone had no signal in this area.
Help me. The voice grew louder as I drew
nearer. The trees began to thin and I
slowed to a brisk walk, panting heavily in the night air,
clutching my flashlight so tightly that my knuckles turned
white. Something felt wrong.
The voice didn't sound too distant, and I would reach her
soon. Kip with his head start should
already be with her. Yet as I continued walking, I
realized something was amiss. Why hadn't she stopped shouting?
And why did her cries all sound identical?
The same desperate pitch, The elongated E and me Every time
something about it felt unnatural, help me.
Reaching A clearing, I suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable.
I dimmed my flashlight, trying to move silently.
I couldn't shake the sensation that someone was watching me,
and my breathing sounded deafening in the eerie stillness
of the forest. Help me.
An icy shiver crawled up my spine as I realized the
horrifying truth. It was the same voice repeating
the same words, same pitch, same tone, like a broken record
playing on an endless loop. There had never been a person in
distress. Kip and I had been lured into a
trap. In a panic, I turned off my
flashlight and crouched behind a tree, trembling uncontrollably.
I reached for my phone, holding it close to my chest to conceal
its light, and dialed Kip's number.
He answered on the second ring. Where are you?
He bellowed. I lowered my voice to a whisper
as I explained. Kip, you need to listen.
We have to run. It's a trap.
I swear there's no one in trouble.
It's just some kind of recording or something.
I don't know who's out there, but I don't want to find out.
A long silence followed. Did he doubt me?
I continued desperation in my voice.
Please, just come find me first. I'm hiding by a tree.
I'll turn on my flashlight so you can see me.
Where are you? He demanded once more.
I don't have the exact coordinates, but if you just, I
began to say. Where are you?
My breath caught in my throat. My ears rang, and dizziness
washed over me. Right.
Kip's phone didn't have service here.
We shouldn't be talking. My phone slipped from my hand,
hitting the ground with a thud. Kip's voice repeated, quieter
but still audible. The same words, the same pitch,
the same tone, Just like a recording stuck on an endless
loop. It started out as just a routine
night on the job as a park Ranger, or more specifically in
my case, just a routine night on the job as a park Ranger in
Arizona. It was a job I loved, as I'd
been on the team for years, and I had no reason to want to
change that. I adored the scenery, the desert
canyons, the Saguaro cactus that dotted the horizon and
everything that came with it. I even love the job at night.
In fact, I especially loved working at night.
That's my favorite time to patrol the park.
There had just been a recent series of dust storms in the
area, so the park had been closed for several days and
tomorrow was the first full day back.
Our job today had been to prepare for the reopening and we
had been tasked with double checking the park to make sure
nothing was amiss or out of place.
And lucky for me, I had gotten the chance to patrol the area as
night was settling in. I had just rounded a corner and
was straightening my Jeep out on the road when I noticed
something looked slightly out of place.
I'd been on this stretch of Rd. literally 1000 times by now, but
thanks to the huge dust storm, the nearby Canyon wall had been
swept clear of dust and now you could see that a section of rock
wall had been removed and replaced with something else.
So I immediately pulled over, turned on my flashlight, and
hopped out of the Jeep to investigate.
It didn't take long to see that this wasn't some random gap in
the Canyon wall, but a man made opening that had been boarded up
many years ago. The wood was badly damaged and
weathered by the elements, and it had only been the years of
sand and debris that kept it hidden this long.
I felt a ripple of excitement as I held my flashlight up to it.
From all the years I've been on the job and lived out here, I
was pretty sure this was the opening to a mine.
Not only had I seen plenty in my time out West, but part of the
land that was now the park had belonged to a mining company.
There had been rumors there was a mine under the land, but
nothing had ever been found or confirmed until now, and I made
it official by using my Jeep radio to let my colleagues know
my location and what I'd found. The Ranger base radioed back.
They had received my message and we're sending some of my
colleagues to help investigate with me and I should wait until
they arrived. I confirmed I understood my
instructions and then I returned to my Jeep and waited.
My fellow Rangers arrived relatively quickly and once they
had their flashlights in hand, we all carefully approached the
badly boarded up entrance. There were now four of us,
Holly, Christian Fletcher and myself.
The wooden beams were barely held in place by rusty nails and
were pulled off easily. Once they were all laying cast
aside on the rocky ground, we shined our flashlights into the
now exposed entrance. Now there was no doubt it was
the opening to a mine. The wooden beams lining the
walls and the rusty track lining the floor confirmed this had
been used in mining since I had been the one to find this place.
My fellow Rangers let me do the honors and I led the way into
the dusty and arid tunnel. The tunnel went on for about a
mile until it passed by an open section of rock wall on our
left. It was jagged and rough, but we
could just see that it LED straight to a mine shaft many
stories below us. But when we looked straight down
at the mine shaft with our flashlights in hand, I almost
recoiled in shock. The mine shaft floor was almost
completely covered with snakes. Only the slightest bit of mine
floor was visible for us to see, and even from this distance it
was obvious they were diamondback rattlesnakes.
We'd all seen many of them while working here, but seeing so many
of them in one place didn't feel real.
I could practically feel their movements, even though I was far
above them. The fact that so many of them
got here in one place was mind boggling.
It all looked like something out of a documentary, and if you
stared at it long enough, there was the brief illusion that the
floor was moving. Wow, Holly muttered as she
looked at the snakes just below us.
Wow is right, Christian agreed. Definitely something to
document. We did just that before we
carried on. Once we left the snakes behind,
the four of us walked in relative silence for about 5
minutes until we came to a turn in the tunnel and we could feel
it descending further into the earth.
The air was even cooler here, and we kept at a steady pace
until we arrived at a fork in the tunnel.
All right, what do we do now? Fletcher asked.
Shall we split up? Christian suggested.
Works for me, I said. I'll take the left.
I'll go with you, Fletcher volunteered.
Cool. Then we'll head this way, Holly
nodded once we radioed the base what we were doing and got
confirmation they understood. We proceeded.
When Fletcher and I headed down the left tunnel, Holly and
Christian disappeared behind the dense rock wall separating the
tunnels. And that was it.
Fletcher and I walked at the same pace as the left tunnel,
veered far off from the path we've been going down.
After twisting sharply to the left, it evened out until we
found ourselves in a narrow cavern that led to a dead end.
With my flashlight in hand, I took a closer look at where we
were. The ceiling was dotted with
stalactites and the ground was covered in sand and a few rocks.
Fletcher was right behind me as we quietly checked everything
out. I was just about to say we
should go back when I saw right in the corner there was a
section of wall that was a bit smoother than the rest.
When I took a closer look, it appeared like a bit of the floor
was boarded up. Come over here, I called to
Fletcher. He immediately walked over to
where I was looking and saw I'd found something.
After we both took a moment to look at it, we were able to see
it was a trap door and there was a rusted handle in the middle of
the wooden frame. Shall we give it a try?
Fletcher asked. I nodded and we both took hold
and tugged. It was heavy and took a ton of
strength, but after a moment it jolted open with a loud crack.
Once we eased it open, we shined our flashlights down into the
opening. It was a simple climb down a bit
of cavern steps and it opened to another path.
But why had it been closed off? People had probably fallen back
when this was an operating mine. After we briefly reported what
we'd found back to base, we slowly descended the steps.
Once we were both back on flat terrain, we took the space in.
You couldn't see it from above, but this part of the mine
connected to a winding path that led further down into what I
assumed was the pit. This time, Fletcher went first
and I followed him. We had walked for almost a mile
down the winding path when Fletcher moved a stationary mine
cart out of the way, and it inadvertently crashed into the
rock wall beside us with a loud bang that seemed to echo in the
space. Sorry, he said to me.
No worries. But in the beam from my
flashlight I could see the mine cart hitting the rock wall had
disturbed the earth around it, and an opening had appeared in
the ground, and moments later I could see shapes coming out of
it. I immediately recognized them as
Arizona Barks Scorpions, and they were crawling out of the
wall at a fast pace, and before too long they had completely
covered the space separating Fletcher and myself.
Especially because we had both been in the job long enough to
know you didn't want to get stung by one, much less the
dozens crawling out. So we immediately backed up and
away from each other. I guess I'll go this way and you
keep going that way, I said, as I pointed to the other way the
tunnel went. Sounds good.
I'll catch up with you. And with that I was back on my
own. I followed the path in the other
direction and before too long I came to another end, but this
time it was marked by a huge pile of rocks.
When I got close I could feel the breeze coming from
somewhere, so I knew this LED outside.
So I slowly started removing rocks and before too long there
was a narrow path for me to climb through to reach the other
side and once I put my flashlight back on my belt I
started to climb through the rocks and feel my way through.
Moments later I was in the pleasant night time air again.
The breeze felt amazing after being in the dusty mine for so
long, and I took a moment to get oriented.
I was far away from the park now and I was in the middle of a
rocky Canyon overlooking the desert terrain a level below.
It was an incredible sight, all those Saguaro cacti dotting the
night landscape while other brush lined the desert floor.
But then, far on the horizon, I saw something coming this way,
something kicking up a lot of dusk.
It was a car, and its headlights were blazing bright against the
darkness that had settled over everything.
The site filled me with dread, so I immediately ducked behind a
rock wall and watched a lone car.
Driving out in the desert at night is never a good sign,
especially when the road doesn't exactly lead this way.
It didn't happen often, but occasionally Rangers have found
things out here over the years. Unnerving things, things that
suggested something bad happened without coming right out and
saying it. It's no surprise because there's
nowhere to run in the desert. There aren't many trees to climb
up in, no forest you can camouflage yourself with, and no
abandoned cabin you can run into unless you get lucky and there's
an abandoned mine around. You are well and truly at the
mercy of whatever is out there. And most of the time that means
you're at the mercy of nature, or even worse, people who didn't
know the meaning of the word merciful.
Out of instinct, I checked my belt and my stomach lurched when
I realized my walkie-talkie was gone.
Probably got stuck in the rocks I climbed through, but I still
had my heavy flashlight. That was more important because
it could come in handy if push came to shove.
Then I quickly tried to crawl my way back to the mine to get
help. But then cold fear hit me as I
realized there had been a cave in or something, as heavier
rocks had replaced the much lighter ones I had moved.
I quietly struggled for a moment until it was obvious they
weren't budging, so I had no choice but to return to my
hiding spot and think of what else to do.
So I took a deep breath and watch the vehicle, which was a
truck, bounce over countless dips in the ground.
There were no paved streets out here, so the truck was
constantly kicking up dust and swerving roughly.
I had no idea what was going on, but I had a feeling and it gave
me a chill. Naivety is a luxury most people
can't afford anymore. The trucks headlights were
almost unnaturally bright, gleaming harshly against the
desert sand. If anyone else accidentally
stumbled onto the scene, I doubt they'd wonder about what was
happening out here at night either.
As I could tell, there were two most likely options, money
changing hands or something worse.
It was just a question of which one it would be.
In fact, it was entirely possible it could be both.
As the truck got closer I could see it was Gray and although the
windows weren't tinted, I couldn't see who was inside.
Moments later the truck slammed to a halt in an open patch of
land that was just close enough for me to see what was
happening. Then all was eerily quiet for a
moment until all four doors opened at the same time and one
man got out of each door. The trucks front was facing me,
so I had a direct view as the two guys on the driver's side
pulled a fifth guy out of the back seat and dragged him
roughly along with them. Not a good sign, especially
because even at this distance I could see they were armed in
addition to carrying flashlights to see where they were walking,
and you could tell the guy was scared.
No surprise there since they had no concern about him seeing
their faces. That meant they weren't worried
about what came after this little rendezvous, but even if
they'd done that, he probably knew who they were.
While I could practically smell the fear coming off him, he
didn't look surprised or shocked.
In fact, I felt a shock of recognition when I realized the
guy looked familiar. He was a local business man who
disappeared about a week ago. The story was some people had
shown up unannounced at his house and without saying a word,
kicked the door in, dragged him out and stuffed him in the back
of a car in the middle of the night.
And rumor was the people responsible were a local gang
famous for violence intended to shock and horrify.
But since this guy was well known and had some power in
town, rumor was they decided to make an example of him in
another way by making him disappear.
By now they had dragged the guy who I remembered was Mason
Winters towards a spot in the middle of the area.
He was dressed in a suit that was clearly expensive, but it
also seen better days. But then I realized that three
of the four guys were dragging Winters while the 4th was
retrieving something from the back of the truck.
I briefly wondered how many times they'd done this.
From their demeanor, they seemed beyond nonchalant about it all,
like it was the most routine thing in the world to them,
which very well could be the case.
Then the guy found what he wanted from the trunk.
It was a shovel, which he tossed at the ground by where his
associates had shoved Mason Winters and left him dig.
I could hear him faintly say from where I was hiding.
There was no further explanation needed.
As Winters picked up, the shovel stood up and slowly started
digging. I could see the first few
shovelfuls were hard, but it started to come easier.
He shoveled back and forth in what seemed like a never ending
motion. I could practically feel their
gaze on him as each shovelful brought him one step closer to
the end, and the air was thick with adrenaline in tension.
I was sweating despite the cool night air, and I didn't want to
look, but I had no choice. It wasn't long before Winters
began to feel the ache in his arms, because he definitely
slowed down the longer he dug. The four men didn't say a word
the entire time as they merely leaned against the truck, and
one of them lit up a cigarette when he did.
The brief flash of a lighter stood out in the darkness for a
moment. The hole was slowly getting
bigger and bigger, as was the pile of dirt beside it.
Before too long it would be the proper dimensions, and then it
would all be over, or it would be unless I did something, which
is what I had planned. I had some rocks ready and when
the moment came I would hurl some as far as I could in the
other direction and cause some paranoia and distraction.
Maybe give Winters the chance to get the upper hand.
He didn't strike me as the type to back down from a fight
easily. He may have been terrified and
his arms were probably aching with every movement, but he was
dignified. Not once did he beg or plead for
his life. I also noticed it felt
unnaturally quiet. No sign of any animals or any
other forms of desert life. I'm not sure if that made the
situation better or worse. All right, that's good enough,
one of the four armed men suddenly commanded.
As Winter stop digging, I gripped one of the rocks tightly
in my hand. It was time.
I was aiming to throw it where it would make plenty of noise.
Fear shiver down my spine as I got ready to act.
But just as I was about to throw, there was a sound from
somewhere out there in the desert, something between a snap
and a crack, and the suddenness of it after the deafening
silence was disconcerting. What was that?
The one who told Winters to stop asked.
He was about medium height, and he had an athletic build.
No idea. Come with me and look.
The driver nodded at him. You two watch him, he said to
the other two gunmen while pointing at Winters.
The two of them headed in the direction the sound had come
from while Winter stood in front of the hole with two pairs of
eyes on him. From where they were headed, it
looked like the sound had come from behind a small Canyon
covered in sand. What the hell?
I heard the driver ask after about 3 minutes.
Is that was all The other guy managed to get out before I
heard a deafening roar that was immediately followed by the
sound of gunfire and a blood curdling scream.
The other two gunmen, watching Winters immediately jumped and
ran to check out what was going on.
Winters grabbed the shovel again and watched from behind the
mound of dirt as the two men ran to where their associates had
been, only to be stopped dead in their tracks As the driver
sprinted towards them, his clothes and face splattered with
red. Run for the truck.
He screamed at them, but before he could lead them in that
direction, something grabbed him from behind and dragged him out
of sight while he thrashed and screamed.
The flashlight in his hand lay there motionless on the ground,
casting a beam onto the sand. The two remaining gunmen also
dropped their flashlights as they tried to honor their
instructions and sprinted towards the truck, any thoughts
of winter's long since forgotten.
They were halfway there when something stepped in their path.
I watched in shock as a shape on four legs that seemed to loom
out of the darkness launched itself at them with a ferocity I
had never seen before. Like anyone, I had heard stories
of what creatures may lurk in the desert.
I hadn't given it much thought as an adult because there were
many more pressing monsters to be afraid of.
Who has time to worry about a monster that may or may not
exist? When you are surrounded by
monsters you know exist? Winners audibly gasped at the
same time. Both gunmen yelled out.
One tried to aim and fire his gun, but the creature stood on
its hind legs and slashed his arm with claws that looked
lethally long before he could fire a single shot.
He let out a wail of pain as he fell to the ground.
The other one tried to keep running to the truck.
I could hear his heavy breathing as he panted, but he was no
match for the creature. It pounced on him and sunk its
teeth into his neck, silencing him instantly.
Meanwhile, his associate was still crawling on the ground,
trying to get to cover in the truck.
In the blink of an eye, whatever that thing was landed on top of
him, and after the gunman briefly cried out, he went
quiet. Now it was silent again, and the
only source of light out on the desert floor was the discarded
flashlights. But that thing was still out
there because you could occasionally hear movement
coming from the darkness. Winters heard it too, because he
stayed hidden behind the massive dirt pile and kept quiet.
Good move. An eternity passed before I
heard what sounded like footsteps going in the opposite
direction. Then it was gone.
Winters noticed the same thing because he peeked out from
behind the dirt mound and saw there was no sign of that thing.
No doubt he was feeling painfully exposed out there in
the middle of the desert more than ever.
Then somehow the feeling in the air returned to normal and the
desert felt more like the desert once again.
I couldn't tell you how or why it happened, but something
shifted in the air and now this felt more like the desert I'd
spent an incalculable amount of time in.
So after I cleared my throat and tried to shake off the shock of
the situation, I stood up and called out.
Hey, Winters. Over here.
He turned to look at me so fast. It was impressive.
I had no doubt the poor guy was on edge, but I thought that was
better than sneaking up on him. Who are you and how do you know
who I am? He yelled back to me.
I'm a park Ranger and I've seen you all over the news.
How did you get out here? Found a hidden mine shaft and
followed it here. He paused while he took this in.
How long were you up there? Not long.
I got here right before you arrived.
Did he began. Did something come out of
nowhere and attack my unwanted associates?
Indeed, I thought so. But I wanted to check and make
sure I wasn't hallucinating or something.
Saying I'm lucky that thing showed up doesn't even come
close to describing it. I was going to cause a little
diversion. If it didn't, my walkie-talkie
got lost in the mine. Otherwise I would have called
for help. I appreciate that.
On that note, do you mind lending me a ride?
I pointed to the truck that sat there silently.
No problem. Come on down and we'll get the
hell out of there. He didn't need to say anything
more now I felt better about turning my flashlight back on as
I walked down from where I was to the truck.
I still felt the adrenaline running through my body, but it
was more muted. Plus, it was nothing compared to
how winters must be feeling, so I just put one foot in front of
the other and walk towards the truck.
While I was far less wary now, I did keep my eye on the truck and
paid attention to my peripheral vision as I approached Winters
while I walked through the cactus line.
Sand. Eventually Winters was in front
of me. He studied my appearance,
obviously checking my uniform. After a moment, he held his hand
out in front of him and we shook hands.
I could feel how raw they were from digging, but he didn't
flinch for a moment. Nice to meet you, I said
sincerely. Likewise.
Shall we get this show on the road?
Absolutely. But then I paused.
Is it all right if I drive? Winters didn't say anything, but
I could feel him thinking over my request after what seemed
like a long time but was probably less than a minute.
He chuckled. Sure thing.
And smart man. I would have asked the same
thing. You may have an idea of who
those men are and why they took me, but you don't know specifics
and have no reason to trust me or where I might take you.
By all means, drive. I'm just happy to get the hell
out of here at all. With that, I hopped in the
driver's seat while winters climbed in beside me.
I wasn't surprised that the keys were still in the ignition.
They had no reason to even consider removing them.
As I briefly checked the truck, I could see bits of stuffing
coming out of the upholstery in the back seat, but the truck
started without any difficulty and I slowly pulled out of
there. As the area faded away in the
red glow from the tail lights, I watched the dust being kicked up
in the truck's rear view mirror. What was left of the four men
who came out with Winters laid sprawled out on the ground,
completely motionless. After a few minutes, the site
had nearly vanished in the rear view mirror and we were well on
our way towards the road back to town.
You want to know exactly what happened?
Winters asked after being quiet since we got in the truck.
Of course, the reason for my disappearance and the little
ride out here was that I wouldn't pay money to some
people who claimed I should for my own good.
Do you know why I have an idea? He chuckled.
You seem perceptive, so I'm sure you do.
It's all very simple. As a businessman, it's all a
question of value. Paying money is absolutely
useless if they keep raising the price or there's absolutely no
guarantee of safety in it. When there are 1000, other
people just waiting to take over turf are already in the area,
also demanding payment. It's a complete waste of money,
especially since I have no family in the area, so it wasn't
like these people could use that as leverage against me.
I'd learned to live with death a long time ago.
It's like an old friend you've been expecting to show up to a
party you're having. Sometimes he's early, sometimes
he's late, sometimes he's right on schedule when you expect him,
but he always makes a call. But like any party guest, most
of the time you can't help but be nervous when he's about to
come knocking. There was a lot of sense in
that. So the two of us sat in
comfortable silence until the vast terrain of the desert was
behind us and we were almost back to town.
Right before I reached the road, he turned to me.
What exactly did you plan to do if that thing hadn't shown up?
Throw some rocks to cause a distraction and some chaos?
Interesting. What did you think that would
do? At the very least, give you an
opportunity to get the upper hand and do something.
Did it not cross your mind that might make the situation worse?
I briefly glanced at him. No.
Why? He sounded genuinely intrigued.
I watched you the whole time. You were afraid, but you were
defiant. You didn't beg for your life
offer to give them whatever they wanted or anything remotely like
that. You were ready to put up a
fight. Winter seemed genuinely
surprised by this. Then I saw him smile for the
first time. You are observant, and you were
right. Had you started throwing rocks,
I would have immediately swung into action.
At the very least, it would have given me a chance.
You know what I was thinking of while I was digging?
What? How?
The four of them were small time and would always be small time.
No matter what happened to me. They were all expendable.
Know what's going to happen now? I'll turn up and it'll be a huge
news story. I'll go back to my life and
people will look at me in stunned disbelief.
It'll be the story to end. Stories.
Meanwhile, the four of them won't even be a name somewhere.
They'll eventually be dumped in a hole in the ground just like
that one, and they will be replaced like they weren't even
there. By the time someone figures out
all isn't well and finds the remains of their associates,
they'll see how badly things went.
Odds are very good they won't even get near the place, because
the cops will get there first. But everyone will know something
attacked them without so much as breaking a sweat, and it's still
out there. That'll be the story.
I had no doubt that was true. All of it.
So I drove to the police station and escorted Winters in, where
we told them the story of how I got there and what happened.
They brought us some coffee and contacted the Ranger station to
let them know everything was all right.
But it'd be a while. It wasn't the worst way to spend
an evening as Winters and I got to share a pizza and some other
food from a restaurant down the street.
Everything Winters said came true, and his miraculous return
was the big story in town. In the meantime, I went back to
work and the mine was fully explored and documented before
it was properly closed off for safety reasons.
The thing that was out there that night was never seen again
by me or anyone in the park. If anyone else saw it, I didn't
hear about it, but that didn't mean it wasn't out there.
The desert has always been a place of mystery, especially at
night. I don't expect that to change
because that's exactly what makes it the desert and it's
something I've always loved about it.
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With my code Just Creepy 20, I shifted my Harley to a lower
gear. A rough mechanical click could
be heard right away as the bike eased itself down the highway.
I've got time to waste, I thought, so why not waste it?
Well, I wasn't supposed to be riding back home then, but plans
had changed, so there I was. The night was rather still only
disturbed by the distance hum of traffic and the roar of my bike
above the moon, though how dim it was and covered partly by
ominous clusters of clouds, blessed my night journey with
much needed illumination. I could feel the cool air coming
from ahead, how sweet and refreshing it was, like a soft
kiss, relieving and comforting, exactly what I needed.
Leaving the busy city behind, I couldn't help but thinking about
the future ahead. I had come there to find a job,
to get out of the dull and menial fly over country in the
hope that one day I could make a name for myself.
But luck hadn't been on my side. Alas.
In my heart, still a country boy, I found myself caged and
isolated in the psychotically unending struggle of urban life.
I yearned for freedom as hard as you could imagine.
I had to leave my dream behind and come back home.
But that also meant I had failed.
Being truthful to yourself is never easy.
It took me some time to finally admitting that disappointing
reality and the future ahead is always uncertain.
That decision might turn out to be the right one, or I might
wither away in the smothering comfort of home and never to
realize the full potential in me.
Staying might also turn out to be the right decision.
Or I might lose myself in the sea of mindless robots.
I wasn't sure, and the thought just kept on wandering in my
mind. To have a moment or two absent
from such distress was a welcoming experience.
Night rides are my jam. As the hum of traffic was
getting lower and lower, I found myself alone, but at peace.
The only thing I could hear was the roar of my Harley's engine
and the gripping of rubber on the dry and dusty asphalt
highway, slowing down the night wind.
Instead of hitting hard, it was gently caressing my face like a
steady massage, soothing and calming down all troublesome
worries. I took in a deep breath and then
exhaled, fresh and clean. That was all I felt.
After a few kilometers, the enjoyable sensation ceased to
exist. Everything was eerily quiet all
of a sudden. The rhythmic pumping of the twin
Pistons and the sound of gripping rubber in contrast with
the silent surroundings seem too loud.
The atmosphere had turned cold and I found myself shivering
lightly from such changes. And the worst of all, Something
in me was screaming at me, telling me something was very
wrong. Not only did I feel cold, I felt
vulnerable. I was being watched ahead.
Just 100 meters or so, hiding in the foliage of the roadside tree
line, I saw a vague silhouette. It was too dark for me to make
out anything, but I had a bad feeling about it.
The way it was moving under the cover of vegetation irked me
somehow as a response. I speed up a little bit and got
myself ready to go. Full throttle if need be.
Also, I turned my bike to the other lane, just to create some
distance between me and the Thing.
As I was getting closer, the mysterious thing abandoned its
cover and revealed itself slowly.
I could make out its fur, a shade of matte brown with a
slight hint of orange tint under the dim moonlight.
Finally, I saw what it was a lone coyote.
Nothing dangerous at all. Seeing that, I breathed a sigh
of relief, but it was not for very long.
Suddenly, the coyote stood up on its hind limbs the way a human
would. As it was doing so, I couldn't
help but notice how unusually long all four of its limbs were,
and something was moving under its skin.
Some parts of its body disgustingly bulged up, while
others contused and sunk in as if everything inside was
expanding and shuffling around its fur mat.
Coyote Brown started shedding 1 patch after another.
As the creature was getting taller and taller, the remaining
first stretched out and flaked off like pieces of dandruff.
The skin beneath was the color of sickly pale white.
It's texture reminded me of those mug shots of drug addicts,
of how their hideous faces were always riddled with popping
scars and almost seemed hollowed out Under the moonlight it gave
off a weird and vomit induced shade of pale blue.
It was looking at me. Its eyes were pitch black,
absent of everything, yet I could feel its gaze piercing
through my soul, and it began to smile.
Its lips stretched right up to its eyes, revealing a mouth not
full of canine but human teeth. Too many human teeth.
They were unnaturally straight and covered by a thick coat of
sickly yellow gunk, the way its whole body was transforming.
Yet its smile stayed the same. It gave me goosebumps.
It held out one of its hands. The fingers though similar to a
human's, they were bent in unnatural shapes and positions.
I couldn't help but notice how long and sharp its claws were,
how they hooked up at their tips, and how it would feel if
those things were to tear into me.
Then the creature made the hitchhiker sign the thumbs up as
if it was toying with me, as if it knew that I was afraid.
Panicked, I shifted gear and pulled the throttle at Max my
Harley speed up, but not as fast as I wished it could.
The tall V twin engine just felt like it was running out of power
from being revved too hard. A few seconds after I passed the
creature, it took off chasing me.
Even the way its whole body moved while it was running after
me was utterly bizarre. I had imagined that it would
have either run like a coyote or run on its hind legs like a
human, since it had shown that it could stand up like one, but
turned out I was wrong. The way it ran was more similar
to a cheetah. The forelimbs, then the hind
limbs, then repeat. The thing was fast.
It would not take very long until the creature caught up to
me. Looking at the side mirror, it
seemed to have completed the transformation process.
By then. I could see its skin wrapped
head very clearly. The skull was human, but its
snout was elongated out like a coyote.
It had no ears, its pitch black eyes sunk into its skull, yet I
could still feel its eerie gaze. All of a sudden the creature
gave out an ear shattering scream.
Damn, I said to myself as I slightly jerked forward.
My Harley, straining itself as best as it could, started
shaking quite hard. I looked down at the
speedometer. It said nearly 200 kilometers an
hour. Yet the creature chasing me did
not seem to reach anywhere near its maximum potential.
Without warning, it leaped forward.
The whole bike gave out a loud crack, as if something heavy had
fallen on it. The impact was so severe that it
broke all the electronics for the lights, and I had to drive
blind. I looked behind and saw that one
of its clawing hands was deeply embedded in the back seat of my
Harley, dragging itself along the asphalt.
And more worrisome than that, my bike was slowing down.
It just couldn't compete with the sheer strength of that
monstrosity. 185, one hundred 81175, then 170.
I tried to sway my bike side to side to shake the creature off.
It didn't work. The thing still held on tight.
I thought about kicking it, but I changed my mind since even my
Harley could not win against the creature, let alone a measly
kick from an awkward angle. I was afraid.
I did not dare to think about how it would kill me and
probably eat me for dinner. My hope returned when I saw
something ahead. An 18 Wheeler thundering down
the highway with its bright lights piercing straight through
the dark straight at me. I knew what to do, but I only
got one chance to do it right. I shook myself up and waited for
the moment. Quickly it came.
With my eyes squinted from the harsh headlights of the truck, I
leaped out from my Harley to the other lane.
Before I fell to the ground and knocked myself out unconscious.
I heard a loud bang as my bike crashed into the 18 Wheeler.
I woke up in a hospital. My whole body was aching like
hell and almost all of it was covered in casts.
After a while, a nurse came in and checked on me.
Seeing me awake, she comforted me and explained to me about my
accident. Apparently I broke and
fractured, most notably both my arms and legs, at least four
ribs, and most serious of all six spinal vertebrae.
But I was lucky that I was not paralyzed or needed to be
amputated. Slowly regaining my memory of
the so-called accident, I asked her about the truck driver that
my bike crashed into. She seemed hesitant at 1st and
stayed silent for a little bit until she said this.
Don't worry, he's fine. You did his job for him Anyway,
that was not a normal truck. Now this is supposed to be a
secret, but since you have seen the creature already, I figure
telling you the general situation is appropriate.
Those monsters used to roam this area at night until we organize
secret groups of specialized hunters to track them down and
exterminate them. The 18 Wheeler was one of them
patrolling out at night. When they brought you here, they
told me that you were one hell of a brave but stupid idiot.
Fast forward to a few years later, I fully recovered and I
am now running a motorbike dealership in the countryside.
I love this job. It's where my passion is, I
guess. Abandoning my dazzling city
dream for the fly over country was the right decision after
all. Yesterday at around noon, one of
the test riders came back screaming in panic about a
strange creature he saw while speeding down the nearby highway
about how it first looked like a coyote until it turned into an
unholy abomination. It was the summer after my
freshman year of high school when my family decided to take a
vacation to Yellowstone National Park.
We'd rented A rustic cabin in the woods just outside the park
borders. I remember clearly being excited
to spend a week surrounded by nature and trees instead of
concrete and cars. As an avid reader, I plan to
spend most of the trip curled up on the cabin porch devouring my
books. The day we arrived at the cabin,
the sun was high overhead, casting dappled shadows across
the dirt driveway. My parents and my younger sister
Jess piled out of our SUV while I grabbed our bags from the
back. The cabin owner, an elderly man
named Walter, hobbled over to greet us.
After introductions, Walter LED us inside the two-bedroom cabin.
It was quaint, with wood panel walls, patchwork quilts and a
stone fireplace in the main living area.
The musty smell inside reminded me of my grandparents basement.
Walter showed us around, pointing out the small kitchen,
bathroom, and bedrooms. Well, I think that covers
everything, he said, rubbing his wrinkled hands together.
You folks need anything? Just give me a holler.
My house is just a mile down the road.
We thanked him as my dad handed over a check for the stay.
Walter pocketed it and shuffled toward the front door, but
before he left, he turned back to us with a strange look in his
pale blue eyes. One more thing, he said in a low
voice. I suggest you folks stay inside
after the sunsets. These woods ain't quite right at
night, if you catch my drift. My dad chuckled uncomfortably.
We're city folk, Walter. I think we can manage.
Walter nodded slowly, his gaze drifting over each of us.
Oh, I'm sure you can. Just keep the doors locked and
curtains drawn after dark. You'll be wanting to stay
inside, trust me. Well, you folks enjoy your
holiday. With that ominous warning
lingering in the air, Walter exited the cabin, leaving the
four of us staring at each other.
What a character, my mom said with a nervous laugh.
My sister Jess looked uneasy, her brown eyes wide.
I'm sure he was just joking around, trying to scare us, my
dad offered, though he didn't sound convinced.
Come on, let's get unpacked and figure out some activities.
For the week, we busied ourselves putting clothes and
supplies away in the old oak dressers and cabinets.
The odd encounter with Walter soon faded from my mind as I
daydreamed about spending the week reading on the porch swing
as the sun began to set. We cooked hot dogs and beans
over the crackling fire as I tore through pages of the divide
by Elizabeth K The howls of coyotes echoed in the distance
as we laughed and talked over the snaps and pops of the
flames. Full and content, I said
goodnight and retired to the room I was sharing with Jess.
Jess was already there, curled up under the covers of the twin
bed closest to the door. I quietly changed into pajamas,
then switched off the bedside lamp between our beds.
Moonlight filtered in through the curtained window, creating
shadows that swayed gently in the night breeze.
Somewhere out in the dark forest, an owl hooted its call,
soon answered by the forlorn cry of a coyote.
I rolled over, closing my eyes. I felt myself beginning to drift
off, but just as sleep was about to overtake me, a bizarre sound
pierced the night, a sort of drawn out wail or howl that
seemed to waver and warble unnaturally.
My eyes shot open, now fully awake and alert.
The odd howling sounded again, even closer and louder than
before. It clearly came from somewhere,
right outside in the woods surrounding the cabin.
I sat up slowly, glancing over at Jess's bed.
She appeared to still be sleeping soundly.
Then I turned my attention to the window behind me.
I noticed the curtains were still partially open.
I thought about getting up to close them, but a feeling of
dread kept me pinned beneath the covers.
The unearthly howling and wailing continued at sporadic
intervals, and with each eerie cry a cold knot of fear grew
inside my chest. I didn't dare peek out between
the curtains. I was terrified I might see
something peering back at me from the dark tree line.
At some point during the chilling chorus of sounds, I
realized Jess was no longer in her bed.
How could I have not noticed her get up?
Had I fallen asleep at some point?
My heart pounding, I squinted through the moonlight at her
empty, disheveled sheets. Slowly, I shifted my gaze to the
center of the room. A small gasp escaped my lips.
Jess stood there, staring blankly out the window through
the opening in the curtains. I stared at her silhouette, my
heart drumming loudly in my ears.
She was standing unnaturally still, arms hanging limply at
her sides. Jess, my voice barely audible
over the ongoing whales from outside.
She gave no indication of hearing me.
I said her name louder, Jess, but she remained frozen in
place, her gaze fixed on some point through the partially open
curtains. The terrible cries rose and fell
again and again, sending shivers up my spine.
Swallowing down my fear, I slowly peeled back the covers,
sliding my legs off the bed. The wooden floor was like ice
against my bare feet. I took a tentative step toward
my sister. Jess, can you hear me?
I asked, my voice quivering, still no response.
As I crept closer, I could see Jess's face illuminated in the
silvery moonlight. Her eyes were open, but glazed
over and vacant. It was like she was in some kind
of trance. I followed her stare out toward
the woods, but all I could make out was darkness and swaying
branches. The awful wailing erupted again,
louder than before. I flinched, the hairs on my arms
standing at attention, fighting every survival instinct.
Urging me to flee. I close the remaining distance
and reach for my sister's rigid arm.
Jess, say something. You're freaking me out.
Before I made contact with her arm, Jess's head suddenly snap
toward me. I stumbled back with a gasp.
Her vacant eyes were now piercing into me.
For a heartbeat, I thought I saw a flicker of recognition in her
eyes, but then her head swiveled back around to face the window.
My breaths now came in panicked gulps, my heart slamming against
my rib cage. I knew I needed to get away from
the window, away from whatever lurked outside in the dark
forest, whatever it was that had entranced my sister.
Hey, come on, let's get back in bed.
I managed to choke out. When Jess still didn't budget, I
grasped her cold hand in mine. I gave her a gentle tug, and to
my immense relief, she followed me without resistance.
As we shuffled away from the window, the unnerving howls
outside subsided, replaced by the normal night chorus of
insects and owls. The knot in my chest finally
loosened once we were back at our beds.
I helped Jess get under her covers, glancing anxiously at
her face for any spark of awareness, but her features
remain blank, her brown eyes dull and unfocused.
It was like part of her mind was still standing over by that
window. Just try to sleep, I told her as
I tucked the blankets around her small frame.
She said nothing, merely staring past me at the ceiling,
exhausted and beaten, my mind and body.
I knew rest would not find me easily tonight.
Moving quietly, I close the curtain fully shutting out the
moonlight, The room was abruptly cast into inky blackness.
I crawled back into bed, my icy feet seeking warmth beneath the
sheets. Pulling the covers up to my
chin. I lay there, staring into the
void, straining to hear any sound from Jess's side of the
room. But besides the pounding of my
heart, all was silent. Eventually, I drifted off into a
fretful sleep, my slumber plagued by screeching cries and
vacant eyes. I jolted awake just as the first
muted light of dawn crept across the ceiling.
For a moment I just lay there, listening, but no wailing cries
pierced the morning stillness, just a few chirping birds from
the surrounding forest. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes
and sat up slowly, casting a cautious glance toward Jess's
bed. Relief coursed through me at the
sight of her sleeping form, blankets rising and falling
rhythmically with her breath. The empty trance like stare from
last night was gone. Her face was relaxed and
peaceful. I wondered if she even
remembered what had happened. As I got dressed and prepared
for the day, I mulled over whether to tell my parents about
the bizarre events of the previous night.
Would they just brush it off like we did with Walter's
initial warning? Find out what she saw or
experienced? In the end, I decided to wait
and observe my sister's behavior when she woke up.
If she seemed confused or scared, then I would tell our
parents something frightening had happened.
But if Jess acted normal, I thought it best not to rehash
the unnerving experience. I sat on the living room sofa,
watching the shadows retreat across the yard as the sun rose
higher in the sky. The whole forest now appeared
tranquil and inviting. It was hard to imagine the
haunting sounds that echoed between the trees just hours
before. I hope that whatever had
occurred last night was just an isolated incident, that the
remainder of our vacation would be peaceful and uneventful.
I tried to act normal as Jess eventually emerged from the
bedroom, her hair a mess from sleep.
She gave me a quizzical look as I watched her shuffle to the
bathroom. What are you staring at?
She mumbled through a yawn. I shook my head, relief flooding
through me. Nothing.
Just sleep, OK? She shrugged absently before
disappearing behind the bathroom door when she rejoined us in the
Cozy Kitchen for breakfast. I studied her closely for any
signs of that vacant stare or unease from the previous night,
but she seemed her usual cranky morning self, slumped over a
bowl of cereal, so I guessed I wouldn't be mentioning anything
about the strange events unless she did.
First, after eating, Jess planted herself on the living
room sofa to watch cartoons while my parents discussed
possible hikes for the day. I mumbled something about going
for a walk and slipped out the front door unnoticed.
I brought one of Darcy's horror novels with me, one of her many
ghost stories. I couldn't remember which.
The morning sun filtered brightly through the trees,
warming the ground and raising the bird song a few decibels.
I followed A narrow trail away from the cabin, fallen pine
needles and twigs crunching under my sneakers.
The surrounding forest appeared perfectly normal, no traces of
the ominous noises that had pierced our dark hours.
I wondered if somehow it had just been a bizarre dream or a
figment of my imagination. Then again, the vivid image of
Jess's blank stare and rigid form refused to fade from my
mind. Lost in thought, I didn't pay
much mind to where my feet carried me until the trees began
to thin. I emerged from the forest onto a
deserted Dirt Rd. that stretched onward through the woods in
either direction. Glancing back, I realized how
far I'd wandered from the cabin. I considered turning around, but
curiosity nudged me forward. Around a bend, a weathered
wooden fence came into view with a crooked hand painted sign that
read No TRESPASSING Private Property.
I paused, peering through the fence slats.
There appeared to be a small, overgrown pasture on the other
side. I decided I wasn't technically
trespassing from the road. I continued on, my footsteps,
echoing on the deserted dirt Rd. that stretched out before me.
The dense forest surrounded me, it's towering Pines and spruces
creating a natural canopy overhead.
But as I ventured further down the road, an unsettling sight
caught my attention and my heart quickened.
Every tree that bordered the pasture to my left and right
bore strange markings. It was as though a massive beast
had raked its claws vertically down each trunk, tearing away
chunks of bark. My curiosity pushed me closer,
and I reached out to touch one of the deep gashes.
My fingers brushed against the sticky SAP left behind, and a
shiver of unease trickled down my spine.
I couldn't help myself. I hurried farther down the road
to inspect the other trees. Each one displayed similar claw
marks, with no discernible pattern or purpose.
It was as if something had wandered through the forest,
indiscriminately shredding every tree within reach.
A growing sense of dread consumed me as I backtracked
away from the disturbing sight. It felt as though I was being
watched, and my skin prickled with an eerie awareness.
When I was once again surrounded by the untouched beauty of
nature, I left the road and pushed deeper into the dense
forest. The sunlight struggled to
penetrate the thick cluster of evergreens, casting murky
shadows all around me. Every snapping twig under foot
sent my heart racing, but I forged ahead aimlessly, my
curiosity driving me forward. Suddenly, I stumbled into a
small clearing. I froze in place, my eyes
widening as makeshift wooden structures came into view.
Twisted branches and some unknown cord held them together,
forming crude symbols and shapes that adorn the structures.
I couldn't decipher any meaning from them.
In the center of the clearing lay a small altar like pile of
rocks topped with bundles of feathers, beads, and bones.
The entire scene exuded an aura of dark, primal energy that
seemed to hum in the air and tingle against my skin.
A sense of intrusion and foreboding washed over me, and I
felt like an unwelcome guest in this twisted corner of the
woods. I backpedaled away from the
clearing, urged on by the suffocating sensation of being
watched by unseen eyes. Only when the strange structures
were far behind me did I stop to catch my breath.
I leaned against a sturdy pine tree, a shutter passing through
me as I imagined what sort of twisted creature or person could
have constructed those eerie, unnatural things.
The normal forest sounds of bird calls and rustling leaves seemed
muted, replaced by a heavy silence that clung to the air.
I couldn't shake the certainty that something uncanny lingered
out here, just out of sight. Eventually I arrived back at the
cabin, winded and on edge. I hoped I appeared less unnerved
than I actually felt as I walked past my dad, who raised an
eyebrow at my dishevelled state. Over lunch on the porch, my
parents discussed visiting Old Faithful the next day.
During a lull In the conversation, I hesitantly
described the strange markings I'd found in the woods.
My dad's brow furrowed and my mom suggested that it might have
been wildlife or kids messing around.
My dad, his tone casual but firm, declared.
Well, I think it's best if we all stay close to the cabin
today. I exchanged a knowing look with
Jess from across the table. She knew, just as I did that the
cabin grounds were no longer a safe haven.
We were intruders here, and something ancient and watchful
lurked just beyond the tree line, waiting for the cloak of
night to descend once more. The rest of the afternoon was
spent playing board games on the cabin floor, but an undercurrent
of dread flowed through our forced conversations and half
hearted laughter. When dusk settled around the
cabin like an oppressive shroud, our words tapered off entirely,
replaced by strange silence. Once the curtains were drawn,
the living room became a haven of sorts.
My parents retired to their bedroom, and Jess and I lay side
by side, intense stillness, our ears straining in the dark.
The comforting sounds of our parents preparing for bed in the
next room gradually went quiet. I thought about asking Jess if
she wanted to talk about what had happened yesterday, to see
if she would open up about her eerie trance by the window, but
fear kept me mute, my words frozen in my throat.
Eventually, Jess's breath slowed into the steady tempo of sleep.
I tossed and turned restlessly, unable to silence my racing
mind. Each minute that ticked by on
the glowing bedside clock filled me with increasing dread As the
witching hour approached around 1:00 AM, an unearthly howl
pierced the stillness of the night and I jolted upright.
My heart lurched as the bizarre chorus rose and fell in erratic
undulations filling the night. My eyes instinctively flicked
toward the window, but this time the curtains were tightly drawn.
I realized Jess must have done that earlier.
While I was in the bathroom getting ready for bed, the awful
sound swelled outside. Inhuman voices layered upon each
other in a cacophony I had never heard before.
In nature, I imagined hordes of creatures moving stealthily
between the trees, their features obscured in shadow as
they crept closer to our cabin. But what terrified me even more
was the realization that they were called by some ancient
rite. Nightmare suddenly became
reality when I saw a tall, humanoid silhouette glide past
the bedroom window. Outside, it briefly blocked the
scant moonlight seeping out from behind the heavy drapes.
I froze, my skin erupting in goosebumps.
Something was right outside. The silhouette lingered by the
glass for several heartbeats before slowly continuing past.
It's misshapen form and head seemed to turn toward the window
as it slid out of view. Hot tears of panic Weld in my
eyes as the phantom shape faded back into the night.
I slowly turned towards Jess. She was sitting bolt upright in
bed, her eyes round, filled with terror In the darkness.
Anguish racked her body, her hands clamped tightly over her
ears. She was so terrified that I
could see her drawing blood from where her nails dug into her
skin. Jess, it's OK, you're OK, I
whispered urgently, helplessness and guilt swirling within me.
She remained locked in her mute nightmare, writhing silently
against some invisible demon swallowing down my own fear.
I stumbled over to her bed and wrapped her in my arms.
She struggled, her head shaking back and forth, refusing to
fully resurface into reality. I choked back tears of my own as
I gripped her tightly. Jess, it's me, your brother, I'm
right here, I murmured like a mantra, rocking us gently as the
hateful cries raged outside. Eventually, I think it worked.
She went still, her rigid body no longer fighting.
Even so, her small frame continued to tremble.
We stayed huddled together as the wailing gradually faded back
into silence. Exhaustion overtook me as the
adrenaline drained away and I gave in to sleep.
I was startled awake sometime later by a rattling sound.
My blurry eyes searched the room before identifying the noise.
It was the doorknob to our bedroom, slowly twisting back
and forth. Someone or something was trying
to get in. I watched the old brass knob
rattle ominously, but the door itself stayed firmly closed.
After an agonizing minute, the rattling ceased and heavy
footsteps move past our room, creaking down the hallway toward
the living room. The front door groaned open and
a winter chill spider webbed across my skin.
The footsteps paused on the threshold, then it left,
disappearing into the night. The door remained open.
Only then did I fully comprehend how close we had come to a
horrible fate. Some sort of creature or
intruder had made its way inside the cabin during the night
because someone hadn't closed the door completely.
Luckily, it found itself barred from entry to our bedroom.
If that bedroom door had not been locked, I don't know what
would have happened. Thankfully, my parents bedroom
door was locked too. Terrible visions of them being
slaughtered in their own beds flashed through my mind.
There would be no more sleep for me that night as I clung to my
sister, grappling with the bleak knowledge that a flimsy door
with an even flimsier lock was all that stood between US and
this unspeakable horror that roamed from the woods and into
our cabin. The next morning.
A feeling of gloom hung over the cabin.
We all picked at our breakfast in silence, our eyes downcast.
The cheerful morning light filtering through the windows
seemed to mock the despair that had settled upon us during the
dark hours of the night. As soon as the sun had risen, my
dad went outside to start packing up the car.
His face was pale when he came back in, but all he would say
was that we were leaving as soon as possible.
My mom fluttered around, tidying things with trembling hands
before tossing the last few items into our suitcases.
I could tell she was on the verge of tears, but was fighting
to hold herself together. Jess sat curled up on the sofa,
her gaze unfocused. She had not said a word all
morning. I wished I could comfort her
somehow, convince her she was safe now, but the light of day
did not feel like sanctuary anymore.
There was no escape from what had happened last night.
Within an hour, the car was loaded up and idling in the
driveway. I took one last look around the
cozy cabin that had become our cage, our fragile shelter from
the darkness. Part of me wanted to beg my
parents to stay, thinking maybe things would be better now, but
I knew deep down that we were right to flee this place and
never return. The drive home was solemn and
silent, just slept fitfully in the back seat while I stared
listlessly out the window. Now that we were away from
danger, my mind churned with questions.
What were those creatures that prowled the woods making those
sounds? Why did they target us, and what
would have happened if they had gotten into our rooms?
Worst of all was the vacant, tortured look in Jess's eyes.
Whenever the creatures came and howled, I shuddered to imagine
what nightmarish vision she must have glimpsed through that
window. What evil did she see that had
brushed her mind and left its claw marks on her sanity?
Even away from that place? She was scarred in a way I could
not understand. These fears were confirmed a
year later when I walked in on Jess in the midst of a seizure,
her eyes rolling back, limbs flailing.
I tried to hold her still, yelling desperately from my
parents. Suddenly Jess's back arched and
she choked out a guttural scream unlike any human sound.
When I look down at her face, she seemed so far gone.
Then her rigid body went limp and she passed out.
Later, at the hospital, tests and screenings couldn't
determine what had caused her episode.
But I knew that some sort of splinter of darkness which had
infested those woods had burrowed inside Jess.
In the years since, I've watched my sister struggle against that
latent evil, fighting to keep it buried deep within her psyche.
I often consider urging Jess to discuss what horrors she
glimpsed in the window that night, hoping that confessing it
might offer some deliverance. But seeing the way her eyes
clouded with dread at the mere mention of that time, I know
better. Some memories are too dangerous
to stir from their unquiet sleep, but too strong to ever
fully cleanse. The only mercy I can offer my
sister now is silence.