This autumn, a couple of work friends are going deer hunting.
It's been the talk of the office for two months straight.
It became the conversational watering hole, and everyone who
didn't take part are left to dry out in the sun.
Hell, even Vicki, the receptionist, is coming along.
I think she's going mostly for the s'mores, but I'm not going.
I have a difficult history with hunting and not a lot of people
know about it. I don't like to talk openly
about it since it happened so long ago, and I hate being the
guy who keeps talking about his past, trauma or not.
I've had it buried in the back of my mind for years, but now
that all this talk is circling around the office, it made me
want to put to paper what actually happened.
It was two months ahead of my 15th birthday.
My dad was taking me hunting in a State Park over in Logan
County, West Virginia. I had little to no idea what was
going on. I just knew I had to come along
and try out new boots, a hat, a vest, the whole shebang.
He took me to target practice for a couple of sessions, but we
ended up spending most of our time discussing gun safety.
I was very anti gun back then, and I suppose I still am, but
for different reasons. Still, I wanted to spend time
with him. Dad had been sick on and off
work for a long time following an accident, and he just started
to properly recover. This would be our first outing
in almost two years and the whole family was excited for it
again for different reasons. It was an early September
morning when we set out. Mom waved goodbye from the
kitchen window. Dad had packed enough stuff to
cover us for a whole week, but we were only going away for the
weekend. We pulled into a drive through,
got some lunch and met up with his hunting buddies.
There was Cisco, a man in his late 50s, mostly worked in
accounting and had no concept of how to speak at an appropriate
volume. Then there was Abe.
He was in his mid 40s and he had some relation to Cisco, but I
never really understood the nature of it.
I think Cisco was married to his older sister.
Finally there was Hugo. He was new at dad's job and just
kind of wanted to belong somewhere.
The guy was quiet as a mouse and had this intense raccoon like
face. It was a long trip.
I was on Co pilot duty, meaning I was to respond to any texts
and provide snacks to the driver and of course in charge of
keeping the music going. It was exactly what I wanted out
of that trip. The hunting itself wasn't that
important. It was nice to just see him
happy again. This was his element, something
he'd done with his dad and that he was now doing with me.
We were the last to arrive. Cisco and Abe had packed enough
for a small company of soldiers while Hugo barely had anything
at all. Dad parked, shut the music off,
and from that point on it was all business.
I wasn't that amped about it. We double checked our equipment
and set out due West. Cisco and Abe took point with
the rest of us, following in a line.
I zoned out for most of it. To be honest, I drowned myself
in music and texting. Dad was busy talking to his
hunting buddies and Hugo wasn't much company anyway.
We went deeper and deeper into the park.
I didn't even realize until three hours in that I didn't
have the slightest idea of where we were.
We'd followed so many off paths that I could have ended up
anywhere. It was somewhere around lunch
when we decided to make camp. My feet were already sore from
the new boots. Cisco gathered rocks for the
campfire while Dad and Abe started to plot out where to go
next. It was decided that we were
splitting up into teams of two. I was going with my dad.
Abe went with Hugo and Cisco went on his own.
He was by far the most experienced of us, and we all
knew that there'd be nothing caught if he went with someone
in a duo. The man just couldn't control
his voice. I jumped every time he laughed.
While we didn't do any actual hunting that afternoon, we spent
some time just getting to know the area.
I had no idea what to look for, but Dad kept pointing at things
and telling me how close we were and how these were telltale
signs I couldn't really follow. But I tried to be supportive.
I hadn't seen him enthused about something in a long time.
We ended up looking across a clearing somewhere around dinner
time, Dad had this can of Vienna sausages that we shared.
On the far side of the field was a thin stream running along the
tall grass. That's where we'll spot him in
the morning, he said. Guaranteed.
We spent the rest of the day trekking along the edges of the
field, trying to find a good spot.
We ended up making a dig on the eastern side so we wouldn't get
the morning sun in our eyes. We made a wind shelter from pine
branches and Moss, leaving space for both of us shoulder to
shoulder. Heading back to camp, we went
through our checklist of gun safety protocols again and again
and again. As we did, there was a loud bang
somewhere off in the distance. We both stopped.
We knew the others had brought their guns along, but had they
already found something improbable?
My dad put a hand on my chest signaling me to stop.
Could be others, he said. Got to stay on your toes.
We all met up at base camp. Dad went around asking the
others which one was the mysterious shooter, but no one
fessed up. It could have been anyone,
really. Abe and Hugo had split up to
check different areas and Cisco was off on his own.
I figured it was Hugo that fired a shot accidentally and didn't
want to make a scene. He kind of had the look of it at
night. They all shared some hunting
stories, mostly Cisco. He went on and on about hunting
alligators from a riverboat, how we wouldn't believe the size of
those things, and how they were big enough to swallow a man's
torso in a single bite. When that stopped impressing us,
he went on to talk about sport fishing.
Atlantic yellowfin tuna, 1400 pounds, He chuckled. 1400 damn
pounds. You could feel the weight of the
thing just standing next to it. I turned in early that night.
Dad got me my own tent, so I spent most of my time watching
stuff on my cell phone. We had chargers and stuff solar,
but I hadn't bothered to unpack it once the batteries ran out.
I just lay there on my back waiting for sleep to come.
It was a crappy and surface level sleep at best.
I'd accidentally set the tent up on some kind of route, leaving
me with a bruise on my right shoulder.
There was also the constant buzzing of some kind of wasp
right next to my head. The thing didn't get through the
tent, but by God, it really tried.
We got up just before sunrise. It felt like I just barely shut
my eyes. But Dad was at the top of his
game. He was bouncing between the
tents, humming and double checking not only his own
equipment, but everyone else's. That whole morning was basically
just my dad trying to get us excited.
Hell, even Cisco was tired enough to shut up for a few
minutes. We had breakfast, went over our
plans and got into our gear. It was game time and the sun
wasn't even up yet. I was half asleep all the way
out there. I almost tripped twice, but Dad
pressed on. He ping pong between us hurrying
up and staying quiet, it was weird seeing him doing all the
talking. It was usually the other way
around. Back home we got to our
makeshift shelter and made ourselves comfortable.
Dad kept talking about the direction of the wind and
various techniques he swore he'd employed.
I was trying to pay attention, but I kept nodding off.
He didn't seem to mind. I think he was just happy to be
there. I don't know how long we waited.
After a while, as things turned quiet, I couldn't really tell
the time anymore. It all sort of blended together
at some point. Dad elbowed me and there they
were. Six of them in total.
Three does, 2 yearlings and a buck all strolling into the
middle of the field without a care in the world.
Dad nodded at me and eyed the rifle.
You're up. It was a heavy lever action
brush gun. We had about 5560 yards distance
and an unobstructed view. I was nervous though.
Nervous as all hell. We'd practice plenty, but this
was different. I could imagine them scattering
to the wind and our one shot at this blowing up in our face.
Dad didn't seem to care though, but I wanted to make him proud.
I brought the gun out and rested my head, letting the whole iron
sight fill my view. I felt the weight of the trigger
as I tempted it. Inhale, Exhale.
You got this? He whispered.
Then a gunshot, And it wasn't mine.
The deer thundered off into the woods.
Dad just lay there, slack jawed. There was no way to tell where
it had come from, but it was close.
Maybe someone had taken a shot at the same deer as us.
We looked across the field for someone to stand up or show
themselves, but there was nothing out there.
Dad put a hand on my shoulder. That's not on you, he whispered.
I don't know what the hell that was.
We tried to reach the others through our walkie talkies,
Cisco reported in first. Apparently he'd heard the same
thing as us, but from a far different angle.
Hugo reported in two, telling us the shot had been close by from
his angle. Finally, we waited for Abe, but
nothing came through. We waited, listening to the
static. Cisco interjected with the
occasional Abe check in, but we got nothing in response.
Hugo, where the hell are you? Growled Cisco.
You were supposed to partner up. I I'm a S We took the cliffside
trail. The one with.
Then where the hell is he? He went ahead.
He thought he heard. Just answer the question.
Dad shot me a concerned, almost apologetic look.
Cisco was always loud, but this was another level.
Hugo met up with us over at the Southern Trail.
We followed it for a good 45 minutes, calling out to Abe as
we went, the quiet stutter of the walkie-talkie felt like
getting poked by an icicle. It started to dawn on me that
this might turn from a hunting trip to a rescue mission.
We should get the Rangers, said Hugo.
It's been a while. He could be.
He probably ran out of batteries, said Dad.
But yeah, let's keep that in mind.
Batteries last for days, scoffed Cisco.
Ain't no way he'd forget that he had a point.
They've been over their equipment two or three times.
Just that morning. Unlikely at best.
We all moved up the trail, stepping over fallen trees and
pressing through dry undergrowth.
As the forest breathed, we could see further and further up
ahead. It was quiet.
Too quiet, even, like something had scared off the birds.
Where'd he go? Cisco whispered.
What direction? He should have kept going South,
I guess. You guess, huh?
Sighed Cisco, freaking useless. We spread out for an impromptu
search. Not a lot, but enough for us all
to cover some ground. We still had eye contact with
each other. Dad asked me to stay close, but
I wanted to help, so I took the space in the middle.
Everyone called out to Abe, not caring about the deer or other
wildlife we spooked along the way, but apart from a few
strange red birds perching on a nearby pine, there was nothing
around to spook. And the birds didn't seem to
care about either of us. After a while, it didn't even
sound like a name anymore. It just became this call, this
noise. Abe, Abe, Abe.
Then I saw something. I thought it was a log at first,
but it wasn't. As I got closer, I was met with
Abe's eyes looking up at me. They didn't blink.
It looked like he just tripped and was about to get up.
But he wasn't moving. He had his neck at a weird
angle, like he was trying to brush something off his ear with
his shoulder. Then I noticed the bullet wound
straight through the heart. I'd never seen one before, not
on anything. Living, not like this to this
day. I can't stop thinking about that
first second when I realized what I was looking at.
The absolute chilling panic running up through my lungs
causing my words to freeze in my throat.
I just stopped and stared at him, watching the unmoving eyes
and how they seem to find me at every angle.
I didn't realize I'd stopped yelling his name.
Now I was just screaming. The others rushed over.
Dad put his hand over my eyes, turning me away.
I could still see Abe's face behind my eyes.
Hugo started making this wailing noise and Cisco just turned
deathly quiet. I couldn't make out their voices
individually anymore. It was all deafened by those
dead eyes. Looking back from the dark,
Cisco immediately turned to Hugo, taking his rifle away.
Hugo let go of it like it was on fire.
Cisco tore out the magazine only to find it unused.
When it finally dawned on Hugo what he was doing, I could hear
his voice sink into his belly. You you think I you got spare
rounds? Asked Cisco.
I wouldn't show me. Hugo held out a small box of
ammunition, dropping half of them in the Moss.
This just pissed Cisco off even more.
He was in no state of mind to do any counting.
Dad tried to call 911, but couldn't get through.
We were too remote, and his phone was about a decade old.
He wanted to try mine, but I'd forgotten to charge it from the
night before. Finally, Hugo gave up his phone
and stepped back, holding up his hands like he was being
arrested. Cisco was losing his mind,
stomping back and forth, growing louder and louder with every
step. Dad redialed 911 and got a
signal through, but could barely contain himself.
As soon as that operator picked up, it was like all his words
just dropped off the face of the earth.
Then another gunshot. Dad pulled me down into the
grass. Hugo dove behind a tree and
Cisco went prone behind a stump as the sound echoed through the
trees. We all held our breaths.
Dad grabbed my face and I kept reassuring him that I was OK at
the same time I was reassuring myself.
Nothing came of it. We were all fine.
Dad looked around for the phone, listening for the voice of the
operator, asking us to stay on the line.
We scanned the tree line but saw no movement.
Dad reached for the phone. Another gunshot.
Closer this time. My dad pulled his hand back and
held me tight. I could hear his heartbeat
through his chest, pounding like a hammer.
We spread out, called Cisco. We we spread out and call for
help. What the hell are you talking
about? Yelled Hugo back.
I'm not moving. Like hell you aren't on my
count. Dad propped himself up on one
knee and urged me to do the same.
He'd be facing the way the bullets came, shielding me just
in case. There was no time for me to
object. Cisco counted down from 5.
It was so hyper focused that I forgot to breathe, making my
heart race before we even started.
As the countdown ended, we all spread to the wind.
Dad and I burst into a Sprint towards base camp while Hugo
went N Cisco headed South, further up the hills.
We kept our heads low, praying to God we wouldn't trip on
anything. I have never ever ran that fast
in my entire life. Just thinking about it elevates
my blood pressure. We just kept going and going and
going down a trail past a landmark stone and beyond.
I only had a vague idea of where we even were at that point, but
I didn't stop to think. Somewhere in the distance.
I kept hearing gunshots. Not a lot, but every so often,
and with each one, my heart skipped a beat, making my body
retract like a winding spring as we stopped to catch our breaths.
Dad got out the walkie-talkie. You see him?
He wheezed. Does anyone see him?
No, cried Hugo back. I I I can't see anything.
Cisco, you see him. Silence, Cisco, Dad repeated
again. Silence, Cisco.
We made our way back to camp. We figured we could use my solar
charger to get my phone up and running and try to call for help
again. It was still early in the day,
but it was ridiculously easy to get lost, even with clear
weather. I had a general heading, but
that was about it. We took it real slow, crouching
between trees and between outright sprints.
We kept our heads low, listened and watched for birds taking
flight all the while. I couldn't help but to feel like
something was up. If there was someone else moving
out there, we would have heard them.
By then. Sound traveled far, especially
in the open areas. When we finally made it back to
base camp, I dove into my tent. I fumble out the solar charger,
plugged it in and set it up outside.
Dad moved it so it wouldn't be so easy to hit with a stray
bullet. We hunkered down behind one of
the tents. We didn't move a muscle.
My body cramped from staying so still, but I didn't want to move
despite the pain. My eyes watered from not
blinking, and I could feel my tongue going dry with every
ragged breath. It's all about the waiting, Dad
whispered. Just like hunting.
It must have been close to lunchtime when my phone lit up
with a mild yellow light. It had about 30% battery charge,
but it looked like the weather was about to change.
There were a few clouds on the horizon, and Dad had warned us
about rain. Hell, half our camp was made to
be waterproof, just in case a bad enough cloud cover would
mean we'd be wasting time waiting for nothing.
While Dad phoned 911I stuck to the walkie.
I tried a few hellos, but I got nothing in response.
The thought hit me that they might be in hiding.
If so, my voice might give them away.
Abe's face flashed before my eyes as I put the walkie down,
waiting for someone to reach back from the other side.
Dad tried his best to explain our position.
Yeah, we we got an active shooter, he said.
I don't know, I don't know, maybe, maybe one, maybe 2, just
West of Dad put the rifle down and held the phone to his ear,
trying his best to work out on a map exactly where we'd been at.
I couldn't help but to stare at the rifle.
There might be one of those things hunting us right now, and
we'd have no idea of knowing. Could have a clear shot, could
be anywhere. He probably stayed on for 10,
maybe 20 minutes before the battery ran dry.
It was the first time I heard him swear uncontrollably.
He was so frustrated that he could barely contain it, kicking
a fold up chair into the burned out fire.
They told us to get moving. Meet them halfway, He spat.
Don't bring anything, we'll get it back later.
He grabbed the rifle and we promptly left.
We got turned around a couple of times.
When the rain came, things started to look the same and we
had no proper source of light. We kept trying to head in a
straight line, but it became painfully apparent that we'd
messed up. Somewhere around the half hour
mark we'd veered off track and might just be heading further
into the park. We tried to backtrack but
couldn't find any of the landmarks.
There was supposed to be a tall rock along the path, but there
wasn't. We must have taken a wrong
branching path. I hadn't really paid attention
when we first got there, so I had to rely entirely on Dad to
find his way forward. And Dad was not doing OK.
It was pouring down far worse than anticipated.
At one point it felt like it was raining sideways.
I had to curl my hands up into my armpits to keep warm, and I
kept getting slapped by branches as we pushed forward.
Every now and then we'd stop, only to turn back and try again.
We've been out for nearly two hours when my head snap back to
attention in the distance. Another gunshot.
I could barely make it out in the rain, but there was a clang
to it that just cut straight to my ear canal.
There was something primal to it, like my hearing was tuned to
catch it, then another closer. I dropped to the ground while
Dad took cover behind a tree. Before he got a chance to ask, I
yelled back that I was OK. I had to repeat myself three
times before I saw him visibly relax, his shoulders slumping
against the tree. Stay down, he yelled back.
I think I saw something. I tried to see what he was
looking at, but he yelled at me to stay still the moment I
moved. He refused to have any part of
me exposed to gunfire, no matter what, and yet I think I saw
something movement further down the tree line.
He crouched down and rested the gun on a branch for support.
I could hear him trying to control his breathing, taking
longer and longer breaths. He squinted through the iron
sights, counting to himself as he did.
I kept my head down, waiting for the next shot to ring out.
I don't know how long we stood there. 10 seconds?
10 minutes? It could have been either, but
all we heard was rain and crackling branches and all we
saw was pine. I kept looking at my dad.
He was the only thing I could see in that angle.
He kept staring straight ahead, waiting with bated breath.
Then I saw something, something fast.
Duck. I shouted.
Dad, there's. I haven't seen anything like it
ever since. It was tall and had this strange
green tint to it. Bipedal, but not like a person.
At least 6 foot seven wide set legs with long arms that scraped
across the forest floor. A single finger on its right
hand was longer than my entire forearm.
Its head had a shape like a thorn Bush with little blinking
appendages all along what should be the scalp.
It twitched forward and as it did, the long finger snapped
straight through the tree where Dad was taking cover, causing
another sound of gunfire to rattle through US.
This one is right next to us, deafening me.
I saw something explode out of the other side of the tree as
the force burst straight through the trunk, blasting Dad's face
with something akin to shrapnel. He threw himself backwards,
covering his bleeding face and dropping the rifle.
It circled around him in a sort of crab walk, raising its long
finger like a scorpion's tail. I grabbed the rifle, swung it
around, and did as I'd been instructed, down the iron sight,
exhale. This time I didn't hesitate, and
as a real gunshot rang out, the creature reeled back, every
little white slit along its head, opening and closing,
blinking in unison. It was gone in an instant,
scrambling on all fours to get away.
I think I hit it in the shoulder, revealing something
bright green like a snap twig. Dad propped himself up against
the tree as I swung the rifle around, releasing the spent
cartridge with two clicks. I was breathing, steady, calm,
but it felt like my entire body was sweating all at once.
I could feel this intense heat under my clothes, despite the
cooling rain. Hold it steady, he said, finger
on the trigger. He'd gotten something in his
eye. He couldn't see anything.
It was up to me, then far off into the woods.
Another gunshot, then another, and another all around us,
gunshots piercing the rain. But they weren't just gunshots.
What should be these high pitched explosions started to
twist and ache, some turning long and low, similar to a
stalling engine. Others reverb like whale or a
heartbreaking cry. One of them kept spitting out
gunshots that sounded like small arms fire, a semi automatic
pistol, and far off in the distance was something with a
high caliber, something deafening look beyond the scope,
down the line, watch between the trees.
And I did. Despite the rain, the ache and
the panic, I held that rifle like it was my God damn life.
For hours there was nothing but rain and gunfire.
I'd catch glimpses of something moving in the distance,
sometimes straight ahead, sometimes from the flank.
Sometimes I'd fire, hitting a branch or the side of a tree.
Sometimes I'd hit something, causing a loud gun like squeal
to echo back at me. And one by one our bullets
started to run out as cartridge after cartridge started to pile
up in the underbrush. Then at some point it stopped.
I remember the rain clearing. The final cartridge lay hot in
the grass. Dad put his hand on my arm.
That's enough, he said. It's all right.
As I put the rifle down, I felt a barrier collapsing.
There was nothing between me and what was out there anymore.
We were sitting ducks, waiting for come what may.
I burst into tears as this intense, vulnerable feeling
washed over me like it was already over.
Like I was just waiting for that final gunshot.
Just one, That'd be all. But it never came.
Instead, we saw the forest Rangers.
Maybe they hadn't been that far away to begin with.
In the aftermath, we found that both Cisco and Hugo had made it
out. Cisco had dropped his walkie as
he ran, but had taken shelter in a fishing cabin.
Hugo had kept moving in a wide half circle, making his way back
to his camouflage shelter. But Abe?
Yeah, he didn't make it. They called it a hunting
accident, but could never pinpoint it on a single
individual. Dad was beyond himself,
questioning each and every decision down to the line.
He questioned the fact that none of the Rangers had heard the
gunfire to begin with. There was no way they hadn't.
I've since heard all kinds of stories coming from the same
area. Seemingly random gunfire scaring
off the deer seems to be a common theme.
A lot has happened since those days.
I still keep a gun for protection, and my dad lost most
of his vision on his one eye. He's still around, but we don't
really talk about it anymore. We've never gone back there.
We've never heard of anyone else seeing them either.
Honestly, I don't think I really want to know.
And nowadays, we stick to fishing.
If only Jolene hadn't made that fateful choice to wear the
ridiculous mask, perhaps the course of events could have been
drastically different. In hindsight, I realize I might
have reconsidered the entire camping trip, saving us all from
what was about to unfold. The story began on an ordinary
day, one where I stood impatiently by my mailbox like a
child eagerly awaiting a toy from a cereal box.
The mailman's punctuality was never in question.
He always arrived at 3:00, like clockwork.
But on this particular day, as I stared at my watch reading 310,
unease began to creep in. Why the delay Had he encountered
a flat tire? A terrorist attack?
Or perhaps a bear had intercepted him on his way to
deliver my much anticipated mail.
Just as I contemplated returning to the house, my nerves were
jolted by the sudden appearance of a little yellow light atop an
approaching car. Relief washed over me as I
realized my awaited delivery had arrived.
This was it. If the package didn't reach me
today, there would be no chance to order a replacement before
embarking on our camping trip. The car pulled up to the
mailbox, and I greeted the mailman with a polite hello.
Instead of placing the mail into the box, he handed me a small
stack of letters and averted his gaze.
My heart sank as he turned toward the road.
Is there anything else for me? I asked, trying to conceal my
desperation. He hesitated for a moment and
then looked into the back seat. Oh wait, it looks like there's
something I forgot, he said, retrieving a brown envelope with
the address I had been eagerly awaiting.
With a smile and a wave, he drove away, leaving me clutching
my precious parcel. With the book light in my hands,
my anticipation for the camping trip soared.
I rushed back to the house, carelessly tossing the rest of
the mail on the table before eagerly tearing open the
package. There it was, my beautiful book
light. I was an ardent reader and a
passionate camper, but the two pursuits rarely seem to
intersect harmoniously. Camping often presented a
challenge when it came to reading.
I had experimented with various battery powered lamps and
flashlights, but none had truly met my needs.
Reading comfortably amid the rustic outdoors had always been
a struggle. The moment I had seen this book
light advertised on Instagram, I knew it was the solution I had
been searching for. It was designed to wrap around
your neck with lights on each end that cast a gentle glow onto
your book. I ordered it instantly, and now
I could finally complete my packing for the upcoming camping
trip. My friends and I shared a deep
love for hiking and camping with a vast State Park nearby.
We made it a point to visit as often as possible.
Our tradition was to rendezvous at the trailhead and embark on
the hike together. However, this time was
different. Scheduling conflicts had arisen,
making it impossible for all of us to start the trip
simultaneously. Dawn and Rose, my closest
companions, would only join us later for the weekend.
Even Jolene, who had initially intended to join us, called to
say she was running late. In hindsight, it should have
been a red flag to choose a different date for our trip, but
instead I brushed it off as mere scheduling conflicts, shouldered
my backpack, and embarked on the trail alone.
Being alone on this trail didn't usually bother me.
I had hiked at countless times and had never encountered any
issues. On this occasion, I had opted to
start early to set up camp and maximize our time together.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, I continued along the
trail, knowing that darkness would soon envelope me.
Hiking at night wasn't the wisest decision, even if I was
familiar with the route. Yet, I couldn't resist the
excitement of using my new book light.
The book light proved to be a reliable companion, illuminating
the trail and making it easier to navigate through the forest.
I took my time savoring the scenery and the luxury of
walking at my own pace. Normally, dawn would lead the
group, pushing us to reach our campsite swiftly.
Although I long to read my book as I walked, I refrained from
doing so, fearing I might stumble over a hidden tree root.
Lost in thought, the forest abruptly fell silent.
Birds ceased their melodies, squirrels stopped their
chattering, and even crickets withheld their chirps.
The silence was unnerving, my footsteps echoing through the
eerie quiet. It felt as though I had entered,
an unnatural stillness. Stopping in my tracks, I turned
slowly, using my book light to scan the surroundings for any
unusual signs. After a full circle revealed
nothing out of the ordinary, I attempted to shake off the
feeling and continued on my way. My steps quickened with every
passing moment, each one more frantic than the last.
It was as if reaching my campsite would provide refuge
from whatever had cast a shadow over the forest, silencing its
inhabitants. As I approached the campsite,
the sounds of nature gradually returned, as if a switch had
been flipped or I had crossed some invisible threshold of
danger. I paused and turned to see if
there were any visible indications of what had
transpired, perhaps some lurking creature or entity.
But there was nothing, just an empty forest.
The absence of any evidence only heightened the unease.
It wasn't until much later, after the harrowing events of
that night, that I realized the recklessness of my actions.
Hiking alone on that trail in the dark was a reckless choice,
but a combination of factors had led me down that path.
First, the disappointment of my friends nearly canceling the
trip at the last moment. Second, the timely arrival of my
package and the desire to utilize my intriguing new book
Light. However, it was my stubborn
determination to go camping, regardless of the circumstances
that ultimately propelled me into that chilling adventure.
Little did I know October 30th, the day before Halloween, held
its own foreboding significance. My tent was soon set up and I
opted against starting a fire instead diving into the tent and
hastily zipping it shut inexplicably.
I believe that the thin layer of tent material would serve as an
impenetrable barrier against the unknown threats lurking in the
night. I lay on the tents bare floor,
my breaths quick and shallow, trying to rationalize my fear.
There had been no tangible evidence of danger, no visible
sign of a threat. Why was I so frightened?
I repeated this question to myself, desperately attempting
to quell my anxiety as I unpacked my belongings to settle
in for the night. Once I was snug in my sleeping
bag, I retrieved the book I had brought along, a domestic
thriller titled Secrets, featuring a woman whose life had
been upended. I switched on the book light and
began to read. The gripping narrative quickly
consumed me, and I lost myself in the pages.
Little did I know that this moment of solace would soon be
disrupted by a surge of adrenaline, plunging me into a
nightmare from which there was no escape.
As I stirred from my slumber, I felt the uncomfortable dampness
of drool on my face, seeping into the fabric of my sleeping
bag In the dim light of the wilderness.
I sat up, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and
stretching my tired limbs. To my astonishment, the small
book light I had left on was still intact, despite my night
of shifting in my sleep. The inky darkness that had
enveloped the world outside had begun to give way to a muted
Gray, signaling the approach of dawn.
It was that chilly time of year, the early days of autumn, when
the morning air in the forest possessed A biting coldness that
cut through to the bone. As I reached for my jacket and
unsettling realization gripped me.
There was an eerie presence outside my tent, something or
someone moving stealthily in the pre dawn hours.
With utmost care, I zipped up my jacket, my heart pounding like a
drum and inch toward the tense zippered window, hoping to catch
a glimpse of the intruder. My trembling hands grasp the tab
and I pulled it slowly, trying desperately to minimize any
noise. Eager to ascertain the nature of
this mysterious visitor, my eyes peered through the narrow
opening, revealing only indistinct tree outlines amid
the growing light. I strained to see more, when
suddenly a pair of luminous, malevolent eyes materialized in
the window. My scream erupted involuntarily,
and I recoiled, tumbling backward onto my sleeping bag
with a resounding thud that knocked the wind out of me.
The shadowy figure outside shifted from the window to the
main tent flap, and I lay there helpless as the zipper began to
unzip itself. The grotesque face of the
creature poked its way inside, unleashing A thunderous roar
that sent shock waves through my body, regret course through me
like a tidal wave. Why had I not waited for my
friends? But then, if they had arrived
earlier, they too would face this abominable monstrosity.
Perhaps it was better that they were delayed.
They would discover my horribly mangled and possibly devoured
remains, but at least they might have a chance to escape.
Amid these harrowing thoughts, something peculiar caught my
eye. The creature was wearing a
glistening bracelet, and upon closer inspection it seemed to
have meticulously manicured nails.
In fact, it sported a casual T-shirt and sweatpants.
Without thinking, I reached up and grabbed the creature's face,
tearing it off with all the strength I could muster.
To my astonishment, the beast let out a rather unexpected
exclamation of pain. Ouch.
As the fur covered visage came loose in the blink of an eye, I
found myself holding the creature's face in my trembling
hand, and there beside me stood Jolene, her ears still smarting
from the ordeal. You think you could yank my ears
off next time? She quipped, A mischievous glint
in her eyes. Sure, after I'm done having a
heart attack, You jerk. I retorted, my heart still
pounding in my chest. She couldn't help but smile, her
fingers tenderly massaging her ears as if to soothe the
lingering discomfort. Happy Halloween, she cheerfully
declared. Screw you, I exclaimed, hurling
the grotesque mask at her before storming out of the tent, my
anger boiling over. Wait, you're not really mad, are
you? I heard her voice trail behind
me as I stomp down the dimly lit trail, my frustration guiding my
steps. I didn't bother to turn, to
answer, or even to slow down. My mind was consumed by a
whirlwind of emotions, leaving me in a state of blind
determination. Where are you going?
She called out, her voice filled with genuine concern.
The question echoed in my mind, but I couldn't seem to find a
clear answer. Where was I going?
I had become an aimless wanderer, stomping down the
trail with no destination in mind.
The first rays of dawn began to Pierce through the dense canopy
of trees, casting a gentle golden glow upon the world.
Without conscious thought, I gradually slowed to a stop,
standing there in awe of the simple, elegant beauty of the
sunrise. As I marveled at the horizon, a
presence beside me stirred, both heard and felt.
I turned my gaze to find Jolene standing there, sharing in the
breathtaking sight of the rising sun.
Beautiful, isn't it? She remarked softly.
I turned to her, the anger from before slowly dissipating,
replaced by a genuine smile. I should throw you off this
Cliff, I jokingly threatened. She took a cautious step back,
uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
Sucks being afraid, doesn't it? I mused, attempting to bridge
the gap between us. Yeah, She admitted, staying at a
safe distance. I guess it does.
You know what you should do with that mask?
I suggested with a mischievous glint in my eyes.
I'm sure you have a few creative suggestions, she replied
cautiously. I turned to her, a wicked grin
forming on my face. You should scare the hell out of
dawn. And Rose.
Her expression slowly transformed from fear to
confusion, and then to a mischievous grin of her own.
The darkness of the night began to fade, replaced by a new found
camaraderie forged in the Crucible of fear and laughter.
On this haunting Halloween night, the sun had begun its
descent, casting long shadows as the late afternoon unfolded on
the campsite. The atmosphere was filled with a
palpable tension as Dawn and Rose finally made their way up
the hill, panting and gasping for breath.
I had taken the initiative to start a campfire and prepare
some lunch, the aroma of which wafted through the air.
A pot of coffee bubbled away merrily on the flames.
With a raised eyebrow, I greeted them.
Well, you 2 sure took your time. I nonchalantly poked the
campfire and added a fresh log. Dawn, her annoyance evident,
retorted. You're lucky we came at all.
I was going to call and cancel like Jolene did, I responded,
doing my best to feign disappointment.
Are you kidding me? Rose exclaimed, dropping her
backpack with a thud after we busted our butts to get up here.
Afraid so, I said, maintaining my facade.
Dawn, evidently outraged, swiftly retrieved her cell
phone. You wait until I talk to her.
My heart raced. Dawn's call could potentially
derail the entire prank. My mind raced to come up with a
solution. Don't bother, I interjected.
I already tried calling her this morning.
It went straight to voicemail, Dawn muttered, putting her phone
away. She's probably snuggled up in
bed, sleeping. Well, at least you two made it,
I said, gesturing towards the logs arranged around the fire.
Take a load off. They exchanged skeptical
glances, but eventually yielded. Sitting down, I guessed that
exhaustion had temporarily lowered their standards for
seating arrangements. We engaged in small talk for a
while, primarily focusing on our mutual disappointment with
Jolene's absence. Afterwards I helped them set up
their tents and just as we finished.
A distant roar and a piercing scream shattered the tranquil
forest ambience. What was that?
Dawn questioned, her head darting around as she tried to
pinpoint the source. I don't know, I said, putting on
an Oscar level performance of looking frightened while trying
not to smile. Jolene had outdone herself.
She said she would look for roaring sounds on her phone, but
that was so loud. I didn't know her phone could
get that loud. Light was just beginning to
fade, making it even harder to see if there was anything coming
out of the trees towards us. Rose was having a full panic
attack. What do we do?
She said.
Let's just go in our tents and hope whatever it is doesn't care
about finding us. I said we should leave, Rose
said, her eyes darting all around, searching for danger.
I think so too, Dawn said. If there's something out there,
it could come after us. I tried to do a quick pivot to
save the prank. Where would we go?
I said our cars are miles away. If that thing was after us, it
would stalk us on the trail too, and we wouldn't have our tents
made-up to hide in. They looked at me with what
looked like suspicion that turned into resignation.
I guess you're right, Dawn said. We should just go in our tents
and hope that thing goes away. Are you kidding me?
Rose said. Why not just wrap ourselves in
our sleeping bags and serve ourselves up as burritos for
that thing? Don't you think you're overre
reacting? I said we don't even know what
that was. Maybe it was some animal calling
for a mate and the scream could be someone saw it and was
scared. Dawn watched our back and forth
conversation. Let's just go to our tents, she
said. No, Rose said.
I want to leave right now. There's the trail, I said,
pointing no one stopping you. She looked from the trail to
Dawn to me. I turned and went into my tent.
A few minutes later I heard another tent flap rustle,
followed by a third. A smile crept across my face.
This was going to be fun. I was so excited I barely read
any of my book. Within an hour I heard something
outside the tent, rustling through the campsite and
knocking things over. Here we go, I whispered.
It was all I could do to stay in my tent when I heard Rose
scream. There was no way I could watch
Jolene chasing them around with that ridiculous mask on and not
howl with laughter. I wanted to give the prank time
for them to be scared before revealing our devious plan.
Fits of laughter fought to escape me, but I held them in as
I heard Dawn's screams join the fray.
From the sound they were all running around destroying the
campsite. Between the growls, running,
knocking into things and screams of terror, the whole cacophony
of it was nearly impossible to sit through.
Every inch of me was aching to jump out and say happy
Halloween, we got you. After a few minutes the noise
died down. Everyone must have gotten tired.
I was still waiting for the aha moment when I heard Dawn or Rose
curse at Jolene. The mask wasn't that convincing
once you calmed down and got a close look at it any minute now.
I leaned close to the wall of my tent, but all movement had
stopped. It was like everyone had just
laid down and took a nap. I couldn't take it any longer.
I ripped open my tent and jumped out, yelling, surprise, happy,
hello. The rest of the word died on my
tongue. The campsite wasn't in disarray,
it was destroyed. Both Dawn and Rose's tents were
flattened. As I stepped closer, I saw rips
and gouges in their tents as well.
As I looked around the campsite at the carnage, my first thought
was, wow, Jolene really overdid it.
But that thought didn't hold for long.
The more I moved through the camp, the more I saw claw Marks
and huge footprints, something that Jolene couldn't do.
All doubts ended when I came across Dawn.
She lay in a pool of blood, and at first I thought it was a
trick, that they had turned Jolene back against me, and now
I was being pranked. However, that thought died a
quick death when I saw Dawn's severed arm lying a few feet
from her. Her eyes were wide open in
shock. She looked at me with a blank
stare of accusation and tried to whisper something, but I
couldn't hear it. I leaned closer and she
whispered again, her final words haunting me.
This couldn't be Jolene. It wasn't a trick or a prank.
Something real had just invaded our camp and destroyed my
friend. Fear gripped me as I looked
around to see if this creature was lying in wait to get me to.
As I searched the rest of the camp, hoping moment by moment
that this thing was gone, I also didn't find Rose.
Eventually I found a large pool of Crimson not far from her
tent, but nobody was around. The trail of Crimson LED from
the pool off toward the woods and I had no desire to follow
it. The next thought that came to my
panicked mind was, if this wasn't Jolene, then where was
she? She purposely didn't tell me
where she was hiding so I wouldn't unintentionally give
away her position by glancing at a certain spot.
It was a smart plan until she went missing and I have no idea
what's going on. My next thought was calling for
help, but when I got out my phone I found it was also dead,
even though I didn't want to. I went over to Dawn's now dead
body and searched for her cell phone, but I found it in pieces.
There would be no call for help. Despondency smothered me and
pulled me to the ground. I sat in the middle of the
campsite beside a pool of Crimson that used to be one of
my friends, only a handful of feet away from the broken body
that used to be another one of my friends, having no idea where
my third friend was. I'd never been in such a
desperate place in my life, not only physically but mentally,
and I hoped I would never be in such a place again.
I had no idea what to do or where to go.
The realization began to set in that I had lost three of my
closest friends in the space of a day.
Tears flowed down my cheeks as I sat there in the growing
darkness, with only the embers of the dying fire to keep me
company. Should I sit here and hope that
help would stumble by in the form of another hiker or, even
better, a park Ranger? It was late October, and the
trails weren't very well travelled once the weather
turned cold. As I sat there, a gust of wind
blew through, tearing at the few remaining leaves clinging to
their branches. They began to fall, as if the
forest was crying with me or for me.
I wish I knew what the forest knew about this thing that had
destroyed my friends in my life, about how I would get out of
here alive, and most of all about what had happened to
Jolene. As much as I wanted to just sit
there and mourn forever, I knew I couldn't.
I knew I had to get up and go figure this out.
How would I get out of here? How would I survive?
Maybe my tent held the key. By some miracle, my tent was
undamaged. I started digging through my
backpack. There are always things in
everyone's backpack that they have for emergencies that never
happened. Usually it's a snake bite kit, a
length of rope or band aids that seldom if ever get used.
But as I was digging I came across some things that might be
useful. There was a can of pepper spray
and a small pocket knife. At this point I was happy to
have anything I could use as a weapon.
They went in my pocket along with the rope.
So now it was decision time. Do I pack up my stuff right now
and leave hiking down the trail in the dark, having no idea if
this thing is still on the hunt? Or do I lay down and get some
rest, wait for morning and hope it doesn't know I'm here?
Neither one was a great option. There was no way I could even
consider burying dawn. I didn't have a shovel and I
would need all my energy to hike back out of here if I hope to
survive. Thankfully the decision was made
for me. As I lay there, mind whirling
from everything that had happened, I fell asleep.
I woke hours later to a bright morning sun peeking through my
open tent window. I yawned and stretched, thinking
about what a beautiful morning it could be, when suddenly I
remembered everything that had happened.
That's when I heard the growling.
It was just loud enough to get my attention.
Fear gripped me as I tried to figure out what to do.
My brain went into full useless mode as run out of the tent
screaming rose to the top of possible options.
The growling didn't seem to get any closer as I lay there
awaiting my fate. Encouraged by the fact that I
hadn't become the monsters breakfast yet, I got up to my
knees and quietly looked out the window.
What I saw disgusted and enraged me.
There were two mountain lions having their breakfast.
Normally I wouldn't care about such a thing more than staying
as far away as possible, but today their breakfast was my
friend. I did exactly what was at the
top of my brains list. I ran out of the tent screaming
at first. I ran straight at them, hoping
it would scare them off. They both just stopped and
stared at me as if I were some rude interloper interrupting
them having morning tea. The next thing they did was turn
and take a few steps toward me. As I stared at their red soaked
faces, I realized I had done the worst thing possible.
I lowered my hands and started backing away, trying to look as
non threatening as possible. This seemed to encourage them to
increase their pursuit. I was almost back to my tent,
but it didn't seem like diving inside and hiding was an option.
Now they were aware of me and very interested in me, possibly
as lunch as my list of potential actions dwindled to wait for
death, my hand brushed against my leg and I felt something in
my pocket. It was the pepper spray.
I pulled it out, having no idea if it even worked on cats, and
aimed it at them. They didn't slow in the
slightest. It looked like a stream of water
sprayed out of the can and landed on the first cat's face.
Its reaction was immediate. It let out a massive yowl and
began clawing at its face. The 2nd paused in confusion,
watching its companion devolve into convulsions of pain.
When it looked back at me, I had already sprayed its face,
causing the same reaction. For a long moment I was treated
to the insanely comical sight of these two predators twirling in
circles trying to claw their own faces off.
And then the impossible happened.
They both decided breakfast wasn't worth the cost of
admission and ran off. I looked down at this small,
innocuous looking spray can that had just saved my life.
It was tempting to give it a kiss in celebration, but I
didn't want to take any chance of getting any spray on me.
Writhing in pain wasn't high on my list of things to do.
Today, having just escaped death, I decided on my plan of
action. My backpack was packed in under
1/2 hour and I was on the trail having said my goodbyes to Dawn.
And what was left of Rose, a sharp pang of guilt stabbed me
as I left the campsite. Dawn's last whispered words
haunted me. Shouldn't have come.
She was right, of course. If any of us had known what was
about to happen, there was no way we should have been here.
But that's the whole point of life, I guess none of us know
what's going to happen at any minute.
As if I wasn't depressed enough as it was, that thought sent me
into near panic as my eyes darted all around searching for
danger. Now it wasn't only the monster,
but the mountain lions and any other creature whose home I had
invaded right then. I knew I would never visit this
place again. Even the woodland creatures were
quiet out of respect for my fallen friends.
Wait, how would they know? As if in answer, the monster
stepped out onto the trail and stared down at me.
It was massive. I'd never seen anything that
tall. Not only was it tall, but its
shoulders were a good five feet wide.
It was covered in dark fur that had splotches of wet dark stains
down the front of it. My mind told me that was all
that was left of Rose. It unleashed a deafening roar
that made a small river flow down my pant leg.
My mind was like a little dog chasing its tail, trying to
figure out what to do as I stood there frozen to the spot.
It took two steps and was right in front of me when it reached
for me. Some basic survival mode kicked
in and I went back to the last thing that had saved my life.
I whipped out the pepper spray and emptied the can in the
monsters face. It reared back and screamed so
loud I had to hold my ears. As I ran around it and sprinted
down the trail, my heart was pumping adrenaline.
My feet barely touched the ground.
I had never run so fast in my entire life.
The trees were a blur as I wound back and forth along the trail.
All I could think was just get away, just get away.
As hope soared that I might be able to do just that, I heard a
noise coming from behind me. It was like a bulldozer with
legs I heard pounding and crashing, as if something was
destroying whatever got in its way.
I glanced back and the monster was gaining on me, but it was
flailing its arms around in front of it, as if to protect
its eyes from whatever was there.
That momentary distraction was just enough.
My foot caught on a branch I wasn't looking for, and I went
tumbling at full speed off the trail and into the brush.
I hit a tree hard with my back. I was sure I heard a crack.
It was all I could do just to stay conscious.
I watched through bleary eyes as the monster ran past me on the
trail. There was no way I could
celebrate or even move. Running so fast for so long had
taken its toll, and now, having fallen and possibly injuring my
back, had just added to my immobility.
It took me a few long moments to catch my breath.
Once I did, I slowly move body parts to make sure they still
worked. I saved the worst for last.
Trying to sit up caused pain to shoot down my back.
That wasn't a good sign. It seemed like I would be here
for a little bit, at least until I recovered enough to make
another try for my car. I knew it was less than a mile
away, but right now I couldn't even think about getting up to
walk, let alone run. I painfully pulled my backpack
off and sat it beside me. Next I tried to cover myself and
my pack with the loose leaves that blanketed the ground within
10 minutes. I was satisfied that no one
would be able to see me from the trail without looking very
closely. There was a peephole I had left
open to keep an eye on the trail.
The monster would be back eventually.
There was no doubt about that. Once it realized I wasn't on the
trail anymore, it would backtrack looking for me.
Spraying it may have saved my life, but it also doomed me to
be its enemy forever. It would search high and low to
find me. I was as sure about that as
anything. Even though it was mid morning,
the trees here were dense and light had to filter through a
lot of them to make it to the ground.
Reaching into my pack, I pulled out my reading light, which was
surprisingly still in one piece. I used it to check my wounds and
found they were mostly cuts and scrapes.
As my adrenaline crashed, I could feel myself being once
again dragged into unconsciousness.
My eyes drooped, then suddenly shot open as I heard something.
The part of the trail I could see through my peephole was
quite small. I leaned to the left a little
bit, trying not to make any sound.
That's when I heard the sniffing and saw the monster coming
slowly back up the trail. It was on all fours, smelling
the ground. One eye looked like it was
swollen shut, and the other was bloodshot.
It got to the point in the trail where I had fallen and stopped,
then turned and looked right at me.
My body turned to liquid nitrogen.
The monster stalked straight towards me as if it could see me
plain as day. I glanced down and realized to
my horror that my reading light was still on.
I panicked. If I turned it off, the monster
would know I was there. If I left it on, it was a beacon
leading it right to me. I gently pulled it from around
my neck, trying to move it as little as possible.
Once I had it off of me, I set it on top of my backpack so it
was at the same level as it had been around my neck.
As I slid away from the pack, I reached into my pocket and
pulled out the knife, then opened it.
The monster was so close I could smell the stench of death coming
from its mouth. It got right up to the light and
brushed the leaves away to see what this thing was.
There was only one shot for me to survive.
I swung the knife with all the strength I had left, getting it
in the eye that wasn't swollen. It reared back and screamed in
pain. I didn't wait around to see what
was going to happen. Every ounce of energy I had went
to running away from this monster.
My back screamed at me, but I ignored it.
The creature screamed again, this time in rage rather than
pain. It tore off after me, but
couldn't see, so it ended up slamming into a tree 3 feet
behind me. My legs kept pumping, driven by
sheer terror. As I glanced back, I saw the
monster listening to me run away.
It followed my sounds and ran after me again.
I pivoted and ran up the side of the trail just in time for it to
miss me and fall face first on the trail it wasn't far to the
trail head. Now I knew it was getting close.
There was a hard turn in the trail where I had to be careful
of my footing. It was narrow and there was a
steep drop that ended in a river far below.
I ran to where the turn was and suddenly stopped.
The monster had gotten up and was listening for me again.
It was a gamble, but I stood at the turn and jogged in place as
though I was still running away. It listened, then launched
itself toward me. As soon as it began to run, I
quietly stepped around the corner and softly walk down the
trail a few feet. If my gamble paid off, I would
be home free. If it didn't, I'd be gone.
Time slowed as the beast galloped towards the turn.
I watched and waited until finally I saw the red fur of its
face with the knife still sticking out at the last moment.
It seemed to sense me around the corner and tried to turn, but
momentum had already carried it past me and it had no chance of
staying on the trail. I leaned over and watched as it
fell helplessly over the edge and tumbled down to the water
below, hitting its head on several trees as it went.
It had just come to rest at the bottom when I took off running.
The trailhead loomed in front of me and I didn't want to take any
chances of that thing recovering and catching me.
Before I got to my car, I'd never seen a more beautiful
sight than my beat up Toyota Corolla.
When I approached it, I paused yet again and looked around for
who or what might be watching me.
Hanging from my driver's side mirror was the mask Jolene had
worn. I took it off the mirror and
looked at it in shock and confusion.
Inside was a note. There was a crash from the woods
that told me the monster hadn't given up.
I jumped in the car, threw the mask on the passenger seat and
broke every speed law getting out of the park.
Even once I was on the main road, I pushed the pedal down to
make the car go as fast as it could.
My speedometer needle was vibrating when I hit 80.
It wasn't until I was close to home that I slowed down.
I got out and went into my tiny house, bringing the mask.
I collapsed on the couch as my back complained I would have to
schedule an appointment with my chiropractor.
Once I was safely inside, I picked up the mask and pulled
out the note. It read.
I'm sorry to leave without telling you.
The girls were coming up the trail and I was about to jump
out at them when I saw this monster following them through
the woods. I couldn't warn them or you
without the monster seeing. When they set up their tents, it
was watching from the edge of the woods.
I panicked and quietly left while it was busy watching the
camp. I hope you're alive to read
this, and if so, you can someday forgive me, Jay.
I lay the note beside me on the couch and all I could think of
is tears streamed down my cheeks.
Was Dawn's final words to me. Shouldn't have come.
It was a chilly fall weekend when my friend first proposed
the idea of camping. Initially I resisted the idea,
shivering at the thought of sleeping in a tent in the cold
alongside someone else. However, as the five of us
discussed it, I began to warm up to the idea.
We decided to embark on this adventure the following weekend,
which had now arrived that morning.
We gathered all the camping essentials, tents, snacks, a
lighter, and various other supplies.
We opted for a remote location in the woods, a 2 hour hike away
from any road or houses. I couldn't shake my
apprehensions about the risks involved, from the possibility
of a random assailant to a lurking bear.
However, the others assured me that our car parked on the
nearest Rd. would provide a quick escape if needed.
I mentioned the two hour walk to the car, but my concerns were
brushed aside. We drove as far as possible
before embarking on the hike. Something immediately struck me.
The utter absence of wildlife sounds.
No crickets, no birds, nothing but silence.
It felt eerie, as if something were subtly amiss.
I attributed it to my jitters and pushed it out of my mind.
Where should we set up the tents?
Rob inquired Over there. Looks good, Nate replied.
Who's setting them up? After a brief discussion, we
assigned Dan and Murphy the task of setting up the tents while
the rest of us ventured out in search of squirrels to hunt.
However, it quickly became evident that the woods were
devoid of wildlife. Perhaps we should head back and
start cooking the supplies we brought, I suggested.
Rob and Nate halted, signifying their agreement.
We turned and began the trek back to our camp.
A few minutes into our walk we heard a faint noise, but it was
unmistakably there. We halted scanning the
surroundings and spotted a deer behind us.
Yet this was no ordinary deer. It's antlers protruded from its
mouth and it possessed 5 legs. It was a deformed creature,
something I'd only heard of but never seen.
We chose not to harm it, fearing potential diseases.
I couldn't help but wonder how long that deformed deer had
trailed us stealthily enough to avoid detection.
We finally reached the camp an hour later and decided to dine
on the canned chili we had brought with us.
Cooked over the campfire. The five of us squeezed into two
tents, Nate and I in one and Rob Murphy and Dan in the other.
We stayed up for a few more hours singing songs and enjoying
some drinks before retiring for the night.
I fell asleep about an hour after lying down.
I awoke to a strange clicking noise, initially dismissing it
as one of the guys fiddling with something.
However, I grabbed my gun just in case, and unzip the tent.
I froze. The same deformed deer from
earlier was standing right outside my tent, its mouth
moving oddly with its teeth clicking together
intermittently. It followed us all the way back.
How did we not notice? I thought, and then hastily
zipped up the tent again, trying to ignore it.
Needless to say, I got no sleep that night.
The next morning, all six of us decided to discuss something
before packing up to leave. Something felt off, as though my
mind was playing tricks on me, but I couldn't pinpoint the
source of my unease. Me, Dan, Nate, Robert Murphy,
and someone else. I paused, trying to recall, but
my thoughts felt muddled. There was only 5, no six of us.
My confusion was unsettling, but I dismissed it.
That evening I couldn't shake the feeling that something was
wrong with my mind, and it seemed the others shared a
similar unease. That night, all six of us
retired to our tents, 3 in each. I shared mine with Nate and
someone else. A sense of unease nagged at me,
but I couldn't grasp its cause. In the middle of the night, I
was jolted awake by the same clicking sound as before, only
this time it was coming from inside the tent.
Fear immobilized me. Had the deer somehow infiltrated
the tent? I felt Nate shift beside me,
what? He began to say, but abruptly
fell silent. What the hell?
He muttered, louder this time. I sensed movement on my left
side, even though Nate was on my right.
Nate cried out before something or someone leaped over me and
onto him. I awoke the next morning gasping
for breath. Had it all been a dream?
I wondered. The five of us packed up to
leave, but something still felt wrong.
No, someone felt wrong. Nate seemed off.
He spoke and acted the same, but there was something about his
appearance. Have you ever heard of the
uncanny valley? It was like that.
Something was definitely off, but I couldn't put my finger on
it. I chose to ignore it.
And with that, the five of us walked back to the car, got in
and drove away. Yet I couldn't shake the nagging
feeling that I had made a terrible mistake, that something
unholy might have been unleashed upon our town.