It was just supposed to be a routine patrol, Nothing special,
nothing out of the ordinary. I've done this 100 times, maybe
more, but something about tonight felt off.
Maybe it was the silence. Usually you'd hear the rustling
of leaves or the distant call of an owl, but tonight, nothing.
It was like the whole forest was holding its breath.
I grabbed my flashlight from the passenger seat of the truck and
stepped out. The air was damp, like it had
just rained, but everything was dry.
Weird. The familiar smell of pine and
Moss was still there, though, which gave me some comfort.
I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease that had
been creeping up on me all evening.
Just another night, I muttered to myself.
I flicked on the flashlight, its beam cutting through the
thickening twilight as I headed down the trail.
I was out here to check on a few campsites and trails, nothing
major. The radio was quiet, as usual.
It almost felt too quiet. You know that kind of quiet
where your own footsteps sound way louder than they should?
Yeah, that. As I walked deeper into the
woods, I started noticing little things.
Things I'd normally shrug off but tonight couldn't ignore.
Like this patch of underbrush I passed all flattened out, like
something heavy had been lying there.
Maybe a bear could have been. But then I saw the tracks.
At first they looked like deer tracks.
No big deal, right? Except after a few steps, they
changed. The neat hoof prints turned
strange. They were still kind of hoof
shaped, but longer, more stretched out.
Like something was trying to look like a deer, but didn't
quite get it right. I frowned and knelt down to get
a better look, but after a moment I stood up, brushing it
off. It's probably nothing.
I said, even though I didn't really believe it.
The deeper I went, the worse the feeling got.
There was this weird hum in the air, like a low buzz, but I
couldn't figure out where it was coming from.
I stopped for a second, thinking it was maybe a bee or something,
but no, the hum wasn't moving, and it wasn't loud enough to be
anything mechanical like a generator.
It just was. I kept walking, trying to ignore
how my heart was starting to beat a little faster for no good
reason. The flashlight flickered for a
second and I almost jumped. Really.
I muttered, shaking it. Not tonight, please.
By now it was getting darker, the sun pretty much gone,
leaving me with just the dim glow of the moon and my
flickering flashlight. I felt a chill creep up my
spine. I wasn't scared, at least that's
what I kept telling myself. But that uneasy feeling I had at
the start, yeah, it was growing stronger by the minute.
It felt like someone or something was watching me.
I'd glance behind me every now and then, but there was nothing.
The trees stood tall and still, like they were waiting for
something to. A loud crack, like a branch
snapping, made me freeze. I swung the flashlight around,
shining it through the trees, but all I saw were shadows.
The light flickered again and my hand shook as I tightened my
grip. Get a grip, Jack.
I whispered, even though talking to myself wasn't helping.
But The thing is, that feeling, the one that says turn back, it
was there and it was getting harder to ignore.
I knew I should have turned around, but I couldn't.
I had to finish the patrol. Besides, it was probably just my
imagination, right? I'd been out in the woods at
night plenty of times. This was no different.
Or at least that's what I kept telling myself.
Still, as I continued walking, every little sound, the rustle
of a leaf, the snap of a twig, set my nerves on edge.
My instincts were screaming at me now, but I shoved them aside
and kept going. The hum grew louder.
The air felt heavier, like it was pressing down on me.
That's when the flashlight flickered one more time and went
out completely. I was plunged into total
darkness. My flashlight was dead.
Of course it was. I stood there, blinking into the
pitch black, trying to calm my racing heart.
The moonlight filtering through the trees was faint, barely
enough to see the path in front of me.
I dug around in my pocket for my spare flashlight.
There's always a backup. That's Ranger 101.
I switched it on, half expecting it to flicker out like the other
one, but it held steady, and the pale beam pushed back the
darkness a bit. I let out a shaky breath and
started walking again, trying to shake off the feeling of being
watched. But you know it wasn't going
anywhere. If anything, it was getting
worse. I kept looking over my shoulder,
expecting to see something lurking just beyond the trees,
but there was nothing, always nothing.
The further I went, the stranger everything seemed.
The hum from before. Yeah, it was still there, but it
wasn't just a background noise anymore.
It felt like it was in the air, buzzing through my bones.
I couldn't tell if it was coming from the trees, the ground, or
maybe even inside my own head. That's when I saw it.
A campsite. Now, I didn't remember this site
being on my patrol route. It wasn't on any of the maps I'd
checked earlier either. But there it was.
A torn up tent, A dead campfire, and the smell of something
rotten hanging in the air. It looked like it had been
abandoned for a while, but there was something off about it, like
it didn't belong here. I stepped closer, my flashlight
sweeping across the torn fabric of the tent.
The camp fire had been cold for a long time, but something about
it still felt fresh. I couldn't explain it, but the
air was thick with that disgusting stench, almost like
rotting meat mixed with something sour.
My stomach turned. The ground near the fire was
strange too. There were symbols scratched
into the dirt surrounding what looked like bones.
Small ones. Animal bones.
I think they were arranged in a circle, like some kind of weird
ritual or offering. I swallowed hard, suddenly
feeling like I shouldn't be here at all.
That's when the first whisper hit me.
At first I thought it was the wind, but no, there wasn't a
single breeze tonight. The air was still heavy.
I froze, straining to listen. The whisper was soft, almost too
quiet to hear, but it was definitely there.
And it wasn't just one voice, it was like many, whispering from
all directions. I spun around, shining my light
into the trees, trying to catch a glimpse of who or what was out
there. Nothing, Just shadows.
But the whispers kept going, growing louder.
I couldn't understand the words, but they were close, way too
close. I grabbed my radio and pressed
the button. Ranger station, this is Jack.
I said, my voice shaking more than I wanted it to.
I need backup. Something's not right out here.
The only response I got was static.
I swore under my breath, clicking the button again.
Station, do you copy? Static, No answer.
I tried again, but it was like the radio wasn't even reaching
anyone. The hum in the air seemed louder
now, almost drowning out everything else.
I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to leave just yet.
I felt this pull, like something was keeping me there, holding me
in place. I stepped closer to the cymbals
in the dirt, my flashlight flickering over the bones.
The whispers were all around me now, like they were coming from
the trees, the ground, the darkness itself.
I spun in a circle, but there was still no one there.
The forest seemed to press in on me, the trees creaking and
groaning like they were alive, like they were watching too.
That's when I heard it. A loud snap, like a branch
breaking under foot. My breath caught in my throat.
I spun toward the sound, my heart racing.
But again, nothing. Just more shadows, more dark,
empty forest. And yet I knew something was
there, something big. It was close, too close.
The whispers were louder now, almost frantic.
They seemed to swirl around me, mixing with the hum that was
vibrating through my chest. My legs felt frozen, like I
couldn't move even if I wanted to.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the briefest
glimpse of something. A figure, tall and thin, just
beyond the trees. It was there for a second, maybe
less, and then it was gone, swallowed by the shadows.
I didn't wait to see if it would come back.
I turned and ran. I ran.
My legs were burning and my lungs felt like they were going
to explode, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.
Whatever I saw back there, it wasn't human, at least not any
more. My mind was racing, trying to
make sense of it, but honestly, there wasn't any sense to be
made. The forest was a blur around me,
shadows stretching and twisting in the pale moonlight.
My flashlight bounced wildly in my hand, but I didn't dare turn
it off, not after seeing that thing.
I kept running, dodging branches, nearly tripping over
roots, just trying to get as far away as I could.
But no matter how fast I moved, I couldn't shake the feeling
that something was right behind me.
That's when I heard it again. A loud crack, like a tree branch
snapping under something heavy. Too heavy to be a deer or any
normal animal out here. I glanced over my shoulder,
heart pounding in my ears, and for just a second I saw it.
A tall, gaunt figure, moving between the trees, fast, way too
fast. Its limbs were all wrong, too
long, too twisted, and its eyes, its eyes reflected the moonlight
like an animal's. But there was something human
about them too, something that made my stomach drop.
I stumbled over a rock, nearly falling face first into the
dirt. I caught myself just in time,
but my flashlight slipped out of my hand and rolled away, its
beam flickering against the trees.
Panic surged through me and I scrambled to grab it, my fingers
shaking. I could hear the thing moving
closer now, and I didn't have time to think.
I grabbed the flashlight and bolted.
I don't know how long I ran for. It felt like forever, but the
trees all looked the same. I couldn't even tell if I was
still on the trail. It was like the forest had
swallowed me up and I was just running in circles.
That hum, that low, constant buzz, was back, louder now, like
it was inside my head. And the whispers still there,
only now they sounded almost like laughter, like something
was toying with me. My legs were screaming for me to
stop, but I knew I couldn't. Stopping wasn't an option, not
with that thing out there, not when I had no idea what it was
capable of. But the worst part, the part
that really sent a shiver down my spine, it was the stories I'd
heard, the ones I'd always laughed off.
The old legends the locals talked about.
Stories of skinwalkers, creatures that could mimic both
man and beast. I didn't believe in that kind of
stuff. At least, I didn't, not until
now. I pushed those thoughts away.
I had to focus. I had to get back to my truck.
If I could just make it there, I'd be safe.
I'd radio for help, get out of the woods and never come back.
I just had to get to the truck. But the forest wasn't making it
easy. The trail, if I was even still
on it, was nearly impossible to follow in the dark.
And every time I thought I was getting closer to safety, I'd
hear that crack again, that sound of something big moving
through the trees, just out of sight.
I skidded to a stop, my chest heaving, and shined my
flashlight into the woods. The beam flickered for a second,
and I nearly lost it. Come on, not now.
I whispered, shaking the flashlight.
It steadied, and I swept it across the trees.
Nothing, just shadows. But I knew it was there.
I could feel it, watching me, waiting.
I had to keep moving. My truck couldn't be far, I just
had to push through a little longer.
But then I heard it again, closer this time, that snap of a
branch, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps.
Not the soft, cautious steps of a deer or a bear.
No, these were deliberate, like something was stalking me.
I turned, my heart hammering in my chest, and for a split second
I saw it again. The same tall, twisted figure.
Its eyes gleamed in the dark, locking on to me.
It wasn't running. It didn't have to.
It knew I couldn't outrun it forever.
I don't know where the strength came from, but I forced myself
to move faster than before, if that was even possible.
My legs felt like they were going to give out, but I didn't
care. I just needed to get out.
I had to get out. And then finally, I saw it.
The edge of the trees opened up and there it was.
My truck. Relief flooded through me and I
sprinted toward it, my fingers already fumbling for my keys.
I didn't stop to look back. I didn't want to know how close
it was. I just threw myself into the
driver's seat, slammed the door shut, and locked it.
For a moment, I just sat there, gasping for breath, my heart
pounding so loud it felt like it was going to burst out of my
chest. I gripped the steering wheel,
trying to calm down, but the fear wouldn't let go.
I glanced in the rear view mirror, and that's when I saw
it. Standing at the edge of the
trees, just barely visible in the shadows, was the figure.
Its eyes gleamed, reflecting the light from my truck's
headlights. It didn't move, it just stood
there, watching. And for the first time, I
realized something terrifying. It wasn't just hunting me.
It was waiting. I sat there in my truck, my
hands shaking as I gripped the steering wheel, staring out into
the dark. My chest was still heaving, my
breath shallow and ragged. I'd made it.
I was out of the woods, but somehow that didn't feel like a
victory. The headlights cast long shadows
across the trees, and just beyond the reach of the light, I
could still see it. That figure.
It hadn't moved. It stood there, tall and
twisted, its eyes gleaming in the dark, watching me, waiting.
I couldn't tear my gaze away. My mind was screaming at me to
just drive, but something inside me couldn't let go of that thing
out there. It was like I was in a trance,
frozen. What was it?
Why hadn't it attacked? What did it want?
Finally, I snapped myself out of it and fumble for my keys.
I shoved them into the ignition and cranked the engine to life.
The sound of the truck roaring to life should have been
comforting, but it wasn't. I couldn't shake the feeling
that something was wrong, something deeper than just that
thing in the woods. I threw the truck into gear and
peeled out, gravel spraying behind me as I speed down the
dirt Rd. I glanced in the rearview
mirror, but the figure was gone. Just shadows now, but I knew it
wasn't over. I could feel it.
The road was bumpy, my headlights bouncing wildly over
the trees, but I didn't slow down.
I couldn't. I needed to get back to the
station, call for help, and figure out what in the world was
happening. But the further I drove, the
heavier that feeling became, that sense that I wasn't alone.
I tried the radio again, but it was still just static.
Of course it was. Nothing had been working right
since the moment I'd stepped into those woods.
I slammed the radio back into the holder, frustration bubbling
up inside me. Come on, come on, I muttered,
like somehow yelling at the radio would magically make it
work. The station lights finally came
into view. Relief washed over me, but it
didn't last long. I parked the truck and stumbled
out, still glancing over my shoulder like I expected to see
that figure lurking just beyond the tree line.
I hurried inside, locking the door behind me, my heart still
pounding. The station was quiet, too
quiet. I made my way to the desk and
grabbed the landline, hoping it would work better than the
radio. As I dialed, my eyes caught
something in the windows reflection, something that made
my blood run cold. It was me, or at least it should
have been, but the face staring back at me.
It wasn't quite right. My eyes, they looked too bright,
too sharp, like something was behind them.
For a second, I couldn't move. My breath hitched in my throat
and my hand shook as I dropped the phone.
I blinked, thinking maybe it was just the adrenaline, just my
nerves playing tricks on me. I wiped my eyes and looked
again, but it was still there. My reflection wasn't my own.
My face shifted just a little, almost like someone was wearing
it, like a mask. That's when I felt it, that
presence. It was here.
Not outside, not in the trees, but with me.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
I slowly turned away from the window, scanning the station.
The hum was back louder now, buzzing in my ears.
And the whispers, they were inside.
I couldn't understand the words, but they were all around me,
circling like they were closing in.
My heart pounded in my chest, faster and faster, but my legs
felt like they were glued to the floor.
Suddenly I remembered the stories, the ones I never
believed. The ones about the skinwalker,
the creature that could mimic anything, man or beast.
The thing that could steal your face, your voice, your soul.
It hadn't just followed me, it was in me.
I stumbled back from the desk, my mind racing, but there was
nowhere to go. I could feel it crawling under
my skin, like it was shifting, taking over.
I was losing control. My hand twitched, not because I
moved it, but because it did. My reflection in the window was
grinning now, a twisted, distorted version of me.
I opened my mouth to scream, but the sound that came out wasn't
mine. It was a low, guttural growl,
something that didn't belong in a human throat.
And that's when I knew it wasn't just following me.
It had me. I sank to the floor, my back
against the door, staring out at the dark woods.
The last bit of me, the part that was still.
Jack whispered into the silence. It followed me, but I knew the
truth. It wasn't going to let me go.
Even though I work as a park Ranger, I have never really
believed in monsters or creepy creatures.
It just never made sense to me. Ever since I started working, I
have heard stories from other Park Rangers about creepy,
inhumane creatures living in the woods waiting for humans.
Creatures that were neither animals nor humans.
Something monstrous, Pure, evil, terrifying.
My seniors used to tell me about their experiences and how they
believed in a mythical creature called the Wendigo that lurks in
the forests among the darkness. But of course, I was never
really convinced that they were real.
They were just made-up imaginary creatures or animals.
But the recent report we received might prove me wrong.
I work as a senior park Ranger, the leader of my group.
We had been getting common reports from campers and
tourists about weird experiences in the park.
Most of them said that they often heard disorienting sounds
like whispers or someone calling for help, but when they followed
the voice they would end up in the middle of nowhere.
Many reported that late at night they heard branches snapping or
footsteps crunching leaves as if someone were following them.
Not only that, but some even reported a rotting meat smell
that filled the whole forest late at night, causing them to
abandon their plans to camp. Most of these reports were
ignored by the senior teams, but then we received a report from a
group of campers sharing what they had seen.
Apparently, while camping in the woods one night, they noticed a
shadowy figure in the distance, just for a brief moment before
it disappeared into the trees. It was just a glimpse, but they
were so sure it was something abnormal, something they had
never seen before. Some of my seniors were
convinced that the park needed to be investigated at night.
Soon after, a group of Park Rangers was sent to investigate
the woods more deeply. It was a six member group led by
Eddie, a good friend of mine at work.
We often laughed and joked about how neither of us believed in
so-called mysterious monsters that weren't human.
The initial plan was for the group to start investigating
early in the morning and stay the night.
All of us were waiting for them at the station near the park.
I still remember the next morning waiting for the group to
return and tell us it was just an animal or something so we
could go back to focusing on other reports.
I'll never forget what happened next.
The group came back without Eddie.
Apparently they had split up in the middle of the night and gone
their own ways to search. But they soon realized that
something was really wrong. Eddie was missing.
No matter how much they screamed his name or ventured deeper into
the forest, they couldn't find him.
No trace of him. They had no choice but to return
without him. The situation was far more
serious now. The leader of the group was
missing. What was even more confusing
were the experiences of the other members.
They were puzzled by the sudden drop in temperature and the air
growing colder. Their GPS devices stopped
working and they noticed the night falling unnaturally fast.
Nothing was making sense and everyone soon realized that
something was not right. We decided to conduct another
investigation. At night, I stepped up as
leader. I knew I had to bring Eddie
back. There was no way I was going to
give up on him. The next morning, my team began
preparing. The group had a total of 12
members, with me as the leader and Ryan, another good friend of
mine, as the navigator. We planned everything, taking
GPS and compasses, flare guns, first aid kits, body cameras and
emergency equipment. I had to make sure nothing would
go wrong. We set out planning to report to
headquarters every two hours to ensure we were safe.
If we couldn't reach them, a backup Ranger group would be
sent. I took a deep breath and began
the journey. We didn't only have to find out
what was wrong with this park, we also had to find Eddie.
It started off easy, we set up our camps toward the West of the
park and then slowly made our way deeper into the woods as a
group, not leaving each other. We began looking for clues,
traces, anything that could lead us to Eddie.
We didn't even realize how quickly the day ended, it was
already dark. Time went by very fast, but all
of us wanted to search a little more before camping for the
night. We informed headquarters of this
and pressed on. Something about being in this
forest late at night made me uneasy.
It wasn't that I had never investigated a park before, but
I just felt that something was off.
We were all looking around, scanning all sides, flashing our
flashlight beams. I was very cautious about any
sound, any noise that might help us find Eddie.
It had already been more than a few hours and we were all
getting tired, but I couldn't just give up.
My group members started complaining about how long it
was taking, and some suggested that we split up.
I knew that would be very dangerous, but the night was
growing darker and we were hoping to find Eddie before
sunrise. I reluctantly agreed, and we
split into pairs. I took Ryan with me while the
other pairs went their own ways. We searched deeper, confronting
the unknown. In the darkness, I could feel
the winds growing colder, sharp breezes hitting my face.
The leaves crunched under foot as we walked, and we heard
animal or bird noises here and there.
The sound of crickets rose like a chorus behind us, but then we
heard something from a distance. Wait, can you hear that?
Ryan whispered to me as I gripped my flashlight tightly.
It started as a faint whisper, but then it grew louder and
closer. We couldn't make out the words,
but it felt like someone was in danger, screaming for help.
We both sensed it was important. Let's go look, I told Ryan, and
we took hesitant steps toward where the voice was coming from.
It LED us deeper into the park, but I didn't care.
What if one of my members was hurt?
Or what if it was Eddie? My heart was pounding in my
chest. Deep down, I knew something was
wrong, really wrong. I don't know what I was
expecting, but I was mentally preparing myself to encounter
something abnormal. We looked in every direction as
the voice grew closer and closer, the deep trees engulfing
us. I could feel we were very close
to where the voice was coming from, it was clearly someone
screaming for help. But then it stopped.
We could hear nothing. Absolute silence spread over the
entire forest. Not a single bird, no crickets,
nothing. Barely even a breeze.
The voice was gone, and Ryan and I both looked at each other,
terrified. It seemed as if we had lost our
ability to hear. It felt oddly silent.
We didn't know what to do now. The voice was gone, but then,
out of the corner of my eye, I caught something on the ground.
It was like a footprint, except it was very large and didn't
look like it belonged to a human.
It was dug deep into the ground. I pointed my flashlight at it
and stared at it for a while. I asked Ryan if it was some
animal's footprint, even though I already knew the answer.
Ryan knew a lot about wildlife and could easily identify animal
tracks. Ryan examined it closely, and it
was obvious that it didn't belong to any known animal.
If this wasn't from an animal, then what did it mean?
My head was consumed with racing thoughts.
Nothing was making sense. I could feel goosebumps forming
all over my body as the winds grew brisk.
Out of nowhere, the echoing thud of footsteps reached my ears.
I looked in all directions, I couldn't figure out where they
were coming from. My eyes scanned the area for
anything, just anything that could help us.
The sound of the footsteps continued, but then I noticed
something in the woods. Just a glance behind the trees,
just for a split second. Then it hit me.
My eyes widened in fear as I realized what it could be.
It was a dark figure, a giant figure that couldn't be an
animal or a human. It was only for a moment.
I blinked and it seemed as if the figure had quickly blended
back into the trees. I gulped hard as sweat dripped
down my forehead, my hands shaking as I gathered all the
courage I had and pointed my flashlight toward the trees
where I saw the shadowy figure. It was gone.
There was nothing. I looked at Ryan and could tell
he understood what was going on. No words were needed.
Ryan held my arm and we took small steps backward.
Our eyes remained fixed on the direction of the trees in front
of us as we crawled backward, trying to be quiet, Very subtle,
as if the figure would discover we were there.
We didn't know what to do. Should we run and look for the
other members, or stay quiet and hide?
Something told me the figure was still there, present near us.
I can't describe it, but I could feel its existence.
I could feel someone watching us, someone's sharp gaze on us.
I knew it was time to inform headquarters about what was
going on. We needed help.
I didn't even know where the rest of the members were.
I picked up my satellite phone, but the screen showed no signal.
My heart dropped. We had lost all sorts of
communication. Ryan pulled out the GPS device.
It showed us that we were at the location where we set up our
camps on the West side of the forest.
But we were nowhere near our camps.
It didn't take us more than a minute to figure out that the
GPS was showing us the wrong directions.
It wasn't working properly. Ryan then took out the compass,
but it started spinning in all directions, not stopping.
What was happening? How was this not working?
We had no idea where we were, just stuck in the middle of a
forest with nothing but darkness.
I didn't have much time to think about everything before I saw it
again behind the trees. It was bright yellow and
unsettling. Two eyes watching us.
I grabbed on to Ryan. We both knew we weren't safe.
We started smelling a strong, pungent odor.
It smelled like rotten meat, like a human corpse.
It wasn't long before I started feeling nauseous.
I knew it was coming from somewhere nearby.
We were near the figure. I could feel it very close to
us. I didn't know what to do.
I covered my nose with my hand and without thinking twice,
flashed my flashlight toward the trees, where I could still see
the yellow eyes. That was the biggest mistake of
my life. I could see it.
It was in front of me. That's it.
There it was, the monstrous skeletal figure.
It wasn't an animal or a human. It was giant, unnaturally tall,
the largest dark figure I had ever seen in my life, decayed,
with a thin layer of skin stretched over its body.
Its bones were visible with pieces of grey fur clinging to
it, covered in frost. I could see its rib cage just
open. Its large claws and long limbs
hung down, touching the ground with blood dripping from its
mouth. Its sharp teeth were ready to
grab and tear. The stench of death was
overwhelming. I felt my knees go weak.
It looked directly at me, and for a moment it felt like its
hollow eyes burned with sinister hunger, a predator looking at
its prey, its gaze piercing through my soul.
Suddenly, everything reminded me of Eddie.
We used to laugh at the jokes about unknown creatures in the
forest, creatures we thought weren't real.
He had been attacked, lost and gone.
The leader of the group was missing.
I knew it. I was the next target.
For a moment it just stood there, still.
Then, before I knew it, it lunged toward me, growling, its
claws ready to attack. Its speed was faster than any
animal I had ever seen. Ryan grabbed my arm and we
started running. I didn't know where we were
going, probably deeper into the forest, no direction.
But I didn't stop. I couldn't afford to.
It was after us. I could feel its heavy body
pounding behind me, its footsteps making the ground
shake. It was growling.
We were in danger. My bag dropped from my back, but
I didn't pick it up. I didn't need it anymore.
I could feel my feet burning and my heart racing, but I didn't
dare stop for a second. I kept running, praying deep
down for any help, anything. It was right behind me, It felt
like it was closing in. I could almost feel its claws
reaching for me, my body chilling from its freezing
presence. I didn't even know where I was
going or where I would end up, but it didn't matter as long as
I was far away from that monster.
I could feel it gaining speed, my legs were about to give out,
but I wasn't. Suddenly I tripped over
something, probably a tree branch, and in an instant I was
on the ground, my face covered with mud.
It's over, it's all over, I'm dead.
I could hear Ryan stop running as he looked back at me, but
there was no time to get back up.
That's it, It got me. I was ready to be torn to
pieces. I didn't even try to move my
body lying flat on the ground. But out of nowhere, I heard a
loud gunshot echo among the trees.
I glanced back and saw all my members far behind me, near the
creature. It looked like they had shot it.
It hissed in pain as it stopped, just for a brief moment, but
that was enough for me. I took my chance.
I managed to get up and sprinted until I felt far away and safer.
We were all now a good distance from the creature, circling it,
watching its every move. Everyone had their guns out,
ready to shoot as soon as it moved again.
We watched as it continued to roar, the decayed scent growing
stronger around us. It felt like I was seeing a dead
body, all rotten inside but alive on the outside.
It slowly regained energy, as if coming back to life, and started
moving again, slowly but surely, toward me.
My members shot it again a couple of times, but this time
it didn't stop. I started taking small steps
backward until I noticed our backup had arrived.
They approached the Wendigo, still maintaining a distance,
and started spreading gasoline all around it.
I understood the plan. They passed some of the gasoline
to Ryan and he passed it to me, signalling me to spill some on
the other front side of the creature.
After we were done, one of the backup Rangers pulled out a
flare. At this point, Ryan and I ran
further away, and the park Ranger threw the flare from a
distance. It landed within the gasoline
range, and gradually the flames began spreading around the
deadly creature. Now it was trapped in the middle
of a Ring of Fire. The fire expanded, covering the
entire area, and soon it made its way toward the creature.
We watched it burn as it howled in pain.
Its voice sounded demonic. Soon its growls became fainter,
and eventually they stopped. We watched it turn to ash as the
smoke consumed it. Done.
It was dead. We were all safe.
It was finally over. That's what I thought, But wait,
we still hadn't found Eddie. The backup Rangers told us to
leave and that they would handle the rest, but I wasn't leaving
until I found Eddie. I ran toward my members, asking
if anyone had found any clues regarding him.
Apparently, Eddie's bag was discovered by one of my members.
It was near the area where we set up our camps.
Despite headquarters telling us to leave, I kept searching.
I wasn't going to abandon him. Even though I was sure the
creature was dead, I was still scared that more creatures like
it were lurking in the forest. I wanted to go deeper, but I
knew I couldn't. My team continued searching for
hours more until one of them found Eddie's body lying among
the trees. I was informed about it and when
I went over to see him, he looked like he had already died,
barely clinging to life. Luckily he was alive but in very
severe condition. He was taken to the hospital
immediately and had to stay for weeks until he was fine again.
His body was dehydrated and weak.
He told me how he had also noticed the figure of the
Wendigo lurking in the trees and tried to run away to find a safe
place, but without any survival equipment, he had fainted.
Finally, it was all over. We were all safe now.
It all made sense. Campers feeling like they were
being watched, seeing shadowy figures in the trees, hearing
whispers and footsteps from afar.
It was all real. I still don't know where that
noise came from, the call for help that led us deeper into the
forest. The thought still lingers in my
mind. But one thing is for sure,
whether you believe it or not, creatures like Wendigo's are
real. I learned my lesson the hard way
to never laugh at the experiences of others ever
again. I did more research on this
topic and according to some sources, Wendigo's can control
the temperature and atmosphere around them.
That explains why the temperature suddenly dropped in
the middle of the night. You will never believe it's real
until you see it yourself, Until it's chasing after you, until
you're close to death. That night has haunted me ever
since. I can never go on another park
investigation without the face of that creature still vivid in
my mind, as if it's there, watching me, planning its
revenge. They say the wilderness is
supposed to be peaceful, and for the most part I've always
believed that. But this morning the air felt
heavy, like it was pressing down on me.
I couldn't shake it off. I've worked these woods for 10
years, know them better than the back of my hand.
Every inch of this place is logged into my memory like an
old map. But today, something was
different. Even as I tried to push those
nagging thoughts out of my head, there was a pit forming in my
gut. Matt was with me.
Solid, quiet Matt. We were heading into an
uncharted section of the park, deeper than we'd ever gone
before. It's not like we hadn't been in
sketchy areas before, but this was off.
The usual sounds, the wind rustling through the Pines, the
birds chattering above had gone dead, not even a squirrel
scurrying up a tree. Just silence.
Matt must have noticed it too 'cause he glanced at me a few
times, like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the
words. He's always been the type to
play it cool, but even he seemed a little uneasy.
You hear that? He asked after a while.
I stopped, listened. Hear what exactly?
He grunted, eyes scanning the tree line like he was expecting
something to jump out. I shrugged it off.
Maybe the birds decided to take a break.
I was trying to sound casual, but deep down it was creeping me
out. The forest doesn't go quiet for
no reason. We pushed on.
The trail we were following wasn't really a trail, more like
a deer path, barely visible beneath the brush.
My boots crunched on the dry leaves, the sound unnaturally
loud in the quiet. I couldn't help but glance over
my shoulder, feeling like someone, something, was
watching. Of course, there was nothing
there, just trees. You heard the stories, right?
Matt broke the silence after a while.
His voice was low, almost hesitant.
The ones the other guys have been telling.
I snorted. Stories.
You mean the ones about the monster in the woods?
Come on, Matt, you don't believe that stuff, do you?
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he stopped and crouched
down near a patch of dirt. What the Hell's this?
His voice had dropped, and that caught my attention.
I stepped over and saw what he was looking at.
Tracks, but not the kind you'd expect to see.
They were too big to be human, but not shaped right to belong
to any animal I knew of four toes.
Long, deep impressions, like claws had sunk into the earth,
but that wasn't the weirdest part.
Each step was spaced out too far, like whatever it was had a
stride longer than any man or beast.
I felt my skin prickle. Bear.
I offered, though I knew damn well bears don't leave tracks
like that. Matt shook his head.
No bear I've ever seen. We both stood up, neither of us
wanting to admit what was on our minds.
Instead, we kept walking, but now there was this unspoken
tension hanging between us. The farther we went, the heavier
it got. About an hour in, the smell hit
us. Faint at first, then stronger.
It was metallic, like blood, but mixed with something rotting.
Matt stopped again, sniffing the air.
His brow furrowed. You smell that?
I nodded, my stomach twisting. It was wrong, unnatural.
I didn't want to say anything out loud, but I knew we weren't
alone out here. That feeling, that gnawing
sensation in the pit of my stomach, was growing stronger.
Something was watching us. I couldn't explain it, but I
knew. We kept walking, though.
Every step felt like we were being pulled deeper into
something we couldn't get out of.
My mind kept circling back to those stories, ones I'd laughed
off in the Ranger station. The weird tracks people had
seen, the flickers of movement at the edges of the trees, the
strange lights at night. None of it made sense, but now,
out here, with the silence pressing in, I wasn't laughing.
We hit a small clearing, and that's when Matt stopped dead in
his tracks, staring off to the left.
Did you see that? I froze.
See what? He pointed, his hand trembling
ever so slightly. Over there by the trees.
Something moved. I looked, but all I saw were
shadows, the long dark shapes of the pine trees swaying slightly
in the breeze. I don't see anything.
Matt didn't move. It's there, I swear it.
We stood there for what felt like hours, just staring,
waiting, but nothing came. The forest, quiet as ever,
seemed to be holding its breath, like it was waiting for
something to. Finally, I cleared my throat.
Let's keep moving. Matt nodded, but the look in his
eyes told me he wasn't convinced.
Neither was I. As we move deeper into the
woods. That heavy silence followed us,
clinging to our backs, and as much as I tried to shake it off,
I couldn't. Something was out there, and
whatever it was, it was watching.
I tried to tell myself it was all in our heads.
I mean, it had to be, right? A quiet patch in the woods, some
funky looking tracks. None of that adds up to anything
more than a weird day in the wilderness.
But no matter how many times I repeated that to myself, it
didn't stick. It was like trying to shake off
a bad dream that kept pulling you back in.
Matt hadn't said much since he spotted whatever he thought he
saw by the trees. Normally he's the type to crack
a joke or lighten the mood when things get tense, but today,
nothing. He was keeping his eyes straight
ahead, lips pressed tight. Not a good sign.
We kept moving deeper into the uncharted section of the park.
The trees were thicker here, and the air had that heavy stillness
to it, like even the forest didn't want to move.
It was unsettling. The silence had a way of
crawling under your skin, you know, like the woods were
holding their breath, waiting. I'm not going to lie, part of me
wanted to turn back, but I wasn't about to admit that.
Not to Matt, not to myself. Even so, we kept going, our
boots crunching over the undergrowth, the only sound in
what felt like a suffocating void.
You hear that? Matt asked again, his voice just
above a whisper. I stopped.
This time I listened real close, but there was nothing.
No birds, no wind, not even the faint scurrying of animals in
the brush. Just dead air.
Nope. I said, trying to keep my voice
casual. Not a thing.
Matt didn't answer. He was scanning the tree line,
eyes narrowed like he was trying to catch something just out of
sight. I couldn't help but follow his
gaze, even though I knew there was nothing out there, at least
nothing I wanted to see. We pressed on.
The deeper we went, the more wrong everything felt.
That metallic scent hit us again, faint at first, like
blood, but mixed with something rotting.
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but I kept my
mouth shut. It was probably some dead animal
nearby, right? Happens all the time out here.
Except it didn't smell like any dead animal I'd ever come
across. You smell that?
Matt asked, his voice tighter now, more clipped.
Yeah, I admitted it's weird, but maybe there's a carcass nearby.
Could be a bear got to something.
He nodded, but I could tell he wasn't buying it.
Honestly, neither was I. We kept going until we hit this
small clearing, just big enough to give us a break from the
thick trees, and that's when we saw the markings.
There, carved into the bark of several trees around the edge of
the clearing, were these strange symbols.
They weren't anything I recognized, No initials, no
signs of some camper marking their spot.
No, these were jagged, like someone had scratched them in
with a blade. They twisted and curved in a way
that made me uneasy just looking at them.
What the hell is this? I muttered, stepping closer to
one of the trees. Matt didn't answer.
He was staring at the symbols like they were some kind of
puzzle he was trying to piece together.
His face had gone pale, and I could see his breath coming out
in short bursts, even though it wasn't that cold.
Probably some kids messing around, I said, even though I
knew that wasn't it. The cuts were too deep, too
deliberate. There was something off about
them, but I needed to say something, anything to keep the
growing sense of dread from settling in.
Matt finally spoke. You think kids did this?
I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant.
Maybe. Who else would?
He didn't answer. Instead, he knelt down,
squinting at something on the ground just in front of one of
the trees. I moved closer, and that's when
I saw it. The dirt around the base of the
tree wasn't just disturbed, it looked like it had been clawed
at deep furrows, like something with sharp nails had been
digging there. Matt, I don't like this.
I said, my voice lower. Now let's head back, we've seen
enough for one day. He didn't move.
It's watching. My blood ran cold.
What? He didn't look up, just kept
staring at the claw marks. Whatever it is, it's been
watching us since we got here. I opened my mouth to tell him he
was being paranoid, but the words stuck in my throat.
Deep down I felt it too, that gnawing feeling that we weren't
alone, that something or someone was keeping tabs on us, waiting
for the right moment. We should go.
I said again, this time with more urgency.
Matt finally stood, but his eyes kept darting around the
clearing, like he expected something to jump out at any
second. As we turned to leave, I heard
it. The faintest snap of a twig
somewhere off in the trees. We both froze.
My heart pounded in my chest and I strained my ears, waiting, but
nothing followed, just that suffocating silence.
Let's go, I said, barely above a whisper, and this time Matt
didn't argue. As we hurried back through the
trees, the cymbals, the tracks, and that strange rotten smell
followed us, lingering in the back of my mind.
I couldn't shake the feeling that something had seen us, and
whatever it was, it wasn't done yet.
I woke up to nothing. No wind, no birds, just the
absolute stillness that had settled over the forest since we
got here. It took me a second to realize
what was really wrong though. Matt was gone.
Matt. I called out, but my voice came
out a little too sharp in the silence.
Nothing. I sat up and looked around the
camp, just our gear scattered around the fire we let die
overnight, and Matt's empty sleeping bag.
His pack was still there too, which made no damn sense.
Matt. I shouted, louder this time, and
stood up, scanning the trees. I strained my ears, waiting for
him to call back, maybe some wisecrack about needing to take
a leak, or how I'm always the last one up, but there was
nothing. That uneasy feeling I'd been
trying to push down for the last day or so crept back up, clawing
its way into my chest. Matt wouldn't just wander off
without saying something. He wasn't that kind of guy.
And leaving without his pack? No way.
I grabbed my jacket, shoved my boots on, and started walking in
the direction I thought he might have gone.
He couldn't be far right, Matt? I yelled again.
Still nothing, just that damn silence.
I don't know if you've ever been out in the wilderness, truly
alone, but it does something to your senses.
Every little sound, every shadow feels sharper, like it's pushing
in on you from all sides. I couldn't shake the feeling
that something was wrong, really wrong.
I checked the trees for any sign of where he might have gone, but
there were no tracks, no footprints.
It's like he just vanished. My heart started pounding a
little harder and I had to force myself to take a deep breath.
Keep it together. I've been in the woods my whole
life. I know how to track a guy.
This shouldn't have been that hard, but it was.
After a while, I stopped walking and just listened.
The forest felt heavier the deeper I went, the air almost
thick like I was walking through water.
Then I heard it. A faint snap, like a twig
breaking off to my left. Matt.
I called, my voice sounding too loud, too hopeful.
That's when I heard it. Matt's voice, faint but
unmistakable, coming from deeper in the woods.
Over here. Relief flooded through me.
Of course, I thought, he's fine. Maybe he went to check something
out and just didn't bother waking me.
I shook off the tension that had been crawling up my back and
headed toward the sound. But as I got closer, something
didn't feel right. I can't explain it, but you know
when your gut just tells you something's off.
That feeling was gnawing at me again, more persistent now.
Matt. I called again, stepping through
the thick underbrush. His voice came again, but this
time it was different. Too flat, too slow.
Over here. I stopped dead in my tracks.
The forest around me seemed to stretch out in all directions,
dark and endless, with no clear path.
My breath quickened, and for the first time in a long time, I
felt scared. Not just uneasy, but truly
scared. That's when I saw the clearing
up ahead, a wide open patch of land surrounded by tall Pines.
And standing right in the middle of it, facing away from me, was
Matt. Or at least something that
looked like him. Matt.
I whispered, more to myself than anything.
He didn't turn around, didn't move, just stood there, stock
still with his back to me, his shoulders slouched in that same
slack way he always stood when he was thinking too hard.
I swallowed, my throat tight, and took a few hesitant steps
forward. Something wasn't right, his
stance, the way he was so still it made my skin crawl.
Then, in one smooth, unnatural movement, his head turned toward
me. But his body didn't, just his
head twisting slowly around until his eyes, no, not his
eyes, not really locked on mine. They were glowing a dull yellow,
not human at all. My legs locked up, my body
screamed at me to move, to run, but I was frozen in place,
unable to process what I was seeing.
Then, just as suddenly, he moved.
His entire body jerked, twisting like something out of a
nightmare, and before I could even think, he broke into a
Sprint straight toward me. I didn't wait to see what would
happen. Every instinct I had took over,
and I turned and ran, crashing through the underbrush, my
breath coming in ragged bursts. I could hear him behind me,
crashing through the trees, his footsteps heavy and unnatural,
too fast, too close. I ran blindly, not caring where
I was headed, just knowing I had to get away.
I could feel him gaining on me, feel the weight of whatever it
was bearing down. The forest around me twisted
into a blur, and my lungs burned as I pushed harder, faster, and
then nothing. I burst through the trees and
into another clearing, stumbling to a stop, gasping for breath.
When I turned around, there was nothing behind me.
No mat, no glowing eyes. Just the empty woods, as silent
and still as they'd been all morning.
But I knew what I'd seen, and it wasn't over, not yet.
Every muscle in my body screamed, but the adrenaline was
pumping too hard for me to care. The forest around me blurred,
trees whipping past like shadows, their branches reaching
out like claws snatching at my sleeves, trying to slow me down.
My mind was on one thing. Keep moving, don't look back.
If you stop, you're dead. I could hear it behind me,
crashing through the underbrush, snapping branches, heavy
footfalls way too fast for something so big.
It wasn't human, but it sure as hell had Matt's face.
My lungs burned, each breath tearing through my chest, but I
didn't dare slow down. The ground beneath my boots was
uneven, the dense layer of pine needles slipping under foot.
I nearly tripped twice, catching myself on a low hanging branch
the first time and just barely managing to stay upright the
second. But that thing, it was gaining
on me. I could feel it.
You ever have that sensation when you just know someone's
right behind you? It's like the air shifts and
suddenly you're hyper aware of everything.
Every step, every noise. That's what it felt like.
The creature wasn't just chasing me, it was playing with me.
I could hear it mimicking my breaths now, that rasping,
ragged sound just close enough to make my skin crawl.
It was messing with me, and it was working.
My heart pounded so loud I could hear it in my ears.
The trees felt closer now, like they were closing in on me,
making the forest tighter, narrower.
The path I thought I was following had disappeared
somewhere behind me, and now I was just running, Running and
hoping to God I was heading in the right direction.
I stole a glance over my shoulder.
Mistake. It was there, right there.
It's twisted body moving unnaturally fast, arms too long,
legs bending at angles that made my stomach turn.
And those eyes, they weren't Matt's eyes.
They were yellow, glowing like something straight out of a
nightmare. Whatever was chasing me, it had
taken his face, his voice, but it sure as hell wasn't him.
My foot caught on something, a root maybe, and I went down
hard, slamming into the dirt. Pain shot up my leg, but there
was no time to feel it. I scrambled up, half crawling,
half running as I pushed forward, my pulse racing out of
control. The creature's breath was on me
now, hot and sour, and I swore I could hear it laughing.
Not in a way you or I would laugh.
It was distorted, twisted, like it was trying to remember what a
laugh was supposed to sound like.
Like it was practicing. I tore through the brush, my
hands ripping through branches, brambles scraping across my
face. My jacket snagged on a thorny
Bush, and I yanked it free, leaving a shred of fabric
behind. I had no idea how far I'd run,
how long I'd been going. Time felt slippery, warped.
Was it minutes? Hours.
All I knew was that I had to keep moving, had to outrun it,
even though I knew deep down it was faster than me.
A clearing appeared ahead, a small break in the trees.
I ran toward it, my legs threatening to give out, my
chest heaving like I was on the verge of collapse.
The forest opened up just enough to give me a chance to get my
bearings, to figure out where I was.
I could see the faintest trace of light breaking through the
canopy, the promise of mourning creeping in.
If I could just make it to the Ranger station.
If I could just hold on. I made it to the clearing and
collapsed against a tree, gasping for breath.
My vision blurred, my head spinning as I leaned against the
rough bark. I was so close.
I just needed a second. Just one second to catch my
breath, to figure out what the hell to do next.
That's when I heard it. My voice from deep in the woods,
where the thing had been chasing me.
I heard my own voice calling out over here.
Soft at first, but unmistakable. It was like listening to a
recording of myself, just slightly off, a little too slow,
a little too deliberate. I froze.
Then it called again, louder this time.
Over here. My mind reeled.
It was taunting me, using me somehow.
It had my voice now, just like it had mats.
I looked into the woods, squinting into the shadows, but
I didn't see anything. Just that suffocating silence
again, the kind that makes your heart pound in your ears.
But it was there, I knew it was watching me, waiting.
I pushed myself up, my legs barely holding me, and forced
myself to keep moving. I had to get to the station.
The woods weren't safe anymore, not even in the daylight.
As I stumbled forward, one thought kept running through my
mind. It wasn't just after me anymore.
It was me now. I stumbled into the Ranger
station just as the first slivers of dawn broke through
the trees. The soft light should have been
comforting, a reminder that I'd made it through the night, but
all it did was cast long, jagged shadows across the floor.
Every creak of the old wood made my nerves spike.
I slammed the door shut behind me, locking it without thinking.
Not that a thin piece of wood would stop whatever was out
there, but I needed the barrier, needed to feel like I was safe
for even a second. My breath was ragged, chest
heaving from the Sprint. I could still hear the snapping
twigs, the echo of my own voice calling from the woods.
And those eyes, those glowing yellow eyes.
My stomach twisted at the thought of them.
Whatever that thing was, it had taken Matt's face.
And now, somehow, it had mine too.
I collapsed into the chair by the old desk, my whole body
shaking, and stared out the window.
The sun was inching higher, slowly lighting up the tree
line. It should have felt like a
victory. Daylight usually means safety,
right? But all I could think about was
how the forest hadn't let up, even when I thought I was in the
clear. It was like it had been playing
with me, letting me believe I had a chance.
I tried to focus on the basics. Water rest, that's what I
needed. But my mind kept circling back
to Matt or whatever was left of him.
I couldn't stop thinking about his voice echoing through the
trees, how it wasn't just calling out for help, it was
mimicking me. And now it had my voice too.
I rubbed my face, my hands still trembling.
This can't be real, I muttered to myself, but it didn't feel
right. None of it felt right.
Then I heard it again. At first I thought my mind was
playing tricks on me. Maybe it was the exhaustion,
maybe it was the leftover panic. But no, there it was faint from
outside. Over here.
I froze. My entire body went cold.
It was my voice, clear as day, calling out from the edge of the
woods, not far, just beyond the tree line.
The same slow, measured tone I'd heard before, back when Matt had
disappeared. Only now it was me.
I shot up from the chair and backed away from the window, my
heart pounding again. No, no, no, I whispered.
I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to admit that
whatever was out there had somehow learned.
My voice had taken something from me, just like it had taken
Matt. The voice came again, louder.
Over here. This time I couldn't help it, I
looked. My eyes darted to the window,
scanning the tree line for any sign of movement.
And then I saw them. Two glowing yellow eyes staring
back at me from the edge of the woods.
My blood turned to ice. It was standing there, just out
of reach, half hidden in the shadows, but I could make out
enough. The face was mine, my face.
But the eyes, they were wrong. Too bright, too unnatural.
And the way it stood there, watching me, completely still
except for its eyes, it sent a wave of nausea rolling through
my gut. I backed away from the window,
my pulse thundering in my ears. What do you want?
I muttered, though I knew it wouldn't answer.
I didn't even know if it could. But then again, it had my voice
now, didn't it? What was stopping it from using
it however it wanted? I couldn't stay there, not with
that thing standing out there, watching, waiting.
I grabbed my jacket, my keys, and headed for the door, my mind
racing with thoughts of getting out of here.
I had to get to the main Ranger station, find help, find anyone
who could explain what the hell was happening.
But as I reached for the handle, the voice came again, this time
from just outside the door. Over here.
I froze, my hand inches from the doorknob.
How had it moved that fast? My heart pounded harder, my
breath catching in my throat. It was messing with me again,
toying with me like a cat with a mouse.
It knew I was trapped, knew I had nowhere to run.
I backed away from the door, shaking my head, my mind
reeling. No.
I whispered, my voice barely audible.
No, this isn't happening. Then, from outside, I heard it
again, only this time it was worse, much worse.
They called my name, not just over here anymore.
It was me calling out for myself with my own voice, the exact
cadence, the same inflection I used when I was shouting through
the woods for Matt. Only now it was calling me.
I couldn't move, couldn't breathe.
The reality of it sank in like a lead weight in my chest.
Whatever this thing was, it had taken something from me.
My voice, my name. It knew me now in a way I
couldn't explain. And as the sun finally broke
over the horizon, casting weak light into the room, I realized
something that made my blood run cold.
It wasn't done yet.