Hello, I refuse to release my name as I'd rather be left alone
to grieve my loss, so I'll refer to myself as K.
I'm sorry if this is a mess. I'm still dealing with the loss
and grief and suffering from my diagnosis of depression and PTSD
caused by what happened last year.
To start off, I'm from a big city in the UK.
I grew up fighting and testing my parents limits, as any young
boy should in fact not do. Due to how I grew up, I believed
that I had become resilient enough to never ever back down
from anyone or anything. Even when I was beaten to a pulp
I wouldn't stop trying to stand as in my young stupid head the
fight wasn't over until I won or passed out.
As time passed I soon realized that school and education were
not on my To Do List and due to that my parents were always
disappointed but I never truly cared about their opinions.
Within a couple of weeks I would be kicked out or banned from
attending lessons so I just go to the gym and train.
When I left school, I was angry and focused on doing anything
that enabled me to fight, from boxing to fighting people in the
streets over football matches, despite having a low interest in
the sport. Eventually this wasn't enough
and I realized I had to find something that would give me
satisfaction and supply me with a paycheck.
That's when I decided to join the British Army.
I began my training at Catterick in 2018 as an infantryman.
Despite everything, my parents loved the idea and were proud of
me. During training I got into a lot
of trouble for fighting and getting into drama but somehow
managed to pass out as a fully qualified soldier.
I spent a couple of years doing the same things I had done in
training ranges, training exercises and PT physical
training. I hated it and it fueled my
aggression. It got to the point that I was
on a commanding officers final warning order and was facing
paperwork that would make me a civilian again.
But all that stopped when I met Jessica.
I was in a club when I met Jessica at the bar waiting to
order. She was 5-7 with blonde hair and
a ridiculously beautiful face. She was every young boy's dream
girl and I wanted her. Within seconds we were talking
and she laughed at my awful jokes.
We just clicked. She was from America and just
visiting the UK with her friends.
Fast forwarding to December 2022, Jess and I were in a
relationship. It was perfect.
She calmed me down to the point where I was rarely angry and was
doing well at work. The only downside was the
distance. With her living in America, I
never saw her much. However, in January last year, I
got permission from my company Sergeant Major to take leave for
two weeks to visit her and her family at their home in America.
After a long flight and an Uber, I finally had her in my arms.
She introduced me to her father, a tough looking man who himself
had served years before in the military.
He had the typical Jarhead look you stereotype from the movies.
I was a little nervous, but he set my nerves at ease when he
shook my hand and expressed his love for me and his daughter's
relationship, saying that he saw me as part of his family.
Later that day, we sat in their backyard drinking, eating and
talking about our pasts. Her father asked if I would like
to join them on a hunting trip to their own private hunting
ground, which had been a family tradition dating back
generations. I agreed.
The next day we set off in his truck and drove for a few hours
until we reached a dense woodland they called Archers
Pass. Once we had dismounted and
grabbed our gear, we set off across the trail.
We hiked for a couple of hours before taking a rest.
It was beginning to get dark and Jessica's dad said we should set
up camp and finish the hike at sunrise.
That way we should reach our private spot and we'll end up
deep enough that we won't be disturbed.
We all agreed and set up a fire and the tents.
Jess asked if I would share a tent with her and I looked at
her father waiting for a sign of disapproval, but he just
chuckled and said don't look at me.
So I agreed and we set up her tent.
Afterward, we cooked up some chicken wings and burgers, sang
folk songs, danced and laughed. It was close to 11:00 PM so Jess
and I decided to turn in. We snuggled up together and I
fell asleep almost instantly. In the morning, after breakfast
and collapsing the camp, we set off again.
Despite it being sunrise, the trees blocked out the sun like a
wall, allowing darkness to engulf the woodland.
I'm embarrassed to admit the number of branches I walked
into, much to Jessica's amusement.
Within an hour we had made it close to the hunting spot.
That's when it all started. As we were walking through the
brush, we came to a fallen tree that we would have to walk
around. As I reached the tree, a scream
made me stop in my tracks. The scream was human.
It took a few seconds for me to realize that it was a woman's
scream. Help, someone please help me.
Oh God, please. Each individual scream and shout
was separated by seconds of silence until after the last
call for help. There was an eerie silence, then
a horrifying screech unlike anything I had ever heard in my
life followed to describe it in words.
It was like the roar of a lion mixed with the tone of a
laughing hyena. Jessica's dad put his finger to
his lips and motioned for us to get down.
The screams had completely stopped since the screech had
pierced the woodland. Eerie silence took root.
Jess's dad looked around with his rifle showing no reaction,
telling me he saw nothing. He turned to us and told us to
stay put while he went to check it out.
He quickly turned his head to us and said.
If I'm not back in 5 minutes or if something goes wrong, get out
of here and call for help. You won't get a signal here.
Jess tried to protest and he covered her mouth as a sound
carried by the wind reached us. Please help.
It was similar to the voice of the screaming woman, but it
wasn't the same. It sounded weak and a lot
quieter, as if the person had been drained of the ability to
scream again. But there was something else, a
slight gurgling sound between the words, as if someone was
trying to talk with their mouth filled with fluid, or as if
someone were mimicking the words.
In my mind, I thought she may have been choking on something.
Despite trying to wave off the thought, it prevailed.
Blood. Jess's dad told us to hide
behind the fallen tree and stay out of sight no matter what
happened unless we needed to run for help.
Keep her safe. Was all he said to me before
turning away and slowly walking through the brush towards where
the screams had originated. Once his footsteps were out of
earshot there was nothing but silence.
No birds, no natural sounds whatsoever.
Around 5 minutes had passed without so much as a twig
snapping. It was nerve racking.
Jess looked worried. I put my arm around her and
whispered. Don't worry, everything will be
bang, bang, bang. Three shots, a shot, followed
shortly by two more. A couple of seconds later we
both stood up. Jess began to move towards where
the shots had originated, but I pulled her back out of
protectiveness. I knew something felt off and
couldn't allow her to walk towards a possibly dangerous
situation. I told her no, your dad can
handle himself and I need to look after you.
She screamed back. An animal could have attacked
him. He needs help.
I thought for a second before telling her.
OK, you run for the truck and wait until I'm back.
I'm going to go get your dad. I took her rifle from her and
loaded around into its chamber. She hesitated in responding and
shot me a look of disobedience, but I countered with If he's
hurt or in trouble, I'm better trained to help him.
And if something goes wrong and I don't return within a
reasonable time, then you'll have to call for help.
I don't know who to call or what to say.
I'm not even familiar with the area you are, so you're going to
be better suited to guiding a rescue.
She quickly nodded before hugging me and quietly saying
please get him before turning around and jogging away.
I turned my back to hers and began walking towards her dad's
last known location. My heart was beating rapidly and
I felt a wave of anxiety and fear hit me when from behind I
heard. And be careful, please.
I turned my head in the direction of her voice but saw
only tree branches and shrubs. I turned back and began to jog
towards the point we had parted ways with her father.
Within a few seconds I stood exactly where I was before.
I looked down at the rifle I had slung.
I knew from my training that the caliber would easily put
anything I deemed dangerous out of Commission.
Everything I learned back home in battalion and basic training
told me that with a cocktail of confidence, fear, and anxiety, I
began to walk towards the shrubs where Jess's dad had walked
through. Visibility was terrible.
I spent more time staring down while pushing tree branches away
from my face than I did looking straight ahead until I came to a
small clearing. Nothing large, just enough for a
family pool in a backyard. I examined my surroundings.
Trees stood around the clearing like sentries.
Thick shrubs filled the gaps, making a wall of green and brown
that no light penetrated. That's when I soon realized that
Jess's dad could have gone in any direction past this point.
Worry began creeping up on me. I stepped out into the clearing,
looking for any trace of him. I stumbled across small patches
of flattened grass. They were in a pattern, and I
realized they were recent footsteps.
I traced them to the center of the clearing when I stopped.
There in front of me were two footsteps by themselves and to
the right more. However, they were more spaced
out and in no particular pattern other than the direction.
Something shiny caught my eye below me.
I knelt down and picked up a piece of ejected brass.
I looked at it and began thinking about what had
happened. I came to the conclusion that
Jess's dad had walked into the clearing and fired the three
rounds we heard before running away to my right, back into the
darkness of the woods. I wondered what could have made
him run and if it was the same thing he fired at.
Or perhaps he tried to run back to us but lost his sense of
direction and went the wrong way.
Kay. A masculine scream came from my
right. I turned and stood, recognizing
the voice of my girlfriend's father.
Kay, run, get out now came from the tree line.
It sounded loud and desperate, followed by a horrifying scream
of pain. I raised my rifle, pulled the
bolt slightly back, a round was chambered.
I clicked the safety off, double checked that the bolt was fully
forward, and ran towards the tree line.
Just before I reached it, the scream stopped, and so did I.
I listened carefully, not a single sound, until I heard my
name from behind me. I turned and saw nothing again.
My name was called by a voice that I didn't recognize yet.
This time I couldn't tell what direction it came from.
I shouted for Jess's father and got nothing in return.
I turned back to where I originally heard him and pushed
past the branches and shrubs. As I passed the first tree, I
saw blood splattered on the ground in front of me.
My gaze followed the trail which led to a blood soaked rifle with
a hand and arm still gripping it.
In that moment, I was stricken with shock, my eyes were locked
on the rifle, my heartbeat rapidly, and my breath was
panicked and uncontrolled, as if I had run miles.
I couldn't move. Kah Kah Kay Ha help me pulled me
out of my trance. My eyes darted in all
directions, and I frantically turned around in circles,
scanning my surroundings. Kay help came from a tree just
past the rifle. The voice was not one I knew, it
was hollow and demonic as if someone was pretending to be a
talking zombie. My mind jumped to the thought of
Jess's dad being injured. I ran forward to the tree and
found nothing. Kay came from behind me towards
the clearing. I began panicking and started
shouting for him. Kay, keep her key, her safe,
keep her safe screamed through the woods before a horrid
inhuman scream came from all around me.
I ran back towards the clearing, pushing past branches and
focusing on not losing my footing.
My hands gripped my rifle tightly as I used it for
momentum to push past any limit my body had.
Just in front of me was the tree line leading to the opening.
Just before reaching it, that same scream came from right
behind me before something crashed into me from behind,
sending me flying through the tree line onto my face.
I slowly and wearily pushed myself off the ground and turned
over, looking at where I had come from.
What I saw was something that can't be explained by any
scientific or rational means. A mouth that housed rows of
knife like teeth below a jaw covered in Gray skin littered
with scars with what looked like both dried and fresh drops of
blood running down from the teeth.
I instinctively grabbed the rifle which was resting on my
stomach due to the sling keeping it attached to me.
Without hesitation, the rifle was raised and aimed center of
mass. Though I could only see this
mouth, I knew roughly where its body would be.
Part of me wanted to shoot at where I suspected the rest of
the face would be. However, I knew my training
wasn't useless, more surface area on the body rather than the
head. I placed my finger on the
trigger, however, as if something were whispering in my
ear, an outside force told me that pulling the trigger back
would be a mistake. I looked up from the scope at a
pair of now visible black holes I believed were its eyes and
shouted. What the hell are you?
A smile crept across the creature's face before it spoke.
Death. I fired.
I fired 3 rounds, center of mass.
I looked up from the scope and saw nothing.
The face that had been less than 15 meters away was gone, which
gave me more fear than relief. I got to my feet and with my
rifle raised, I slowly walked towards where I thought I'd find
a corpse. I moved the branches of the
trees and saw a black fluid on the leaves, but no body as I
realized the worst case scenario was a reality.
It wasn't dead. Another scream from the creature
came from deeper in the woods, followed by the snapping of
branches and heavy spaced apart footsteps.
The sounds were all around me, as if it was running circles
around the clearing, waiting for the opportunity to ambush and
kill me. I blindly fired at points where
I thought the creature would be, only to hear Kay help me,
followed by the scream. I realized that in this
situation, I had no chance of survival.
Panic set in. Slowly, I began to look around.
I saw where I originally came from and started moving towards
it in a Sprint. Adrenaline pumping and heart
racing, I ran through shrubs, allowing the branches of trees
to attack my body. I smashed my shoulder into a
tree. Pain engulfed my shoulder, but I
didn't care. I focused on survival and
adrenaline kept me running. Once I reached the overturned
tree, I made contact with something solid.
I felt it shift and shuffled away in panic before realizing
it was Jess. She was holding her head and
slowly sitting up. Jesus, what's wrong with you?
She groaned. I quickly got back up, grabbed
her arm and dragged her behind the log.
I perched my rifle on it and began scanning my surroundings.
Jess pulled on my arm. Hey, what happened?
Where's my dad? Kay, what are you looking for?
I placed my hand over her mouth and muttered.
There's something out there. It was chasing me, it tried to
kill me, and it's still out there.
We have to be quiet. Of course.
She looked at me with confusion, then anger.
Not funny. She snapped before standing up
and beginning to walk in the direction I had come from.
I ran around the log and grabbed her arm.
No, if you go that way you'll die.
I'm not kid. I was interrupted by her
father's voice. Jess, where are you?
I quickly covered Jess's mouth and dragged her back behind the
log. Do you trust me?
I whispered to her. She studied my face for a while
before nodding. That isn't your dad, it's some
sort of creature. I saw it.
If we make any sound, it'll kill us both.
Jess. Jess, where are you?
Came from our left. It sounded like her father at
first, but broke into a raspy voice seconds later.
It was followed by the creature's screams.
Jess went pale and whispered. What the hell is that?
I didn't answer her as I scanned around.
I still saw nothing, but I heard deep breathing and footsteps.
Some were paired with the sound of breaking sticks, some
weren't. It was getting closer.
I knelt down to Jess, her eyes were locked on mine.
When I say go, you run back to the car, don't stop no matter
what you hear. I followed my order with a kiss
on her forehead. It was ice cold.
She looked up and nodded before handing me a magazine for the
rifle. I stood up and once again
scanned my surroundings before looking at her and whispering.
Go. She quickly turned and began
running. Within moments her figure was
gone, hidden by the wall of branches and a mist of darkness.
I turned back to keep an eye out for the creature.
I released the magazine from the rifle.
I estimated that I had only one or two rounds remaining, plus
the magazine in my pocket. I listened carefully for
anything, yet nothing. No screams or footsteps exposed
the creature. It had gone back into stealth.
I waited for a few minutes, but it was no use.
Not a single sound pierced my ears until I heard Jess's scream
from behind me. I believe the adrenaline induced
a blackout because before I came to my senses, I was sprinting
towards the scream. No matter how fast I ran, the
scream was becoming quieter and quieter, as if it was outrunning
me. I eventually stopped to catch my
breath. Blood trickled from my head.
I realized I must have cut it on a branch.
The blood ran down into my eyes, making it harder to see.
I wiped my head and began running again, hoping to hear
another scream. However, none came.
Once again, fear and anxiety flooded every one of my veins.
I stopped, falling to my knees. My eyes flooded with tears.
I've lost her, escaped my lips. Leave now or die here came from
behind me. I turned to find the creature
towering over me, holding Jess by the back of her neck.
She wasn't moving. I have feasted.
Leave or die. The creature bellowed to me.
I looked up at the creature, a tall skinny Gray frame with long
arms and what looked like claws at the points of its four
fingered hands. I pleaded for Jess's life and
offered my own. It laughed an inhuman laugh.
You are not of this land. Leave now or die.
The creature turned and began walking away from me.
I raised my rifle and pulled the trigger.
Click. It was jammed.
Mud had jammed the bolt. I quickly released the magazine,
pulled the bolt back, then inserted my second magazine and
sent the bolt forward. I aimed and fired into the
creature's back. The rounds pierced its back and
it screeched in pain, flailing its arms around.
I unloaded the full magazine into the abomination until my
weapon clicked again out of rounds.
With the rifle being nothing more than dead weight, I unslung
it and threw it aside. I pulled Jess away from the
creature as it flailed around in a pool of black sludge.
I leaned her against a tree. She was unconscious and had a
deep wound in her arm as if she had been slashed with a knife.
Blood gushed out of the wound. I recognized it as serious.
I immediately used my belt as a tourniquet to cut off the blood
circulation and hopefully save her from passing from blood
loss. Once I tied the belt and the
blood flow significantly slowed, I quickly hoisted her into a
fireman's carry and began moving away from the creature.
It screams engulfed the forest and never quieted down no matter
how far we moved. I moved through hours of
darkness and silence, moving as fast as I was able.
Fatigue began to set in and hope was depleting until I stumbled
across a trail. I could tell it was often used
due to the dead foliage and dried boot prints in the mud.
I followed it until I found the main road that led up to the
forest. I remember falling to the ground
before blacking out. I awoke in a panic. 2 figures
towered over me. The blood in my eyes made it too
hard to see who they were. I tried to sit up but instead I
fell back and passed out. I awoke in a hospital bed with
tubes and casts on and in me stitches on my arms.
Later, a doctor explained that I had 4 deep slashes in my back, a
broken ankle, cuts on my face, and ligament damage to my arm
and shoulder. I had critically elevated blood
pressure and had been in and out of consciousness for two days,
though I could not recall it. I immediately interrogated the
doctor about Jess. She was a lot better off than
me. She had a deep cut in her arm
similar to my back, and some other smaller cuts and bruises.
Luckily, the makeshift tourniquet had worked and even
luckier, she would not lose the arm.
She recovered a few days before me and was escorted to a police
station to give a proper statement.
Despite all the pain I had endured, what was truly damaged
was my mental state. I couldn't accept what had
happened or even understand the idea of how I survived.
Truly, I was desperate for someone to hug me so I could let
it all out. I needed Jess instead of having
this. Thoughts of the creature
poisoned my mind. Every time I closed my eyes.
I would be standing between two rows of trees, my feet rooted to
the soil, darkness creeping in from all around me.
Once I was barely able to see, a piercing screech would hit me.
I'd look in front of me and make out the silhouette of the
creature slowly moving between the trees, getting closer each
time I slept. I just wanted it to be over.
It was like being back in the real situation.
It caused my vitals to race and nurses would often sedate me,
causing me to fall asleep, only to repeat the process all over
again. Eventually I was deemed no
longer a threat to myself and I was released.
A sheriff picked me up and drove me to the station.
They took my statement but acted like I was either crazy or
suffering from PTSD. They snickered, left me in a
room for hours, then returned only to ask the same questions
over and over. Once they were tired of hearing
the same story, they dropped me off at a small hotel where I
spent a few nights. The aftermath was Jess never
visiting me, never reaching out, or even responding to my texts
or calls. The local police sheriffs
interviewed me one last time and told me it was a bear attack and
that Jess went back to the woods with officers to find her
father's body. I don't blame her.
It was later reported that she went missing inside the search
area. It had been almost 9 weeks since
she went missing when I began to lose hope.
Now I don't think she's ever coming back.
She was the love of my life and I couldn't protect her.
I thought I'd type this not as a story to be enjoyed, but as a
warning. There are things in this world
that we aren't supposed to know about and I believe they want to
keep it that way. In fact, I know they'll keep it
that way as their hunger knows no end.
I'm sorry, Jess. I always loved stories about
monsters, things like the Wendigo, the rake, and
skinwalkers. There was something exciting
about myths that made my skin crawl.
So when my parents finally said I could camp alone in the nearby
forest, I was thrilled. I thought it would be a peaceful
adventure under the stars. I had my tent, a campfire, my
camping chair, and even some trail cameras to catch pictures
of deer. Everything seemed perfect, just
me in the forest. As night fell, the clearing
where I had set up camp got really dark.
The only light came from the campfire, flickering and casting
shadows that danced across the tall trees.
I sat there, listening to music on my phone, staring at the
flames. The forest around me was so
quiet, so still. It was almost too quiet.
Then, out of nowhere, I heard it.
A growl. Not just any growl, though, it
was like nothing I'd ever heard. It was deep, like a bear's
rumble, but there was this strange gurgling and cracking
sound mixed in. It felt wrong, like something
that shouldn't exist. My heart started pounding and I
grabbed my Lantern, shining it around the campsite.
My voice was shaky as I shouted hey, hoping it was just a fox or
some other animal, but deep down I knew it wasn't.
I felt a chill run down my spine as the growl faded, replaced by
an eerie silence. I swung the Lantern around, the
light cutting through the darkness.
That's when I saw it. A shape in the shadows, a hand,
long and thin with sharp Gray claws.
My breath caught in my throat as more of it came into view.
It had a head, Gray and hairless, with no nose and eyes
that glowed red. It's grin was too wide, filled
with jagged teeth that looked like they could tear me apart.
The creature stared at me, and I felt frozen in place.
My mind screamed at me to run, but my legs wouldn't move.
And just like that, it disappeared behind a tree.
I blinked, not sure if I'd really seen it or if my
imagination was playing tricks on me, but then the silence was
shattered by a scream, a high pitched, ear piercing screech
that seemed to come from everywhere at once.
My heart leaped into my throat and before I knew it, the
creature was back, charging straight at me.
Its mouth was wide open, its jaw unhinged like it was ready to
swallow me whole. I turned and ran.
My feet pounded against the dirt and I could hear the creature
behind me, its heavy footsteps and that awful gurgling growl.
The branches of the trees scratched at my face and arms as
I stumbled through the forest, barely able to see where I was
going. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain
across my back, a burning, stinging feeling that made me
gasp. It had slashed me.
I kept running, my mind racing, my chest aching.
I could hear it getting closer, feel its presence right behind
me. I had to do something.
I stopped suddenly and ducked just as the creature lunged at
me. I heard it crash into the ground
and I took off in the other direction, my legs shaking but
somehow keeping me moving. I didn't know where I was going,
All I knew was that I had to get out of there.
After what felt like forever, I finally burst out of the forest.
I stumbled into someone's backyard, my lungs burning, my
face pale. A family was having a cookout,
and they all turned to look at me, their eyes wide.
I must have looked like a mess, with my torn clothes and the
scratch on my back. I collapsed to the ground,
barely able to catch my breath. The last thing I remember before
everything went black was their worried faces and someone
yelling for help. I had escaped, but I knew deep
down that it wasn't over. That creature, whatever it was,
was still out there, and I had a feeling it wasn't going to give
up that easily. When I opened my eyes, I was
lying on a couch in a stranger's living room.
The first thing I noticed was the warmth, something that was
completely missing in the forest.
My body ached all over, and my back stung like it was on fire.
I could hear voices, low and worried, coming from the
kitchen. Slowly, I sat up, wincing at the
pain. I tried to piece together what
had happened. The forest, the creature, the
chase. My heart started racing again
just thinking about it. The family who found me must
have heard me moving, because they hurried into the room.
There were three of them, a man, a woman, and a teenage girl.
They all looked worried, but there was something else in
their eyes too. Fear.
The kind of fear that made me uneasy.
The man spoke first, his voice calm but serious.
You're lucky to be alive, he said.
We've seen things in those woods, but nothing like what you
described. I told them everything I could
remember. The growl, the glowing red eyes,
the way the creature chased me. The more I talked, the more
nervous they looked. The teenage girl who had been
sitting quietly, finally spoke up.
We call it the peaker, she said, her voice barely above a
whisper. It's been around for as long as
anyone can remember it. It doesn't usually let people
get away. My stomach turned at her words.
The peaker? I repeated, my voice shaky.
The woman nodded, her eyes darting to the window as if she
expected to see it staring back at her.
It watches, she said. It waits.
And once it marks someone. Her voice trailed off, and I
felt a chill run through me. I didn't want to know what
happened once it marked someone, but I had a feeling I was about
to find out. The man cleared his throat, his
face grim. We think you should stay here
for the night, he said. You're not safe out there, not
now. I wanted to argue, to say that
I'd be fine, but the fear in their eyes stopped me.
They knew more about this creature than I did, and if they
were scared, then I had every reason to be terrified.
That night I stayed on their couch, but sleep didn't come
easily. Every creak of the house, every
rustle of the wind outside made my heart race.
I kept picturing those glowing red eyes, that awful grin.
The peaker was still out there, and it wasn't going to forget
about me. I knew it would be back.
The only question was when. The family tried to reassure me,
but I could tell they were scared too.
They kept the lights on all night, and every so often I'd
see one of them peek out the window just to make sure.
The fear was real, and it hung heavy in the air.
I knew that escaping the forest was only the beginning.
The peaker had marked me, and somehow I had to figure out how
to survive whatever came next. The next morning, I woke up with
a start. Sunlight streamed through the
curtains, and for a moment I almost believed everything that
had happened was just a nightmare.
But then I felt the sting on my back, and my heart sank.
It was real. The peaker was real.
I sat up slowly, my muscles aching from the night before.
The family was already awake, moving quietly around the
kitchen, their eyes tired. They were scared, I could tell,
and I was scared too. The man, who I learned was named
Mr. Harris, handed me a plate of food.
You need to keep your strength up, He said, his voice gentle
but firm. I nodded, but I could barely
eat. My mind kept replaying
everything that had happened. The growl, the chase, the
creature's eyes staring at me. Every bite tasted like ash, and
I had to force myself to swallow.
Missus Harris came over and sat down across from me.
She looked at me with kind but worried eyes.
We need to talk about what happens next, she said.
The peaker doesn't just go away. Once it's marked you, it will
come back. It might take days, weeks, even
months, but it will come. Her words sent a shiver down my
spine, and I could feel my hands start to tremble.
I didn't want to believe her, but deep down I knew she was
right. I asked them what I should do,
how I could protect myself. The truth was, they didn't have
all the answers. We've heard stories, Mr. Harris
said. Some say it hates fire, others
say it can't cross running water, but no one really knows
for sure. He paused, his eyes darkening.
What we do know is that it will try to find you.
You can't let your guard down. The fear in the room was
suffocating. I felt like I was drowning in
it. I had escaped the forest, but I
hadn't escaped the creature. It was still out there
somewhere, watching, waiting. I knew I couldn't stay with the
Harris family forever. I didn't want to put them in
danger any longer than I already had.
But the thought of going home, of being alone again, terrified
me. What if it came for me when I
was by myself? What if I didn't make it out
alive the next time? The teenage girl, Emily, spoke
up. We'll help you as much as we
can. She said, her voice determined.
You're not alone in this. Her words gave me a small
flicker of hope, but it was fragile, like a candle flame in
a storm. I thanked them, but I knew this
was something I'd have to face on my own eventually.
I couldn't hide forever. That day, I left the Harris
house with a heavy heart. They gave me supplies, food,
water, even a small knife. It wasn't much, but it made me
feel a little better. As I walked away from their
house, I felt the weight of the forest behind me, like a dark
shadow looming over everything. I glanced back at the tree line,
half expecting to see those red eyes staring back at me, but
there was nothing, only the silent, endless trees.
I knew the peaker was still out there, somewhere.
It wouldn't forget about me, and I wouldn't forget about it
either. The scar on my back was a
constant reminder that I had been marked, and that it was
only a matter of time before it came for me again.
The fear was always there, lurking in the back of my mind,
a reminder that some things, some monsters, are very real and
sometimes they don't let go. We arrived at our campsite near
Idaho City just as the sun was setting, the sky turning a deep
orange and pink. The forest around us was dark
and quiet, the trees standing tall like silent giants.
My boyfriend and I were excited to be here, ready for a weekend
of camping, exploring, and maybe even a little ghost hunting.
He had told me about an old cemetery nearby, and we thought
it might be fun to check it out the next day.
The campsite seemed perfect at first.
Quiet, secluded, surrounded by trees that swayed gently in the
wind. We set up our tent, got a fire
going, and started to relax. I played some music on my phone
while we roasted marshmallows, and my boyfriend told me stories
about the history of Idaho City. But something felt strange.
As he talked, it felt like the fire was getting louder, like
the crackling was almost drowning out his voice.
I tried to ignore it, but a weird feeling settled in my
stomach. After a while I looked at my
phone and noticed the battery was at 30%.
A few minutes later it just died.
No warning, nothing. I was confused, it shouldn't
have died that fast. We decided to go sit in the car
to charge it for a bit. My boyfriend said he'd go check
on the fire while I stayed in the car, waiting for my phone to
come back to life. Suddenly, the passenger door
slammed shut. It wasn't just a gentle close,
it slammed so hard the whole car shook.
I jumped, my heart pounding. I quickly turned on the car's
headlights, the bright beams cutting through the darkness.
But there was nothing there. Just the trees, their shadows
dancing in the light. I took a deep breath, trying to
calm down. Maybe it was just the wind.
When my boyfriend came back, he said the same thing.
It's probably just the wind, he told me, but I could see he was
a little shaken, too. We decided to call it a night.
The wind had picked up, making strange, whispery noises as it
moved through the trees. We finished our drinks, put out
the fire, and crawled into our tent, but I couldn't shake the
feeling that something was wrong.
The wind kept brushing against the tent, making the rain flap
rustle in a way that sounded almost deliberate.
I lay there, staring up at the dark ceiling of the tent, trying
to convince myself it was all in my head.
But deep down I knew something wasn't right.
The feeling of being watched wouldn't go away.
I kept hearing faint noises, like whispers carried on the
wind, too quiet to understand, but just loud enough to know
they were there. I tried to tell myself it was
just the forest, just the wind playing tricks on me.
But as I lay there, eyes wide open in the darkness, I couldn't
help but feel that we weren't alone.
Something was out there, just beyond the trees, waiting.
And whatever it was, it had noticed us.
I woke up to my boyfriend shaking my shoulder, his face
pale in the dim light of the early morning.
Listen. He whispered, his voice barely
audible. I held my breath, straining my
ears. There it was.
Slow, deliberate footsteps crunching over the dry leaves
just outside our tent. My heart skipped a beat.
The steps were moving around us, circling the tent.
I looked at my boyfriend, and he was staring at the ceiling, eyes
wide with fear. He pressed a finger to his lips,
motioning for me to stay quiet. The footsteps moved closer, and
I could hear them clearly now, Slow, heavy, like someone was
deliberately taking each step. My mind raced.
Who could be out here? We hadn't seen anyone for miles.
I felt my breath catch in my throat, my whole body tense.
Suddenly, I heard a faint metallic sound, like something
scraping against our car. It wasn't an animal.
It was too deliberate, too human.
I reached for my phone, trying to turn on the flashlight, but
the battery was still dead. Panic was creeping in and I felt
my hands shaking. I looked at my boyfriend and he
nodded towards the car. I knew what he was thinking.
We had to scare whatever it was away.
I reached over, my hand trembling as I pressed the
button on the car key to activate the alarm.
The silence of the forest shattered as the car horn
blared, the lights flashing. The footsteps stopped abruptly,
and for a moment, everything was still.
I held my breath, waiting. The alarm stopped and the
silence returned. I listened, straining my ears,
but there was nothing, just the wind rustling through the trees.
I looked at my boyfriend and he gave me a small, shaky smile.
Maybe it's gone. He whispered, his voice barely
audible. But deep down I knew it wasn't
that simple. Something was still out there.
Minutes passed, and just as I started to relax, the footsteps
returned. This time they were closer,
moving slowly around the tent, just inches from where we lay.
My boyfriend's body went stiff, and I could see the fear in his
eyes. I felt my heart pounding, each
beat echoing in my ears. The footsteps moved around the
tent, circling us, then stopped right where our heads were.
I heard a whisper, soft, almost like it was carried on the wind,
but clear enough that I knew it wasn't my imagination.
My boyfriend grabbed my hand, his grip tight.
We had to get out of there. Slowly, we started packing up
our things, trying to stay as quiet as possible.
Every rustle of fabric seemed deafening, and I was terrified
that whatever was outside would hear us.
My hands were shaking so badly that I could barely zip my bag.
Finally, we were ready. My boyfriend nodded at me and we
both took a deep breath. He unzipped the tent slowly, the
sound almost unbearable in the silence.
The moment the flap opened, I felt it, a heavy, suffocating
feeling, like the air had thickened.
A sour smell hit me, making my stomach turn.
I struggled to breathe, my chest tightening.
My boyfriend squeezed my hand, and we stepped out into the
darkness. The forest was still, the trees
looming over us like silent watchers.
I grabbed our bags and ran to the car, my eyes darting around,
trying to see into the shadows. My boyfriend went to grab the
rest of our supplies. Suddenly, I heard his voice
calling my full name from the direction of the road.
Stephanie. It was urgent, desperate, but
something felt wrong. We never used our full names,
always pet names. I stood there, frozen, staring
into the darkness. The voice called again, and I
felt my blood run cold. Then, out of nowhere, my
boyfriend appeared beside me, his face pale.
What are you looking at? He asked, his voice shaky.
I turned to him, my heart pounding.
Did you call me? I asked, but he shook his head,
his eyes wide with fear. He hadn't called me.
We didn't wait any longer. We grabbed everything we could,
threw it into the car and got out of there as fast as we
could. The feeling of being watched
didn't leave, even as we speed down the winding Rd. the forest
pressing in on us from all sides.
Whatever was out there, it wasn't finished with us, and I
knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before it found
us again. We drove away from the campsite
as fast as we could, the tires kicking up gravel as we speed
down the narrow Rd. The trees felt like they were
closing in on us, their branches reaching out like dark, twisted
hands. My boyfriend was gripping the
steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white, and I
couldn't stop looking over my shoulder, expecting to see
something chasing us. The air in the car was thick,
the same sour smell from the campsite still lingering, making
my stomach churn. We hadn't been driving for more
than 10 minutes when it happened.
Out of nowhere, a deer jumped into the road, its eyes glowing
a strange bright yellow in the headlights.
My boyfriend slammed on the brakes, the car skidding to a
stop just inches away from it. The deer just stood there,
staring at us, its matted fur hanging off its body and
patches. Something about it felt wrong,
its eyes didn't look natural, and it didn't move even as we
honked the horn. Go around it.
I whispered, my voice trembling. My boyfriend nodded slowly,
steering the car around the deer.
As we passed it, I couldn't help but stare at it.
Its head turned to follow us, its glowing eyes locked on to
mine. A chill ran down my spine and I
felt my heart pounding in my chest.
We kept driving, trying to put as much distance between US and
that campsite as possible. But then, just as we rounded a
bend in the road, there it was again.
The same deer standing in the middle of the road, its head
twisted at an unnatural angle. My boyfriend cursed under his
breath, swerving to avoid it. My hands were shaking, and I
could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
It didn't make sense. How could it be the same deer?
We had just passed it. We kept driving, but it happened
again and again each time we saw it.
The deer looked more twisted, more wrong.
Its eyes seemed to glow brighter and its body looked like it was
falling apart. My boyfriend's face was pale and
I could see the fear in his eyes.
He didn't say anything, but I knew he was just as scared as I
was. After the 4th time, I couldn't
take it anymore. Don't stop.
I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Just keep going. My boyfriend nodded, his foot
pressing down harder on the gas pedal.
The road seemed endless, the trees pressing in on us from all
sides. The air in the car felt heavy,
like we were being suffocated by the darkness around us.
Finally, we saw the lights of a small town in the distance.
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, and I let out a breath
I hadn't realized I was holding. The feeling of being watched
slowly started to fade, but the fear was still there, lingering
in the back of my mind. We made it home in record time,
neither of us saying a word the rest of the drive.
But even as we stepped into our house, the sense of dread didn't
leave. The shadows seemed darker and
the air felt colder. I knew deep down that whatever
we had encountered in those woods wasn't done with us.
It had followed us and it was only a matter of time before it
made itself known again. Jack sat at his small kitchen
table, the dim light from the bulb above casting long shadows
across the room. The bright light from his laptop
screen hurt his tired eyes as he scrolled through the endless
pages of the essay he was struggling to finish before the
deadline. The cursor blinked persistently,
a stark reminder of his lack of punctuality.
Jack's hand moved through his disheveled hair, suppressing a
yawn. Concurrently, pursuing 2
master's degrees while managing a demanding workload and
maintaining a semblance of personal life had left him
feeling frayed and exhausted. The daily routine was taking its
toll, and he longed for something to rekindle the
enthusiasm he once held for his academic pursuits.
Sighing, Jack leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over
his head. He glanced around the cluttered
kitchen, littered with coffee mugs and half eaten meals piled
high in the sink. As he refocused on his laptop
screen, an unexpected pop up ad caught his attention.
Vibrant images of lush forests and rugged mountains filled the
small window, accompanied by bold text.
Explored the untouched wilderness of Oregon.
Guided hikes through state parks available now.
Jack's heart skipped a beat. The thought of escaping his
monotonous routine for the serene beauty of Oregon's
wilderness seemed too good to be true.
He could practically smell the fresh pine air, feel the crunch
of leaves under his boots, and hear the calls of wildlife
echoing through the trees. It was a chance for him to take
the day to slow down, to unwind and enjoy the beauty that is
Mother Nature. The following morning, Jack
awoke with a renewed sense of determination.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the blinds of
his apartment, illuminating the cluttered kitchen, he reflected
on the previous night's research.
Although guided by enthusiasm rather than comprehensive
knowledge, he diligently packed the necessary supplies for his
upcoming hiking expedition. A couple of changes of clothes.
A flashlight with almost dead batteries, A Swiss Army knife
his dad had given him years ago, and a large bag of trail mix he
hoped would suffice for sustenance.
He threw in a water bottle and a first aid kit he found buried in
a drawer, its contents mostly expired.
All right, Max? Jack called out to his little
Jack Russell terrier, who had been watching him with curious
eyes from the comfort of his dog bed.
Time for an adventure. Max bounded up eagerly, his tail
wagging furiously as Jack attached his leash.
We're going hiking, buddy. Jack said with a grin scratching
behind Max's ears. You're going to love it.
With the backpack slung over one shoulder and Max happily
trotting beside him, Jack locked the door to his apartment behind
him and headed towards the parking lot where his beat up
old sedan was waiting. Loading his gear into the trunk,
Jack couldn't suppress the surge of excitement bubbling inside
him. This spontaneous decision felt
like a breath of fresh air compared to the suffocating
routine he had grown accustomed to.
As he drove, Jack couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness
and exhilaration. He glanced over at Max, who was
sitting proudly in the passenger seat with his head out the
window, tongue lolling happily in the breeze.
The road stretched out before them, winding through rolling
hills and dense forests. Jack's mind raced with thoughts
of the adventure ahead, the mysteries waiting to be
uncovered in Oregon's untouched wilderness.
Jack and Max arrived at the trailhead just after noon, the
sun hanging high in the sky and casting waves of heat down onto
the lush green forest below. Jack parked his car in the
crowded lot, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation.
He glanced at Max, who was already eager to explore,
bouncing on his paws as Jack opened the car door.
All right, Max, let's go see what we can find.
Jack said, grabbing his backpack and making sure Max's leash was
secure. The parking lot buzzed with
activity, hikers and families preparing for their own
adventures. But Jack was focused on the tree
line ahead, eager to escape into the solitude of the woods.
As they approach the edge of the woodland, a large wooden sign
displaying a detailed map of the available trails came into view.
The sign used a color-coded system, with each trail
designated by a different color. Jack meticulously studied the
map, trying to understand the intricacies of the various
routes. Although the specific meaning of
the colors escaped him, he guessed that they probably
indicated varying degrees of difficulty.
Jack traced his finger along a black trail, which seemed to
loop deep into the forest before circling back.
This one looks interesting. He said to Max, who barked in
agreement. Without giving it much more
thought, Jack set off down the trail, eager for the adventure.
The trail started out wide and well trodden, winding gently
through the trees. The sounds of the parking lot
quickly faded away, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the
occasional chirp of a bird. Jack took a deep breath,
savoring the fresh pine scented air.
This was exactly what he had been craving, a break from the
suffocating routine of his daily life.
As they ventured deeper, the trail began to narrow, the
terrain becoming more rugged. Rocks and roots jutted out from
the ground, making the path uneven and difficult to
navigate. Jack stumbled a few times,
cursing under his breath, but his determination didn't waver.
Max, on the other hand, seemed to thrive in the challenging
environment, darting ahead and sniffing at everything with
boundless energy. A few hours had passed since
Jack and Max had set off on the trail.
The once wide and well trodden path had completely disappeared,
swallowed by a tangled mess of roots, rocks and dense shrubs.
Jack's initial enthusiasm had given way to a growing sense of
unease. His water bottle was almost
empty and his muscles ached from the relentless hiking.
Come on, Max, Jack muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
We have to find a marker or something, we can't be that far
off track. Max, sensing Jack's anxiety,
stayed closer than usual, his ears perked and eyes darting
around nervously. The forest, which had seemed so
inviting and serene earlier, now felt oppressive and alien.
The shadows lengthened as the afternoon wore on, and the air
grew cooler, bringing with it an eerie silence.
Jack pushed forward, his eyes scanning desperately for any
sign of the trail. Every direction looked the same,
and the forest seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions.
He stumbled again, this time catching his foot on an exposed
route and crashing to the ground.
Max barked, rushing over to his side.
Damn it. Jack cursed, pulling himself up
and brushing dirt off his clothes.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the rising panic building
in his chest. He tried to remember the map he
had seen at the trailhead, but it was a blur in his mind.
Jack pressed on, his steps growing slower and more
cautious. The underbrush was thick, and he
had to push branches aside to forge a path.
The deeper they went, the darker and more claustrophobic the
forest became. Jack glanced at the sky through
the dense canopy, noting the sun's rapid descent.
The threat of darkness was closing in, and with it came a
growing sense of dread. Damn it, the voice came warped
and distorted, as if the forest itself was trying to mimic him.
Jack's blood ran cold. He stopped dead in his tracks,
straining to listen. Damn it, the voice echoed again,
warbled and wrong, sending chills down his spine.
Max, sensing the danger, suddenly bolted, disappearing
into the thick underbrush with a frightened Yelp.
Max, Max, come back. Jack shouted, but his voice was
swallowed by the oppressive silence.
Panic surged through him as he realized he was now completely
alone. He stumbled forward, trying to
follow the sound of Max's frantic barking, but it quickly
faded into the distance. Max, come back.
The voice mocked, closer and more insistent.
Jack's heart pounded in his chest as he spun around,
desperately trying to pinpoint its source.
The forest seemed to twist and contort around him, every tree
looking the same, every shadow hiding potential threats.
Stay calm, Jack muttered to himself, his voice trembling.
Just stay calm. He took a deep breath and tried
to focus. He had to find Max and get out
of these woods before nightfall. Jack's flashlight flickered
weakly as he trudged forward, casting eerie, dancing shadows
on the trees. Max.
Jack called, his voice swallowed by the forest.
The knot of anxiety that had formed in Jack's stomach
tightened as the battery to his flashlight flickered several
times before giving out, plunging him Into Darkness.
Max. The voice echoed, unnervingly
close. Jack's breath hitched.
He turned in circles, trying to catch any sign of movement, any
hint of where the voice was coming from.
The forest was now a maze of shadows, each one hiding
potential danger. Who's there?
Jack shouted, his voice breaking with fear.
What do you want? Silence, then a low, guttural
laugh echoed through the trees, sending shivers down Jack's
spine. He backed away, his eyes wide,
straining to see anything in the encroaching darkness.
The laughter chased him deeper into the forest.
Jack turned and ran, ignoring the branches that whipped at his
face and the roots that tried to trip him.
He had to find Max. He had to get out of these
woods. But as he ran, the forest grew
darker, the trail more indistinguishable.
Jack's footsteps echoed in the silence, each one a reminder of
how alone he was. His heart pounded in his ears,
his breath coming in desperate gasps.
In all clearing, the last light of the setting sun casting a dim
glow over the area. Jack collapsed to his knees,
panting heavily. He looked around, hoping to see
Max, but the clearing was empty. Max.
He whispered, his voice breaking.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized the full extent of
his situation. Jack glanced at the sky through
the dense canopy, noting the sun's rapid descent.
The threat of darkness was closing in, and with it came a
growing sense of dread. Jack.
The voice came, warped and distorted, as if the forest
itself was trying to mimic him. Jack's blood ran cold.
He stopped dead in his tracks, straining to listen.
Jack. The voice echoed again, warbled
and wrong, sending chills down his spine.
Max, sensing the danger, suddenly bolted, disappearing
into the thick underbrush with a frightened Yelp.
Max, Max, come back. Jack shouted, but his voice was
swallowed by the oppressive silence.
Panic surged through him as he realized he was now completely
alone. He stumbled forward, trying to
follow the sound of Max's frantic barking, but it quickly
faded into the distance. Max, come back.
The voice came again, closer and more insistent.
Jack's heart pounded in his chest as he spun around,
desperately trying to pinpoint its source.
The forest seemed to twist and contort around him, every tree
looking the same, every shadow hiding potential threats.
Stay calm, Jack muttered to himself, his voice trembling.
Just stay calm. He took a deep breath and tried
to focus. He had to find Max and get out
of these woods before nightfall. Jack's flashlight flickered
weakly as he trudged forward, casting eerie, dancing shadows
on the trees. Max.
Jack called, his voice swallowed by the forest.
The knot of anxiety that had formed in Jack's stomach
tightened as the battery to his flashlight flickered several
times before giving out, plunging him Into Darkness.
Jack. The voice came again,
unnervingly close. Jack's breath hitched.
He turned in circles, trying to catch any sign of movement, any
hint of where the voice was coming from.
The forest was now a maze of shadows, each one hiding
potential danger. Who's there?
Jack shouted, his voice breaking with fear.
What do you want? Silence, Then a low, guttural
laugh echoed through the trees, sending shivers down Jack's
spine. He backed away, his eyes wide,
straining to see anything in the encroaching darkness.
Jack. The voice was relentless,
beckoning him deeper into the forest.
Jack turned and ran, ignoring the branches that whipped at his
face and the roots that tried to trip him.
He had to find Max. He had to get out of these
woods. But as he ran, the forest grew
darker, the trail more indistinguishable.
Jack's footsteps echoed in the silence, each one a reminder of
how alone he was. His heart pounded in his ears,
his breath coming in desperate gasps.
Suddenly, he stumbled into a small clearing, the last light
of the setting sun casting a dim glow over the area.
Jack collapsed to his knees, panting heavily.
He looked around, hoping to see Max, but the clearing was empty.
Max. He whispered, his voice
breaking. Tears welled up in his eyes as
he realized the full extent of his situation.
He was lost, alone and being hunted by something that could
mimic his own voice. Jack.
The voice came again, softer now, almost a whisper.
Jack looked up, his vision blurred with tears, and saw a
figure standing at the edge of the clearing.
It was tall and emaciated, its pale flesh almost glowing in the
fading light. Hollow black eyes stared back at
him, and a twisted smile played on its lips.
Jack backed away, his mind racing for a plan, any plan.
But the forest had turned into a labyrinth, and every path seemed
to lead deeper Into Darkness. He knew he couldn't outrun the
creature, but he had to try. Gathering the last of his
strength, Jack turned and bolted into the woods, the creature's
laughter echoing behind him. He ran blindly, branches
slashing at his face, roots tangling his feet.
The forest seemed to close in around him, and Jack knew he was
running out of time. Jack stumbled, falling to the
ground. He scrambled to his feet, but it
was too late. The creature loomed over him,
its hollow eyes boring into his soul.
Jack's scream echoed through the forest, but there was no one to
hear it.