Just Creepy: Scary Stories - 3 Terrifying True Deep Forest Horror Stories

Episode Date: February 7, 2025

These are 3 Terrifying True Deep Forest Horror Stories Linktree: https://linktr.ee/its_just_creepy Story Credits: ►Sent in to https://www.justcreepy.net/ ►https://www.reddit.com/user/Rehayahem/��https://www.reddit.com/user/girl_from_the_crypt/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:00:18 Story 1 00:14:34 Story 2 00:47:10 Story 3 Music by: ► Myuu's channel http://bit.ly/1k1g4ey ►CO.AG Music http://bit.ly/2f9WQpe Thumbnail art: ►Just Creepy Business inquiries: ►[e-mail] #scarystories #horrorstories 💀As always, thanks for watching! 💀

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Seeful terms at mintmobile.com. Why the hell would y'all even want to go out there? My grandmother would say, in that thick Texan drawl before spitting a wad of dip into her snuff mug. She was like a firecracker, always startling you with a pop, even though you, you were the one who lit the match. My grandpa Joe, a towering man with calloused mitts for hands, would grunt in assent and flip to the next page of his morning paper. I miss them. My brother Jesse and I are cleaning out their house after my grandmother passed, reminiscing on the mostly fond memories we shared. We were raised here, taken by our mother in the dead of night to flee

the terrors of my drunken father. My father wouldn't find us in the vast countryside of Texas. And if he did stumble upon the needle in the haystack, he would have to answer to Big Joe, who preferred to settle disputes with his fists. My mom made the right call. Dad was never able to find us. Too many tiny towns, like the one we escaped to. But if there's anything I've learned, the most evil things can happen in the smallest places.

My grandparents left us the house, reopening a chapter in our lives that we desperately wanted to keep closed. I put it on the market and received a quick and generous offer, but only for the land. The house would be demolished, and our memories would be buried under wood and rubble. I think we'd prefer it that way. Behind the house is the vast East Texas forest, but our neck of the woods is a little different. Most folks from other towns use their woods. They hike, fish, or even camp in the beautiful landscape that only a higher power could have created. We don't go in ours.

There's a small trail where you can let your kids play, but soon it ends abruptly, and you're staring at a long metal chain with a rusty sign, which firmly reads, Keep Out. No one really knows why the section of the forest is closed off. If you asked a city official, they'd say it's because the area is privately owned by a real estate developer, though no one can remember the company's name. There were rumors that several people went missing over the last 40 years because there are no trail markings maintained paths, and that's why we're not allowed to explore. There were also whispers that a commune of Pentecostals resided deeper into the forest, and that they valued privacy and the Second Amendment. The story is that the original church in

town splintered back in the 1920s, and the other half set up their own community. Now this was actually true, and documented by parishioners of that time, but there's no evidence that the different factions retreated into the woods. It didn't stop rabble-rousers from claiming they had crossed the boundary and explored the other side. Stories were varied, but all came to the same conclusion. People were living in those woods. Some told stories of stumbling across makeshift shelters and tents surrounding a campfire. Others regaled tales of seeing shadowy figures dart behind trees in fear of seeing an outsider. Jesse and I were naturally curious and rambunctious, as most Twitter. brothers could be. We scaled every inch of the trail but reluctantly heated our grandmother's warning

of never venturing beyond the boundary. We were fascinated about what could be out there and discussed our theories before bed. Our friends were also outdoorsy, and our fascination with the uncharted territory soon became an obsession. Well, why don't we just do it? Our friend Mikey said while we shared a cigarette in the park. We looked at him quizzically. We're about to start high school. see what the damn fuss is about. Not seeing a reason not to, we devised a plan to trek the rest of our woods. It was me, Jesse, Mikey Bird, Wyatt Rhodes, and his older cousin Dewey, who had just received his Eagle Scout award. Doey was awed, but we felt a trained outdoorsman was the best person to lead the expedition. We decided to leave around 7.30 p.m., as my grandparents would be asleep,

and my mom was still out of town for work. We'd get at least one hour of daylight before sunset to explore the forbidden green space. I remember feeling nervous as I laced my old hiking boots and carefully applied bug spray. We could hear Big Joe snoring in the other room, and Jesse and I snuck out the kitchen door and galloped toward Mikey's house.

We were the last to arrive. Dewey was messing with his compass in his full Eagle Scout uniform, while Wyatt and Mikey pensively shared another side. cigarette. We set off, gliding through the mile-long trail that led to the other side. The sun had shifted to a blood-orange hue, and we were surprised to see dark clouds loom overhead. Huh, Dewey said, shifting his thick round glasses. The weatherman didn't say there would be rain today. Of course you watch the weather, Wyatt said, rolling his eyes while Mikey and I muffled our Snickers. Do we turn back? Jesse asked before I reminded him that this might be a

our only chance. Mom would be back in town next weekend. I ain't afraid of no rain, Mikey declared. The rest of us agreed and soldiered on to the rusty sign, stepping over it with ease. Jesse crossed last, and like clockwork, rain began to putter down from the sky. It was a light summer rain, hot to the touch and more pungent. None of us were particularly concerned until we heard a rumbling that sounded like thunder. I could tell Dewe was nervous, moving away from the tall southern oaks whose branches looked like arms trying to grab you. The sun was now entirely invisible, and we would not see it again until tomorrow. A feeling of unease loomed over us. It was hard to describe the other side. It looked exactly

like any other part of the woods, but it felt odd. The trail leading up was teeming with the sounds of nature, from birds or other woodland creatures. But this part of the forest was silent, minus the rain. I kept looking over my shoulder as I swore I could see shadows darting in and out of my peripheral vision. Holy crap, Dewey stopped us. Look. In the distance was what looked like a church spire, though it was decayed with large chunks of wood missing. It was enormous and stared back at us over the tree line. Looks like there was a church after all, Jesse said. We should probably go, Dewey responded with his voice quivering. They said those folks have guns. Oh yeah, well, check this out.

Mikey said while pulling out a gleaming silver pistol from his backpack. Nabbed this from my dad's closet. I'll show them this if they try and mess with us. We all immediately began arguing and cursing at Mikey for doing something so reckless. Wyatt started to turn back, but something made him stop in his tracks. We looked in his direction and saw something at the top of a hill. It was a man, or at least it looked like a man. i couldn't really make out his face though it appeared to sag and stare at us in a slack-jawed gaze mikey the idiot he was flashed his gun at the strange figure the man seemed to glance at the weapon and sauntered back behind the hill out of sight mikey smirked take that

But to our horror, the man reappeared and charged toward us, tumbling down the hill while moaning from his open mouth. As he got closer, I saw that he was missing an eye. Mikey fired the pistol, but the shot was so loud that he dropped it in shock. The man barreled into us and knocked down Mikey while grunting and screaming from his mouth, wailing his arms on Mikey's body like a prehistoric primate. Dewey picked up his walking stick and smacked the man in the face before we darted deeper into the forest. My ears were still ringing when we collapsed in exhaustion in an unknown clearing. The tall spire was closer, and torrential rain slammed down on us.

You're an idiot, Mikey. Wyatt sputtered, digging his knuckles into the soaked earth. We all stood up to brush ourselves off, eager to return home. But there was one issue. Dewey was missing. We started to panic, screaming for Dewey's name into what seemed like the void. Dewey had everything we needed to get out of there. his backpack. Now we were alone, shivering and unable to see far ahead of us. After finding our way for a bit,

we heard whistling. I didn't know the tune back then, but now I know it was, in the hall of the mountain king. The whistling echoed loudly through the forest, and we noticed it was coming directly from the spire. We followed the melody until we reached the bushes to the spire's entrance. The spire was not connected to any building, and it looked like it had been moved by a crane and onto the ground. A makeshift doorway was cut at the bottom. We could hear muttering and banging from inside the tower. Lightning lit up the room behind the entrance. There was a silhouette of a large man in the entryway. His back was turned to us, but it became clear it wasn't the man who attacked us earlier. The man, whistling his tune, then walked around back with something slumped over his shoulder,

revealing a tied-up Dewey with terror in his eyes. We crept toward the spire and tried to untie duie, but the knots were too thick, and Jesse and I quit the scouts after third grade. I remember the smell being terrible, like rotten eggs and spoiled meat. Mikey found a table saw nearby, and began furiously cutting the ropes until we freed Dewey.

"'We have to go now!' he screamed, and we tumbled out of the spire, only to be greeted by the massive man from earlier. He was wearing a full rain suit, and an old welder's mask was on the top of his head. I remember him chuckling and then whistling like my grandpa did when it was time for supper. The floodlight from the top of the entrance lit up.

I looked around and saw various heads pop out from under the bushes, each with their faces contorted in either rage or horror. There must have been a dozen figures, but I'm not sure I would call them human. The beast leapt toward us, and Jesse helped me to my feet as we barreled through the trees. The sound of screaming and agonizing groans followed us, and I was too scared to even look back, but heard the shuffling of legs chasing after me. We kept running until Dewey tripped over the chain boundary.

The rest of us toppled over him with wet mud painting our faces. I whipped around and saw the reflections of a dozen eyes before they turned around and went back into the forest. We stayed on the ground for at least an hour, hyperventilating and cussing. I sat up when my heart rate finally slowed down and asked just what the hell had happened. Dewey, still exhausted, sputtered out what he saw. After hitting the man with his walking stick, an unknown figure grabbed Dewey, who put a funny-smelling cloth over his face, and he went unconscious. When he came to, he was tied to a metal pole and was staring at a wooden table with what looked like a mannequin lying on it.

but Dewey soon realized it was a body. The figure returned and began muttering a language Dewey didn't understand. A flash of lightning hit the top of the spire and traveled down a wire to the table, causing the body to jolt and convulse before going silent. The man shook his head and left, and we came in to untie Dewey. We said nothing. Jesse and I didn't leave the house for almost a week until our mother returned from her work trip. We then, uneventfully began the school year, never ventured.

to the other side, except for Dewey. Dewey graduated from high school that year near the top of his class. I expected him to end up at Texas A and M, or University of Texas at Austin, but instead he disappeared. Some folks claimed to see him at local dives chatting with itinerant strangers, or spending most of his time on the trails. While smoking a joint by myself on the trail one night, I thought I saw Dewey slip behind the rusted chain and cross into the forest. Curious as to what he was up to, I followed him. I kept my distance, but Dewey walked forward purposefully, not bothering to even look down at his shoe. Even though I was a little stoned, it didn't take long to realize where he was headed. The spire soon came into view, and Dewey slipped behind some

bushes. I knelt down to look and saw him dragging trash bags into the tower's entrance. Following him was the gargantuan man with the welder's mask we saw last summer. I ran as fast as I could back home. In the morning, my grandparents found several dead birds neatly aligned on their porch. They blamed our cat, Archie, but it felt like a warning to me. I was never going back to those woods ever again. Until last night, while blowing off some steam with Jesse, we ran into our old pal Wyatt. After shooting the breeze, I asked if Wyatt had heard from cousin Dewey. Wyatt grimaced and shook his head, turned into a recluse after y'all left for college. Did some time in counten money lockup for trespassing at the local cemetery, around ten years ago. Haven't seen him since.

Jesse smirked. He always was an oddball, wasn't he? Wonder what he's up to now. I had a feeling. That night I couldn't sleep, tossing and turning until I had a horrifying realization. Our grandmother was laid to rest in that cemetery. The ground was probably still fresh under her headstone. I flew back to my grandparents' house from our motel in my truck. I tore into the old shed and took the carbine Grandpa Joe kept from his time in Vietnam. I ensured it was clean and set off on the trail, soon reaching the rusted chain boundary. I crossed the other side, feeling like I was stepping into a new dimension. The forest went silent, seeming untouched from when we were children. I carefully made my way toward the spire, gripping my grandfather's gun

until my knuckles turn white. I think I hear faint whistling in the distance. I know I am being watched. I know I am being followed. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars. Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th, the powerful vocals of Demi Lovato on May 17th, and the signature Southern Country Rock of Eric Church on July 19th. Tickets on sale now at Yamavatheater.com, only at Yamava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary. You win? Must be 21 to enter. Introducing the new best skin ever ultra-slim precision concealer from Sephora Collection.

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rest. Who knew your questionable music taste will be a money-making machine? Your style can make you cash. Start selling on Deepop, where taste recognizes taste. When my dog ran off into the woods during one of our walks, I knew I couldn't chase after her right away. Everyone in our town knew that the woods weren't empty, there was something in there, and especially the older residents insisted that it was people, or at least something akin to people. They called them the tribe. I never fully embraced these beliefs, but I still acted according to them. There were just too many things off about the woods for the tribe to be nothing but an old legend. The fact that everyone was utterly convinced the tribe was real in itself was cause for concern. I'd never heard of anybody venturing

into the forest, not even to prove the saying wrong. There was nobody working there either, despite the area being so huge. If the woods were normal, chances are there'd be foresters and woodcutters or maybe even hunters in there. That's what I figured. Our pets usually stayed far away from the tree line as well. At that point, I had no idea why chips, my dog, had gone off there in the first place. She had never shown any interest in the woods, and had even seemed apprehensive about getting too close to them. That's why I always thought it safe to walk alongside the tree line. I was sure she'd never leave my side. Her tearing the leash from my hands and dashing off into the thicket that day had happened completely unexpectedly.

At least I knew who to go to for advice. There's this guy named Duncan. He's very old, maybe even the oldest man in the entire town, and definitely the most knowledgeable. He hangs out at a small pub most of the time, so I was sure I'd find him there. I got on my way as fast as I could. When I arrived at the bar, I needed to stop for a moment to catch my breath before looking around inside. The interior was dark in its colors, the wood of the floor and the counter, as well as the tables being of a warm, deep brown. The lights were just bright enough for me to easily spot the,

man I'd been looking for over in one of the corner tables. There weren't a lot of other people inside the pub at the time. Duncan lifted his head in mild surprise when he noticed me approaching. We weren't total strangers. In a town as small as ours, basically everyone knew each other. Hello, I gasped. He lifted his glass to me with a lazy smile of greeting but didn't say anything. I need to go into the woods. My dog ran off. He gave me a nod as if to tell me to say no more. He went straight to business. First off, go in there by yourself. They don't take kindly to groups and noise,

and be respectful to those you meet inside. He lowered his head slightly. You know they don't refrain from leaving those woods because they don't want to. Does that mean they're trapped there or something? Not trapped. The woods are their home, and this is ours. And we've forbidden them from entering ours. That's why they don't come out.

Duncan looked me over. His brows creased almost like he was trying to figure out if I'd understood the gravity of the situation. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded and went on. The woods are big, easy to get lost in. There's a single path through. It leads into the woods, and it'll lead you back out. You're safe there. Follow it, and you won't get lost.

Duncan gave me a few seconds to let everything sink in before continuing once more. You don't want to give anyone in there your own. real name. Names are taboo. Knowing your name will give them power over you to be used in our world. His wording was ominously cryptic. What do you mean by that? I asked. It means you won't be able to get rid of them. He sighed. Never mind. Just don't let it come to that. Make up a nickname or something and expect them to do the same. They're very careful with that kind of thing. That's easy enough to remember, I'd say. You'll eventually come across the people in there, and you're going to have to talk to them. There's no way around it. I don't want to scare you, but the further you

proceed into those woods, the crazier the ones you're going to meet will be. Noticing my unease, Duncan gave me a quick smile. It'll be okay. Just hurry, get in and out quickly, and avoid the deeper parts if you can. If you stay for too long, the people there in the woods themselves are going to start messing with your head. It's true. tricky. Everything's different in there, space, time even. Just keep that in mind. The whole place is going to want to screw you over. He let out a husky laugh, though I wasn't sure what he thought was funny. I stood up, thanking him profusely. I couldn't waste any more time. I hoped chips hadn't gone deeper into the woods in the meantime. I was prepared well enough as I was. I still had all of my

dog-walking supplies in my pockets. Treats for chips. pepper spray and handkerchiefs. In case it'd be dark, I'd have to make do with the flashlight on my phone, but that was all right. I headed straight for the woods. I knew where to find the path. I'd walked by it before. Actually stepping onto it, however, felt quite different. There was a strong sense of unease within me all of a sudden.

I was barely two steps past the tree line, and already I felt like I was in a whole other world. Maybe it was all the expectation. The anxiety built by Duncan's instructions, but when I turned a glance behind me back outside, it looked so far away. The trail was just wide enough for me to stand on. The feeling of dread grew stronger the further I went. The trees around me stood tall and imposing, and in some places their leaves were so lush I couldn't see the sky above. I tried to calm my mind by listening to my surroundings. They say the sounds of nature are the most soothing there are, but somehow, the singing of the birds and the quiet chirping of insects around me only added to my discomfort.

Suddenly, there was something else, the sound of water trickling down and hitting the soft forest floor. Slightly startled, I glanced around frantically only to find the source just a few meters ahead of me. It was a man. His back was turned to me, and he was facing the tree in front of him. He probably hadn't noticed me yet, so I turned to look away and nervously cleared my throat. Yeah, I know you're there. Give me a second, will you? Kind of busy here. Oh, I'm sorry,

I stammered, feeling my cheeks heat up. It's fine. The sound of the liquid running ceased, and after two more seconds, I dared to turn around to him. I don't know what I'd been expecting, but he wasn't it. I looked him over as discreetly as I could. He was short, about my height and of about the same age as me too. His clothes were fairly normal as well. Jeans, boots, and a white, flannel shirt, the latter of which just a bit too baggy to flatter his slight frame. His dark overgrown hair and the stubble on his face made him look a bit unkempt. Nice to meet you, I said slowly. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you something. I hope it's not. Don't talk fancy with me. It makes me want to puke. Got it, I muttered, a bit embarrassed.

That had been clear enough, though. Say, do you live here? You don't look like I do, though, so. I'm looking for my dog. She's white with black speckles pretty big. I held my hand up to my hip to indicate her height. I haven't seen her, he replied, and pets don't run in here for no reason. What do you mean? Maybe someone lured it away without you noticing. We can do stuff like that, you know. I'd watch my back if I were you. I swallowed, holding his gaze. I appreciate the advice, I finally said. I'll be on my way. The man in the white shirt gave me an indifferent shrug. Take care, I guess. I turned to leave with a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I found that the man was gone. Unnerved, I stuck to the path, focusing on looking around without leaving it. I called out for chips every other minute, hesitant to alert anyone yet hopeful to spot my dog come running towards me from somewhere in the underbrush. No such luck. I did gain someone else's attention, though. She appeared right ahead of me, just a few feet off to the side from the front of the path, an elderly woman with long gray hair and a wrinkled face. She was wearing a long, dirty dress

that had probably been white at one point. She stood unmoving, even as I kept approaching. I cleared my throat. Hello, I called out, stopping in my tracks. I didn't want to get too close to her. She didn't answer. Excuse me, have you seen a dog come through? I shouted. The woman slowly started walking towards me. Her steps were lumbering and heavy. Her head lowered, her hair fell down to cover her face like a stringy, torn-up veil. Despite her sluggish movements, I was beginning to grow nervous. Something about the way she was stalking towards me made me feel like I was prey about to be lunged at. Not wanting to show my fear, I cautiously backed away. Don't come any closer, I told her in the most commanding voice I could

muster. I reached into my pocket, fumbling for the small can of pepper spray. I had to had no idea if I'd be able to defend myself with it at all, but I figured it'd be better than nothing. Please, I said, I'm not here to hurt you. The old woman extended her hand to touch my face. Her nails were long, sharp, and cracked. They looked almost like claws. I didn't dare to move when she ran them through my hair.

Her dull eyes staring into mine, I held my breath. What was I supposed to do? Shove her away? I didn't want to risk provoking her. Then suddenly she grasped for my throat. I was just fast enough to duck and avoid her twisted bony fingers. I dashed forward and took off running. My feet drumming on the soft dirt ground I blindly raced ahead.

I felt the can of pepper spray fall out of my open pocket, but I didn't stop to pick it up. Risking a glance over my shoulder, I saw her lumbering after me. She was not very fast, though, and I noticed she never once set foot on the path. It was like she needed to stay off it for some reason. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't hurt me. There was a low thud behind me. I staggered to a halt and turned to find that the old woman was lying on the ground, next to her a small rock.

It must have hit her on the head. It had obviously caused her to tumble. Despite that, she was already pulling herself back up, and I took off down the trail again. At least this would help me lose her. I kept running until my sides were burning. with pain, and the sweat from my forehead was dripping down my neck. It was only when I was absolutely sure she wasn't behind me anymore that I finally slowed down. I dropped to my knees. My throat was

sore and dry. Taking deep breaths, I sucked in the cool, fresh air. I was quietly muttering phrases of reassurance to myself, mixed with the occasional swear word. Suddenly, I heard someone clear their throat. I spun around only to find the man in the white shirt from before standing behind me. He looked rather pleased with himself. Did you throw that rock? I did. Thank you so much. He silenced me with a dismissive wave of his hand, but he was smiling still. I bet she's more like what you were expecting to see here. He laughed and shook his head. Look, I don't really get why you're chasing after that mutt, but for what it's worth, I'm sure it's going to be interesting to watch. if you'll allow it, I'd like to come along. That'd be mutually beneficial, right? I'm not saying I'll carry you

around or anything, but I'd make myself useful, help you out a bit. He drew out his words, leaving them to linger in the air. I didn't need to think about the offer very long. Yes, please. He allowed his smile to widen, looking excited as he wiped his hands on his pants. This should be fun. Plenty, I muttered. Hey, uh, I know real names are taboo, but about that. I overheard two kids walk along the tree line talking a while ago. One was telling this story about someone named Tam Lynn. It's too long to tell you all about it. He almost sounded embarrassed. But I liked the story, so that's what I'd like for you to call me, Tam Lynn. Tam Lynn saved me the effort of making up a name of my own, seeing as he simply began calling me Janet. I had little say in it, but I figured complaining wouldn't help. Who was that

woman. What did she want? I eventually asked him. We had been walking for a while, me on the path and him beside it. Who can say? I don't know her personally. We're not like one big family here, he began. Maybe she wanted to eat you, or maybe she was lonely and wanted company, but didn't know how to go about it. Are there more like her? Yes, there's always more. On the plus side, it's rare to come across the aggressive ones. I don't even know what she was doing so close to the path. The likes of her usually stay in hiding. Right, the path.

Why don't you walk on it? Because your people put it there, he replied, seemingly thinking this a valid explanation. It's not our ground to tread on. Tam wasn't uncommunicative. He asked me a lot of things about myself, my everyday life, and even my dog. I tried to tell him as much as I could

without giving anything away that I shouldn't. He didn't like talking about the woods, though, and I suspected he was tired of the topic. It would turn out he was quite the skilled guide. Sometimes we'd hear odd noises ahead, like shouting or chanting, and he'd make us stay in place until they'd faded into the distance. He could sense when there was somebody ahead

we needed to be wary of and told me when it was safe to call for chips and when to stay silent. Tam himself would occasionally stray from my side and go deeper into the woods, in search of the dog so I wouldn't have to leave the path. I watched the sun set through the canopy of leaves above. We hadn't come across anyone else, and there was no trace of chips. I was tired, and my feet were starting to hurt.

I couldn't believe that the woods were too big to comb through in an entire day. I had never imagined them to be this huge. I thought about calling my parents, but, not wanting to worry them, I decided against it. I lived next door to them, in a much tinier house that also belonged to us. They wouldn't notice my absence for the time being. The forest floor was soft, but still quite unpleasant to sleep on. Tam was obviously completely unfazed by the prospect of resting on the bare ground, but he didn't give me grief for being squeamish.

The uncomfort was one thing, but what was worse was that I felt utterly exposed. I spent the night wide awake, restless and afraid. nothing happened though. When Tam woke up, it was still dark. There was no reason to keep lying around, so we moved on. I saw the sunrise overhead. We kept calling out for chips, but still came up with nothing. Remembering what Duncan had said about the more dangerous inhabitants of the woods living further in the back, I asked Tam if it was true. I guess, he replied curtly. It made me think. I wasn't feeling well and there was no trace of chips. The further we'd go in, the more threats there'd be on the way.

Was my dog even alive anymore? Maybe, I thought. Just maybe it'd be better for me to simply go back. I'm pretty sure Tam knew what I was thinking. He did his best to encourage me, probably afraid to lose his temporary source of entertainment this early on. Hey, you can do this. I'll keep you safe, okay?

Do you need anything? I know where to get you food and water if that's what you want. Water. I had all but forgotten about how thirst. I was. Duncan had told me not to eat or drink here, but he'd also said that if I had to, I could. What other solution was there anyways? Tam assured me that the water was clean and safe to consume. He said he'd fetch it from a nearby creek. He offered to take me with him, but I told him I'd rather stay on the path, otherwise we'd end up lost. A lump in my throat, I watched him walk off.

I wasn't thrilled about being on my own, but I knew I was safe on the path. I tried to curl up in the middle of it, hoping to hide myself or at least keep my head low. I felt like an idiot and it wasn't too effective either. My stomach dropped when I suddenly heard multiple sets of footsteps up ahead. The unmistakable crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs came closer and closer, and I nervously stared off into the direction they were coming from. Soon enough, I spotted four figures appearing from behind a bunch of hedges. Noticing they were drawing closer, I staggered to my feet. It looked to be three women and a man,

all of them dressed in rags rather than actual clothing. Carefully staying beside the trail, they slowly walked up to me. The one that came closest first was one of the women. She was tall, almost unnaturally so. Her hair was tousled and reached all the way down to her hip. Her face was covered in a mix of scars and slowly healing open wounds, as though something or someone had scratched and cut it up. The skin around the cuts was frayed and dirty.

Hello. Her tone was almost cordial, but there was something about her voice that threw me off. It didn't sound as though speech came naturally to her, more like she was mimicking a noise she'd heard before without understanding the meaning of the word. It was simply off. I returned her greeting, eyes downcast as the other three stepped up to me as well. Are you here on your own?

the woman asked. No, I have someone with me, he'll be back soon. Ah, where did he go? She didn't sound like she believed me. To get water, I muttered. So he's from the woods? Yes. I finally dared to meet her gaze.

Her eyes were too wide to look normal. I toyed with the idea of asking her about chips and eventually pressed out the question, shifting my weight from one foot to another uncomfortably. That dog is yours? Oh, I've seen it. Quiet chuckles rippled through the small group as they exchanged knowing glances. I can show you where, but you'd have to come with us, obviously.

She regarded me with a half smile. I doubted she actually expected me to agree. I would have had to be pretty stupid to do so. Get back, I told her firmly as she leaned in to sniff my shoulder. She straightened up again. Then one of her companions reached out, and before I knew it, She had pushed me, and I staggered, landing on my behind on the ground beside the path. Before I could get up again, the tall woman grabbed me by the back of my neck and lifted me to my

feet. See? Now we're on the same page, not that bad, is it? She hissed softly, that alligator-like smirk still on her chapped thin lips. Let go of me, I growled, suppressing the fear in my voice as I struggled and eventually managed to tear out of her grasp, her nails leaving painful marks on her. my skin. I couldn't get back on the path in time, though, as the man from the group had moved in front of me, blocking it off. I stumbled away from him and the tall lady, while the other two

quickly stepped over the trail to join us on our side. It's been a while since I last talked to one of your people, the giant woman said, slowly proceeding towards me. See my face? She went on, tilting her head. That was one of you guys. Now, I doubt there's any relation between you and him, but I'm sure you understand my wish to compensate. I didn't care to find out how exactly she wanted to do that. I hastily took off in the opposite direction, praying the head start would allow me to shake them off. I could already hear them starting to run after me.

In between gasps for air, I screamed for Tam Lynn and the vain hope that he was somewhere nearby. I tried to keep my pace, chasing off birds and critters alike as my leap slowly turned into lumbering, faltering hops. Like a pack of wolves, the group was still on my heels, and they were catching up, tiring me out. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the tall woman leading her hunting party, a triumphant lear already on her face, when all of a sudden, a figure burst out from the underbrush, and lunged at her from the side. The lady was too surprised to react, and before I could blink, the other person had thrown her to the ground. I could see them clearly now and my chest grew light with relief when I recognized Tam Lynn. Crouching on the

larger woman's chest, he dug his fingers into her face, grabbing onto the flayed edges of her wounded skin and starting to pull. Her scream was blood-curdling, an ear-piercing wail of agony. Her three companions had stopped in their tracks, staring at the scene in shock, but not doing anything to stop it. After just a few seconds, Tam got up, in his hand, a son. small red patch of torn skin, which he dropped to the ground as he backed off. What followed was an awkward display. The woman staggered to her feet as we stood and stared. The pack looked back at us in stunned silence. They were first to turn and leave, though, and it was only when we couldn't see them anymore that I dared to turn and face Tam Lynn. You left the path, he said, sounding soberly

astounded rather than angry. I couldn't speak. My throat sore from all the screaming. Still close to tears, I nodded quietly. Tam swallowed. He looked uneasy, but managed to give me a smile. It's okay. We'll find it again. We'll just, we need to get you water first anyways. I found the creek. It's just a little bit ahead. Let's go there first and then we'll look for the trail. I nodded again, following him once more, as he led me through. the trampled down bushes he'd emerged from. The creek was nice and clear, completely undisturbed in its route through the forest. I didn't bother looking for any sort of cup. I simply dropped to my knees and began to shovel the water into my mouth with both hands. Before long, I dipped my head

into it, greedily sucking it up as Tam stood and watched. Once I was full, I let out a deep, content sigh and plopped down in the tall grass. I had forgotten how thirsty I'd been this whole time. We stayed for only a few minutes before making our way back to the path, and that's when disaster struck. There's no way to talk around it. We couldn't find it anymore. We searched all of the surrounding terrain, trying to spot it in the thicket, but to no avail. By the time the sun set, I was starting to panic. I took out my phone, hoping to find a map of this place and perhaps call my parents, only to find that the battery had died. It was completely useless. Night fell, and we had to stop and get some rest. Then sunrise came again, and we moved on. This cycle would repeat itself four

times before I lost hope. I still remember the exact moment I realized it was futile. There was no way out anymore. The woods had swallowed it. I was trapped. It took me a long time to accept my fate. I cried for two entire days. Tam Lynn tried to console me, but despite his good intentions, he failed. I'd never see my parents again. I'd never find myself in the comforts of my home. After these two days, however, things changed.

I grew melancholy, then oddly content. The woods have an eerily soothing effect on those that it captures. That's the only way I can explain it. I kept looking for chips, hoping to at least reunite with her one day. We asked everyone we met on our journeys through these endless woods. That's another weird thing. It didn't feel like I was an outsider anymore. The tribes people, however bizarre and intimidating they'd seem, would treat me as one of their own.

I wasn't being hunted anymore. I got used to sleeping on the cold ground. I even began to appreciate it. Whenever I'd rest my head on it, I felt as though I was listening to the earth's heartbeat. Tam Lynn and I would sleep side by side like we had during my first night here. Then we moved closer to one another, then even closer still. I became accustomed to the warmth of his breath on my neck. It was a soft, comforting feeling, him holding my hand and pressing his cheek to mine.

One day, he uttered his true name to me and I told him my own. I would rarely feel hunger or thirst anymore, and on the few occasions that I did, the woods would feed me. I think I must have forgotten why I'd gone down that path in the first place. I forgot who I was, and what life outside had been like. I even forgot about chips. I kept on counting the days, though, even though I'd forgotten why. 988. That's how many sunrises passed until the day I woke up to barking.

I hadn't heard any sounds like it in so long I couldn't even place it at first. My eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight, I could make out something large and dark right above me. When it came down to touch my face, I found it to be wet and warm. A snout. By the time a large pink tongue came out of it and started to lick the length of my cheek, I was certain. And then it all came back to me. It was my sweet, giant puppy. Her collar was still around her neck, the leash attached to it dirty and caked with mud as it had been dragging behind her all this time.

I stared at her for a minute straight, before I dared to reach out and touch her, afraid I would find her to be an illusion or some sort of fever dream. My hands met with matted fur and warm skin underneath. I grabbed her, pulled her onto my lap and hugged her tightly. I couldn't believe it. All memory of her had been erased from my mind. For all I knew, she could have died in those woods months ago, but there she was. Tam looked on in disbelief. Chips began to hop around, looking excited.

She ran ahead for a bit, and then returned, almost like she wanted to show me something. I rushed after her, and Tam followed. Chips led us through the tall grass and hedges in a weird, bendy route that made me wonder where we were going to end up. We wandered around for almost an entire day before finding ourselves in a spot that looked faintly familiar to me. It's hard to remember details of a place where there is nothing but greenery, but I knew I'd been there before, and then I saw it, the narrow little dirt path. I was going to get home.

After all this time, I hadn't even thought of it as possible. My desire to return to my former life was greater than ever, and I was finally hopeful again. I picked up Chip's leash and grabbed Tam by the hand, dragging him along with me as I took up running. I didn't stop, not even when I was starting to. get tired. Finally, I saw light up ahead, brighter than the sunlight I'd seen filtered through the leaves. It was the end of the path, the exit. I slowed down, my breathing ragged and strained. Chips nudged my arm with her head, and I turned to look back at Tam. So you're leaving, he said. Honestly, I didn't think you would. Ever. Me neither, I admitted.

I squeezed his hand before letting go of it. He nodded slowly and reached up to scratch the back of his neck. I won't lie. With you gone, there's no reason for me to stay any longer either, he muttered. I thought you'd stay here with me, see? I was happy when we were all by ourselves. I could have left already when you told me your name, but I didn't want to. I, well, it doesn't matter anymore, does it? I stared at him with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what he was saying. He just smiled, walking ahead of me towards the exit. It was only then that I noticed he was walking on the path just like me. He'd been right behind me this entire time, and I hadn't even realized it. Now standing by the edge of the forest, Tam motioned for me to

follow. Still utterly confused, I hurried to join him. When we stepped outside the woods, the light was almost blinding. I blinked, but Tam stared up at the bright sky, completely unfazed. It feels so different here, he breathed, lightly kicking the ground with a little. Lately kicking the ground with his boot. It's not like I imagined, but it's nice. He turned to me with a curious expression. Is it the way you remembered? I was too stunned to say a word. Tam tilted his head at me. You don't have to look so shocked. It was you who told me your name. That meant a lot to me. It still does. Knowing the name of one of your people, it makes us special. It means we can tread on your ground, that we can leave. Not my original goal. I just wanted your company. Before all this,

I'd see you every time you walked by the woods with that dog. I was always watching, and I kept wondering what you were like. I made up my little plan and it worked, as you can see. He let out a soft chuckle. I told you some of us are lonely, so I wasn't completely dishonest with you. I even said that pets don't run off there for no reason. Frowning, he added. I don't know how Chips found you again. I thought I'd lured her deep enough into the forest for her to never get back, especially with her little doggy brain. It took me a little while to regain my ability to speak. You can't be serious. I figured this would come as a surprise. I was never obvious about it. That's why I didn't come along with you right away either. He gave me an almost sad smile.

Honestly, I feel bad about it. I really do. I know how much you want to. I know how much you wanted to go home. I was never going to use force to keep you in there. I just kept leading you away from the path once I got the chance. I messed with your head a little, didn't let you see your way home, but it was the woods influence too. What? You said you could check the date on your phone. We're outside. It'll work now. Check. I reached into my pocket, fumbling for my cell phone only to find that I could actually turn it on. It was extremely low on battery, but it worked. A look at the date told me that exactly three days had passed since I'd last looked at it.

That's impossible, I breathed. How? I counted the days. That's not my doing. It's the woods. They can make you think a few hours are months and that a week is in eternity. Humans come and go, and all experienced that effect. My head swam, and there was an odd ringing in my ears.

I felt like I was going to pass out. And you're letting me go? It was difficult finding and forming those words, but I forced them through my trembling lips nonetheless. What else am I supposed to do? I don't want to hurt you. I'm just going to see what this side of the world has to offer. It wasn't my initial plan, but I guess it could be worse.

At least it's a change. Do you know how boring it is to stay in the same place for decades, centuries? We've been there for so long. No wonder some of us have gone insane over time. And when you're in there, you keep seeing the ones outside, you people, and, well, you never think you're going to get out, until you do, I guess. I stared at him with wide, incredulous eyes, my mouth agape. Tam Lynn took my hand again, seemingly trying to look encouraging.

I would have pulled away had it not been for me being frozen in place. I'm going to be good, I promise, he said softly, an almost childlike glit. in his gaze. I won't hurt anybody here. I'll make myself fit in just fine. Besides, things worked out for the one you called Duncan as well. This episode is brought to you by Perfect Bistro Cat Food. Hey guys, today I'm interviewing my cat about his perfect bistro food. Percy, you seem to be a big perfect bistro fan. Here to comment? Totally. What do you like about it? You love the high-quality ingredients? And the delicious flavors, of course. Yeah, that makes a ton of sense.

Listen to Percy, guys. Visit perfect bistro.com to try it for your cat. I felt the first prickling of unease the moment we stepped off the gravel parking lot and onto the dirt trail. The late afternoon sun was still filtering through the canopy, painting golden patches on the ground. But something about the forest was off.

I couldn't put my finger on it at first. Maybe it was the silence. Usually birds chattered away overhead. and you'd hear squirrel scurrying around in the underbrush. But that day, I could have sworn the woods were watching us. The four of us, myself, Brandon, Mark, and Danielle, had hiked these trails before, usually without incident. This time, we planned to reach Clark's summit before dusk and camp there.

It was a trip we'd done a few times over the years, familiar enough to feel safe, but remote enough to get that hit of adventure. But the further we walked, the more anxious, I became. Even the air felt strange, cooler than it should have been for early evening, and with a stillness that made every snapped twig under our boots echo like a gunshot. Everything okay? Brandon asked, noticing me slow down. He was always the calm one. I gave him a nod, but the knot in my gut tightened. I couldn't quite shake the sense of being observed. I'm good,

I lied, picking up my pace. We continued on, following the dusty path that weaved between ancient trees and scattered boulders. I listened intently for birds, insects, anything. The wind only sighed through the branches, like a half-hearted whisper. The rest of the world felt, muted. Danielle, who walked at the head of the group, kept looking over her shoulder.

I assumed she felt that same prickle of unease that I did. After about half an hour, the summit sign came into view through the thinning trees. Relief washed over me. Nothing had actually happened, I told myself. I was letting my imagination run wild. Brandon and Mark chatted about what they'd brought for dinner, teasing each other about who was carrying the heavier pack. It almost felt normal again. Then Danielle froze mid-step. She held up a hand for silence, tilting her head to one side as if listening for something.

I strained my ears, picking up only the faint rustle of leaves and my own steady breath. Did you hear that? she whispered. "'Here what?' Mark asked. "'He sounded more annoyed than concerned. "'A woman,' she said. "'She was calling for help. "'I listened harder, but the woods offered nothing. "'I could see from Brandon's and Mark's expressions that they heard it too,

"'or were at least trying. "'We all stood perfectly still, "'the forest unbelievably quiet, "'as if it had taken a deep breath and was holding it. "'Daniel's face fell. "'Seriously, she was saying, please help me. You really don't hear that.

An uneasy look passed between Mark and me. We'd all heard weird sounds in the forest before, snapping branches and echo here or there, but nothing like that. The fact that only Danielle had heard it raised the hair on the back of my neck. I don't hear anything, Brandon said gently. But if you did, we need to check it out.

Could be a hiker in trouble. My stomach churned. We were losing daylight. I cast a nervous glance at the western sky, now streaked with oranges and reds. Part of me wanted to keep going, to reach our planned campsite before the mountain breeze turned cold and the forest turned dark. But ignoring someone who might be hurt felt wrong. We turned off the main trail. Within moments I was regretting it. The trees grew denser, their branches woven together like skeletal fingers trying to snare our packs.

The ground became uneven, thick roots and random rocks kept snagging our bodies. boots. I glanced back repeatedly, expecting to see the trail right behind us, but it was nowhere in sight. Only a few hundred meters in, and an odd disorientation settled over me. The air felt thicker. My head started pounding with a dull ache. This is so strange, I thought. We're not that far from the path, but every time I looked around, the angles of the trees seemed to shift, as if they were nudging us deeper into the shadows. I don't like this, Mark muttered, scratching at the back of his neck. Feels like we're walking in circles.

It's just over here, Danielle insisted, her voice tight. I swear I heard her again. I swallowed back a growing panic. No matter how logical I tried to be, I couldn't shake the impression that we weren't alone, that the forest itself was guiding us, or maybe misguiding us. Just a branch snapping somewhere behind me made my blood run cold. I spun around with my flashlight, half expecting someone, something, to be peering at us through the black silhouettes of the trees. Nothing. There was just us, and an endless expanse of

tall trees. We'd only been off the trail for 15 or 20 minutes, but it felt like hours. My heart thudded in my chest as dusk began to cling to the trunks, stretching shadows across the ground. And then it happened again. Danielle whipped her head toward the darkest past. of woods. Did you hear that? She whispered. This time she sounded more alarmed. She's crying, really close. My hands felt clammy. I heard absolutely nothing but my own pulse pounding in my ears. An urgent voice in the back of my mind told me to turn around, run back, and never look behind me. But fear and curiosity locked me in place. Brandon and Mark exchanged worried glances, and I realized we were all silently asking each other the same question.

If there's someone out here, why can't we hear her too? I forced myself to speak. We can't go much farther in the dark. Let's figure out where we are first, then decide. But as the last sliver of the sun dipped behind the ridge, swallowing the forest and creeping shadows, a cold realization sank in. We were off the trail, disoriented, and something, some one,

had lured us here whether it was just our imaginations or some stranger calling for help i couldn't say all i knew was that my heart-beat refused to slow down and every single sound or lack thereof was sending a jolt of raw dread through me and i had the sudden terrible feeling that this was only the beginning i don't think i realized just how hopelessly turned around we were until the sky bled from dusky purple into an inky black Despite the fact that we'd only venture to short way off the main path, there was no sign of it now. The forest pressed in on us from all sides, the darkness wrapping around tree trunks and low-hanging branches like a thick veil. My flashlight's beam cut through only a narrow cone of visibility, revealing more of the same indistinguishable trees and twisted undergrowth. My head felt fuzzy, a dull throbbing behind my eyes. When I mentioned I was feeling lightheaded, Mark admitted he was experiencing,

the same thing, followed by Brandon's uneasy confession that he was getting a weird pressure in his ears. It was as though the forest itself, this particular pocket of it, had shifted into some unnatural state, making us lose our sense of direction. And then there was Danielle, who insisted she still heard that woman's voice. Where is she now? Brandon asked her quietly. The tension in his face was obvious, even in the dim glow of our flashlights. Danielle swallowed. pointing somewhere into the thick darkness. Closer, I think, she muttered. But I can't tell.

It's like she's moving around us. Her words flicked a spark of genuine fear through my stomach. Something about this whole scenario felt predatory. The idea that a wounded woman might be stumbling around out here was horrifying. But part of me suspected a more sinister explanation, like that voice was meant to lure us. None of us wanted to say it aloud. It sounded crazy.

yet the hair prickled on my arms every time Danielle insisted she heard someone crying. Eventually we accepted that wandering in circles after nightfall was going to do us more harm than good. The only way we'd get out of here safely was by hunkering down until morning. So we found a small, relatively clear spot ringed by massive trees, and we dropped our packs. Even with flashlights, setting up tents was a maddening exercise. eyes. The ground was uneven, and the silence made our soft curses sound like screams. The snapping of a single twig felt explosive in the hush. Once the tents were up, we gathered around, breathing hard as if we'd just run miles. My throat felt dry. The air tasted stale. For a few moments none of us spoke. It was as if

the darkness around us pressed inward. My pulse hammered in my ears, each beat a reminder that we had no idea what was out here with us. No insects, no wind, I realized with a chill. In all my years of camping and backpacking, I'd never experienced such dead stillness in the woods. Even the faintest nighttime creatures, crickets, frogs, were absent. It made me think of the moment right before a predator pounces, that hush of anticipation. I glanced at Danielle. Her eyes were wide, shining with reflected flashlight beams. Then I felt it, a subtle tremor in the ground. A subtle tremor in the or maybe just a rustle from above. I lifted my flashlight,

and that's when I saw movement in a towering trees about 20 feet away. Initially, it was nothing more than a slight vibration in the branches, like something was climbing. I expected to see an animal, maybe a raccoon or a large owl. Instead, I saw nothing. Nothing but leaves and bark shifting,

as if molded around an invisible shape. I narrowed my eyes trying to focus. My headlamp flickered and caught a glimpse of something perched on a thick branch, maybe fifty feet above us. At first, I thought it was an illusion, like a distortion in the air, a shimmer reminiscent of hot asphalt in the summer. But the longer I looked, the more that shimmer took a vague, humanoid outline. What the? Mark whispered, stepping up beside me. His voice shook.

He raised his own flashlight, steadying it against his chest. We both stared. The thing was definitely there, occupying space, but see-through. Every time it moved even slightly, the leaves behind it seemed to ripple, as though a bubble of refracted light outlined its form. Guys? Danielle's voice was trembling. What is that? Brandon tried to play it off. Maybe it's an optical illusion. But he didn't sound convinced. None of us were. My pulse thrummed in my throat as we stood in a tight cluster, beams of light wavering with our trembling hands. Ten seconds passed, then twenty, nobody spoke. My breathing sped up, and I realized that we'd been so fixated on this entity in the tree that we hadn't noticed something else. The woman's voice was gone.

Danielle hadn't mentioned hearing it again, and that quiet, that terrible, oppressive quiet, blanketed the woods once more. For a moment, I swore the thing's head, or what I assumed was its head, tilted down toward us, as if it was regarding us curiously. My skin prickled from scalp to toes. I'd never seen anything like it. It clung to the tree with spindly limbs, entirely transparent, yet definitely real. There was no doubt in my mind that it was aware of us, watching us. We should, I started to say, but my voice cut out when the figure moved, shifting its grip on the branch. The sound was barely more than a soft scrape of bark. That was enough for my fight or flight instinct to kick in.

My feet almost took a step backward before I forced myself to stay put. I wanted to run, or hide, but I sensed that any sudden movement might break the tent stand-off we'd unknowingly entered. Time felt liquid, like it was slipping through my fingers. We stood there for what felt like an eternity, locked in a silent battle of nerve with this shimmering, half-invisible being. At some point, Brandon whispered, should we do something? And I had no idea how to answer. Then, as if it had grown bored of us, the outline began to climb higher.

Its limbs moved smoothly, inhumanly fluid, like it was gliding up the tree trunk. The branches shuffled, dropping a few pine needles that cascaded silently through the beam of my flashlight. I craned my neck, straining to keep it in sight, but it disappeared into the thicker tangle of upper branches. I tried to follow it with my light, but the gloom was too impenetrable. A new kind of dread seeped into my bones. We could no longer see it, but that didn't mean it was gone. It could be perched above us, or moving to another tree, or even descending on the opposite side of the trunk,

where we'd never notice until it was too late. I swallowed hard, trying to think clearly through the hammering of my heart. This is insane, I thought. We're off the trail. It's the middle of the night. and were being watched by, by what exactly? Behind me, Danielle was muttering under her breath, something like, she was crying, now nothing.

Overhead, the tree branches swayed as though touched by a breeze we couldn't feel. Everyone, calm down, I said, forcing each word out. We need to stay together. Though my voice shook, it was the best I could manage. An unnatural hush spread again, broken only by the sound of Mark's unsteady breathing beside me. I felt almost certain something was up there, still lingering just out of sight. We stood huddled close, weapons of cheap flashlights clutched like lifelines.

My skin crawled with every second that passed, convinced that at any moment, we'd see that shimmering form descending the trunk, arms outstretched, but the minutes stretched on, and nothing happened. Finally, Brandon took a step back, giving me a little. look that said everything. We can't stay under this tree. None of us wanted to camp right there with the possibility of that thing lurking just above. I wrestled with a wave of dizziness as I gathered my pack, my breath coming in shallow gasps. This was supposed to be a simple hiking trip, not a nightmare. My thoughts spiraled, trying to piece it all together. The woman's voice

that only Danielle heard, our sudden disorientation, this predatory silence, and now a transparent humanoid shape clinging to a tree. None of it made sense, but we'd soon find out just how far from normal things could go. Despite the fact that we were exhausted and rattled, we had only one choice, to move, getting away from this spot, or at least finding some angle where we could see if the creature tried to follow.

Heart pounding in my ears, I turned to my friends. Let's go, I whispered, and with the tents half-packed and our nerves completely shot, We plunged back into the oppressive darkness, guided by the faint light of the moon and a single, desperate hope, that we could outrun whatever was stalking us in those trees. I could still taste fear in the back of my throat when we set off again. Gear half stuffed into our packs and nerves wound tight as violin strings. None of us said much.

It felt dangerous to speak. Like sound itself was an invitation for whatever dwelt in these woods to come closer. The moon was high, spilling weak silver light through the trees, but it was nowhere near bright enough to cut the suffocating darkness all around. We stumbled through the undergrowth, stumbling over knobby roots and tangling branches. Every few steps I found myself jerking my head up to search the tree tops. My flashlight beam bobbed over shadows and twisted limbs, searching for that warped shimmer that haunted us.

But the branches revealed nothing, except feathery pine needles, glowing faintly under moonlight. Easy, Brandon whispered behind me when I nearly tripped for the third time. He gently caught my arm and steadied me. His face in the faint glow was drawn, eyes darting to every rustle. The quiet was still wrong,

no insects, no wind, like the forest held its breath, listening. Just ahead, Danielle had her hand to her ear, as if straining to pick up that impossible voice again. My heart panged at the thought. What if she heard it right now? Would we follow, or would we run? I couldn't decide which possibility terrified me more.

Mark hissed under his breath and abruptly stopped. We all nearly collided into him. He brought a finger to his lips, motioning for silence, and stared off to our left. My flashlight trembled in my grip as I followed his gaze. For a moment I thought I saw it. The faintest ripple in the air, but a cloud slid over the moon, snuffing out any light we had, and the moment died, leaving only the after-image of a possible silhouette burned into my imagination.

What is that? Danielle murmured, voice shaky. Mark didn't answer. He just gave a stiff shake of his head as if to say, keep moving. I realized he was sweating, even though the night air was downright chilly. We all were. There was something intensely claustrophobic about these woods now, as though the darkness pressed in on our lungs. We trekked onward with no clue if we were heading deeper into the forest or back toward the trail. Time became elastic, stretching out in a series of panicked footfalls and hammering heartbeats. Once or twice someone's flashlight swept over something that might have been eyeshine among the branches, tiny pinpoints of reflection, but it vanished almost instantly, leaving us rattled and breathless.

Does anyone else feel like the ground is shifting? I asked after I'd stumbled you. yet again. My dizziness, that sense of the forest tilting beneath my feet, intensified with every step. Danielle just nodded, biting her lip. Her eyes looked glassy, and I wondered if she might faint. At one point, Brandon reached for her shoulder, and she flinched violently, a strangled gasp escaping her. It was as if she expected something else, something more malevolent to brush her skin. The moon re-emerged from behind the clouds, splashing pale light onto a slope ahead. Pine needles gleamed like shards of glass under our boots, and the night took on a frozen stillness, so absolute that I felt my ears ring.

As soon as we started up the slope, I noticed a break between the trees. My breath caught in my throat. Could it be the main trail? I shot a glance at Mark, who looked just as stunned. Without a word, the four of us trudged up the incline, hearts pounding in unison. My legs screamed in protest, but adrenaline kept me moving. In my mind, I prayed, let this be the path. Let us get out of here.

I didn't dare look back for fear of seeing that shimmering figure loping along behind us. The moment we reached the crest, I nearly dropped my pack in disbelief. Right there, cutting through the forest like a pale ribbon, was the main trail. It was unmistakable, a broad path of packed dirt curving gently around a bend, relief and confusion slammed into me. How did we get here so fast? That, that can't be right, Brandon rasped, shining his flashlight around as if searching for proof that this was a trick.

We've been walking for, I don't care how, Danielle interrupted in a low, shaking voice. We're back, and we should keep moving. None of us argued. Mark whispered, let's go, and set off down the trail at a brisk pace. despite the fatigue, we kept up, driven by a primal need to put distance between ourselves and whatever lurked in that part of the forest. We didn't talk for a while, at least not until our footfalls started to sound normal again, echoing lightly in the chilly air.

Eventually the trail widened, and I could see it clearly under the moon's glow. Finally I felt I could breathe. Only then did I realize how tight my chest had been all evening, how every breath felt. borrowed. We slowed as we neared a fork in the path, one I recognized from earlier trips. It meant that in less than half an hour, we'd be back at a small clearing, and beyond that, maybe an hour's hike from the parking area, home free, except none of us felt calm. The hairs on my arms remained rigid, and my stomach still churned with dread. Danielle broke the silence first. Do you guys believe me? About the voice? She asked it softly. her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Brandon sighed, shoulders sagging. I don't know what to believe right now, he admitted. But I know something led us out there, something that wanted us off the trail. I shuddered, remembering how the forests seemed to bend around us, how we'd become disoriented in minutes, yet had returned in mere moments. My mind refused to make sense of it. Was that thing in the tree an animal, some freak trick of light, an alien? or was it even real?

Part of me desperately wanted to chalk the whole ordeal up to mass hysteria. But how to dismiss that nauseating electric hush in the woods or the shape that climbed like a spider? We shouldn't stay here, Mark muttered, glancing back at the darkness behind us. He looked spooked in a way I'd never seen before. We need to get out of the forest. We pressed on. The path was easy to navigate,

but each minute felt like stepping on thin ice, waiting for something to crack beneath us. Every time a branch creaked in the breeze, I thought of that shimmering figure perched overhead, or that heartbreakingly human voice Danielle swore she heard. I found myself gripping my flashlight as though it were a weapon, scanning the towering trees for the slightest ripple. Soon, a dim glow of dawn replaced the moonlight on the horizon,

turning the sky a pallid gray. The forest around us began to look almost normal, just tall pine trees and brambles, undergrowth thick with shadows. But the sense of normalcy fell short. We all bore fresh emotional wounds, eyes haunted by a fear we couldn't name. When the first chirp of a bird broke that cursed silence, I nearly jumped out of my skin. After the stifling quiet earlier, the sudden return of natural forest sounds felt both relieving and disconcerting. Finally, we spotted the lot where our cars were parked, the shape of them,

hazy in the dawn light. That's when we stopped for a moment, turning back to stare at the tree line. We were safe, presumably. The sun was coming up, and whatever haunted that place lurked well within the depths of the forest. Yet none of us spoke. We just stood there, breathing in ragged gasps, like fugitives who'd narrowly escaped a predator's den. Mark broke the silence by reaching into his pack for his keys. Brandon cleared his throat and asked something about double-checking the gear, but his eyes were glued to the trees. Danielle was the last to look away. She seemed lost in thought, brow furrowed, as if trying to decipher whether the voice was real or something else entirely. Me? I was stuck in a loop, replaying the night, the oppressive hush,

the confusion, the shimmering shape that watched us with silent intent. I wondered if we had almost fallen for some gruesome trick if that cry for help was a baited snare. I wondered what would have happened if we hadn't noticed that translucent figure in the tree, or if it had decided to come down. Eventually, we piled into our vehicles. The relief of a working engines rumble beneath me almost brought tears to my eyes. As we drove away, I looked in the rearview mirror at the trees receding. A trick of the light made it seem like a faint distortion hovered between the branches. A shape, perhaps, or just my traumatized mind filling in the blanks. Maybe we were just lucky, I thought, forcing my eyes back to the road.

Lucky to have escaped whatever was out there, something that might still be waiting for the next group of hikers to stray too far. Or maybe it decided, for reasons unknown, to let us go. The things I do know for sure? I'll never ignore that prickle of dread in the woods again. and I'll never, ever follow a voice only one person can hear, especially not in the dead of night, in a forest that feels like it's breathing around you.

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