Just Creepy: Scary Stories - Scary Park Ranger Stories | Cryptid, National Forest | Featuring ARIES

Episode Date: June 24, 2021

These are 3 Scary Park Ranger Stories | Cryptid, National Forest | Featuring ARIES  Go Subscribe to ARIES!  ►https://www.youtube.com/ARIESonYT ►https://anchor.fm/ariesonyt You can submit your own story to my Website, email, or subreddit:  ►https://www.justcreepy.net/ ►[e-mail]  ►https://www.reddit.com/r/justcreepystories/ Paypal Donation: Any amount is appreciated :) ►https://www.paypal.me/justcreepy Follow me here:  ►Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Its_Just_Creepy ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_just_creepy/?hl=en ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justcreepy/ ***All stories have been approved by the authors to allow narration on my channel. I can provide proof If necessary.***  Story Credits: ►https://tinyurl.com/42xm68yx ►https://tinyurl.com/2vpbxetd ►https://tinyurl.com/2kdhz473 Music by: ► Myuu's channel http://bit.ly/1k1g4ey Business inquiries:  ►[e-mail]

You said this place was steps from the water. We just haven't found the steps yet. How much did we save? Enough. Enough to get lost. Or you could book a stay with Hilton. Welcome to your ocean front room. Just steps from the water.

The Hilton sale is on now. Book on Hilton.com or the Hilton app and save up to 20% to get the stay you expected. When you want savings, not surprises. It matters where you stay. Hilton, for the stay. When I was in my 20s, I took a job as a park ranger at a state park. It was the perfect job for me at the time.

I loved working outdoors. Every day presented new challenges, and I got to work alone. On days when I'd get my work done early, I would find a beautiful spot somewhere in the park and just read or listen to music. It was therapeutic. I had just gone through a tough year. School wiped me out, and I had just broken up with my long-term girlfriend. I needed an escape, and the park provided it.

While working during the day was amazing, the night shift at the park wasn't as relaxing. Do you know how uncomfortable the night can make even the most comfortable spaces in your house feel? Well, the pitch black of Mother Nature is like that feeling on steroids. The absolute worst place to sit during the night shift was the North End Watch Tower. Everyone who worked there called it, the Centennial, because it was most important. massive and looked out across the whole forest that made up the park. It was tall, just over 100 feet above the ground, and made of old pine that seemed to retain the scent as if it had been cut the day before. It was basically like a little cabin on top of really tall stilts. However,

inside wasn't exactly a luxury box. The wall that faced the forest was one large window that gave pretty breathtaking views, but was also really good at giving you feel. feelings of vertigo. Inside, there was relatively meager furniture. There were just two chairs, one for sitting in good weather, and one insulated for bad weather, an old desk, and a single bare light bulb overhead, and a small fan to help keep you cool. I always brought something to read or write, because the night watch in the tower is dull as hell. It was quite a hike, too. It took about ten minutes or so to walk the ten stories. When you had to do it in the dark at night, it tended to take a little longer.

Each door you climbed disappeared into the darkness below you. It could be a bit unsettling. Once you're on top of the tower, your job for the shift is to basically look for fires or anything else out of the ordinary. When there was a full moon, you could see so much of the woods, but when there was a new moon or cloudy, you couldn't see a damn thing. If it wasn't for the bare light bulb in the cabin, you'd be. You couldn't see anything. Typically, you would keep in touch with the people in the Waki and just idle away the hours. I'm not going to sit here and tell you I never dozed off for a while, but if you had come

to visit me on some nights, I might have had sleep creases on my face. Most nights, when I was in the centennial, I brought a book in read or a journal to write in. Basically, occupy my mind for the shift and ignore the dark. strangers, especially older ones, love to tell stories about the weird stuff they've seen over the years. People tend to think of parks as safe zones, where the most deadly thing that can happen is an animal attack. And yes, while animal attacks do occur, most of the violence comes from people.

Campers, drunk, will get into fights or fall into fire pits or get lost on their way to the bathroom. Drifters will sneak into the park and stay in unoccupied cabins or buildings. I cannot tell you the number of times I've walked into squatters chilling in a distant ranger cabin and have had to evict them. But one thing no one outside of the world of park rangers likes to talk about is the parks, especially at night, tend to be a haven for criminals. I know it sounds crazy at the outset, but it happens. Criminal activity, you name it, it happens. I was lucky to never deal with any of the more heavy stuff. A few times, we found drugs to be sold, or a small

patch of weed growing in the woods, but nothing horrifying. But if you've put your time in at a park, eventually you'll run into something that will haunt your dreams. Not too far off where the park was, there was a correctional facility. It wasn't Alcatraz or anything that high security, but the people there were serious criminals. It was a distance away. On clear nights, you could barely make out the lights from the yard along the horizon, but it loomed large in your imagination. Your rational brain knew that any criminal could have to brave the dangerous forest in pitch black before they ran into you, but a tiny flicker of light kept a corner of your brain illuminated.

It could happen. It won't, but it could. It was near the end of summer, and some of the staff had already split for the year. I was on for a few more weeks, but I was going to get night duty for most of those days since I was on the lowest of the totem pole. Worse, I would be on sentinel duty for those knights. I know having the least amount of seniority was the main reason, but I know that my boss and a few older rangers play poker those nights as well. Since I had no money or skills, I was sent up to the tower. As the sun was starting to set, I walked into the central station at the park entrance. A few of the rangers were milling about, messing around.

The day shift was relaying night shift things that they could be aware of, that kind of stuff. It was mainly nothing, not a ton of campers in the park this time a year, just a few sightings of bears nearby. Someone also swears they saw a bobcat, but wasn't sure. But someone walked into the station and the tenor of the night shifted. Excuse me, a woman about 40 said in an overwhelming political. lightweight. She dressed in leggings, and my guess was she was here to walk the trails. My boss, and wannabe Casanova, Jonesy noticed the outfit and lack of a wedding ring and shot her his

10-cent smile. Welcome to the state park. How can I help you today? He said, his words dripping with Sackerin. Uh, hi, she said, taken back a little bit. I want to report something. Well, maybe report is a bit extreme, but just make sure you're aware of something I saw out on the trails. Sure, what did you see? She shifted her weight, a little uneasy it seemed. I clocked in and thought it was a little unusual. Sometimes when people see a bear or a bobcat, two things that had been spotted recently. They might have their adrenaline pumping and be a bit jittery, but that wasn't it. Um, this sounds crazy, but I think I saw something, start. me out in the woods.

I'm sorry to hear that. Probably gave you a bit of a spook, Jonesy said. We've had a few bear and bobcat sightings lately. No, she said definitively. It wasn't a bear or a bobcat. I think it was a person.

What trail? Sandalwood Loop B. I think it's called. That's not that far off from a few campgrounds and fishing cabins. They didn't look like a camper. Everyone in the cabin had stopped talking and turned their attention to the woman. She noticed, and you could see the red rushed to her cheeks.

What did they look like? Um, they looked shadowy, she said, like they were afraid of the sun or something. And they were following you? I caught something in the corner of my eye around the last turn of the loop. I just stopped and pretended to stretch, and I saw something in the woods just off the trail. They were hiding behind a tree, eyeballing me. Jesus, Jonesy said, I'm sorry that happened to you. Thank you, she said, her voice going soft.

They, they followed me until I got to the end of the loop. I started running and lost sight of them. Jonesy turned back to the two older rangers and told them to hop in a gator cart and go check out the woods for anything. He told them to keep their walkies on and their sidearm just in case. They left in a flash, and Jonesy turned his attention to the woman. Can you tell me anything that might help? Did they have any kind of identifiable clothes?

Did they speak to you? They... she interrupted. They made noises. Noises, Jonesy asked, slightly confused. Yes, a few. They made kind of a chittering noise. A faint, um, yelling kind of sound. possibly cicadas. Another ranger said, a group of them can scare the fur off a cat. Maybe, I don't know. They also whistled, but not like they were whistling at me. It's like they were trying to blend in with nature. Can you describe the noise? She whistled something that I knew right away. That sounds like a woodthrush. How do you know that, Jonesy said, not being able to help himself. My grandpa,

was an avid birder. He turned his attention back to the woman. Do you want to file a police report or no, no, no, she said quickly. I don't even have that much information. I was just scared and wanted to let you know just in case. Are you sure? Yes, she said. I don't think anyone else was on the trail after me, but I didn't feel right, not telling you. I'm so sorry that happened to you here. The park is supposed to be a place to relax. She laughed nervous. Jonesy shot her a calming smile. Here's my card, he said, handing her one. If you change your mind, please call me.

She pocketed it and nodded. She turned to leave and then stopped. She turned back, and after a brief pause, said, Something else that's weird. I saw this thing on both sides of the trail. He crossed behind you? I didn't notice him doing that, but he must have, because I saw him

both sides. Unless there was more than one of them, I said, instantly regretting it. Jonesy turned and gave me a Jesus, dude. Look, and I clammed up. Do you need someone to escort you to your car, ma'am? No, I'm right out there. Thanks, though. She said as she walked out the door, we heard her motor away a few moments later. Sorry, I said before Jonesy could say anything. He sighed. No worries. Just don't go freaking out guests. We need people like her to come back. People like her to come back. Right. Was I too obvious? Jonesy said with a smile. What do you think she saw? I asked. A Wendigo. One of the other rangers said, and everyone laughed. Having read about Wendigows and Skinwalkers in a mythology class, I didn't find it so amusing.

Might have been her eyes playing tricks on her. If someone would have been her, is out there, those two will find them. They're good at tracking, and whatever is out there couldn't have gotten too far. Great night to be up in the tower, I said with a smirk. It's probably the safest place to be, Jonesy said. No one climbs ten stories if they don't have to. I hung around for about another half hour or so to see what came of the trackers. They came back and said there wasn't anything around the sandalwood loop, no footprints of anything they saw. Granted, the leaves had started to fall, so it was hard to see anything on the ground. But I trusted their tracking skills.

Not gonna lie. Even with those guys coming back empty-handed, I was still a bit nervous about the shift. Jonesy was right, though. No one climbed stairs unless they have to. This was still America, after all. Laziness always wins. Also, there was nothing in the cabin above the trees except me,

a book and a journal. Nothing worth making the journey. As the sun slid behind the horizon, I started to trek to the centennial. When I got to the platform at the bottom, something caught my eye. The tower base is lousy, with stickers, tags, and names carved into pine. Usually, it's Joe plus Jane forever, or something along those lines. But what had been freshly cut was a bit different. It was a pair of eyes.

Had the earlier events not happened, I probably wouldn't have even noticed the eyes. I chalked it up to my mind, already being primed to see some spooky stuff. I assumed it had been some kids earlier or some older rangers looking to give me a scare. Whatever it was, I did a quick glance around me before I started up the stairs. From the vantage point high above the trees, you can see storms rolling in. Tonight was no exception. It was a waning crescent moon tonight, so it would be a bit dark. but those rain clouds made it pitch black.

The only natural light I would see would be the occasional burst of lighting inside the clouds. The wind had picked up too. You could tell because there is a slight shift in the tower when the wind gusts. Not a lot, but just enough to notice. You get used to it, but when it first hits, it can be a bit jarring.

There are a few wind gusts, but I settled in for the evening and stopped noticing. About an hour later, my walkie crackled to life. How's the view? It was Jonesy. Great, I said. We're about to do a pass around the park, wanted to give you a heads up. I leaned towards my chair and glanced through the window towards the base. I saw Jonesy and a few other rangers getting into their gator carts to head out. Their headlights were bright, but only because there was literally no other light down there. The beams themselves only saw a few feet in front of you. Thanks.

you guys need me to scout anything for you? No, we'll be fine. But hey, if you see any Wendigows, let me know, huh? Funny, I said. If you hear any thrushes singing again, run, those boys should be all in bed by now. I'll keep that in mind. Be back in a half hour, 40 minutes tops.

Over and out. I said, and I placed my walkie and watch those tiny ants drive off into the woods and out of sight. I kicked back in my chair and started reading again. That's when I heard a board a creak. At first, my mind assumed it was probably just the wind pushing the tower. It can cause a creaking sound in the tower, but my brain pushed away the fog of rationality,

and a more terrible thought became clear. What if someone was outside the door? I would have heard them walking up the stairs, right? I looked around for anything I could use as a weapon, outside of smashing my walkie or flashlight into the potential person's head, there wasn't much. If I did need to escape, light and communication would probably be a good thing to have, didn't want to go and break essential equipment. I grabbed my walkie and pressed the button.

Jonesy? I said, trying to sound confident. Jonesy, you there? I knew there was a chance he might be out of range. Sometimes these walkies can be warm. wonky in the forest, and I was praying he would respond. But the longer I heard the static, the less hope I had he could hear me. Jonesy, just curious if you guys had circled back this way. Finally. Yeah, Ned forgot his light and we came back, but we're heading out now. Okay, I said,

Hey, odd question, but did anyone come up to the centennial by chance? Just you, he said and then added, why? I thought I heard a board creak. It's breezy tonight, storms coming in, probably just the wind, or the Wendigo, he said, chuckling to himself. Have fun, I said, ending the conversation. I pulled my walkie back down and stared at the door that leads to the stairs. The odds that someone would have walked up here to put a scare in me was remote. Like Jonesy said earlier, no one walks 10 stories unless they have to. But what if the woman from earlier had seen someone, or a group, and they were looking for a place to hide out? Would the Centennial be a good choice? Maybe. I don't know how the criminal mind works. Regardless, for my own sanity, I would have to swing

open that door and see if anything was there. It was probably nothing, but I needed to be sure. If not, the rest of my shift was going to be miserable. I quietly walked across the cabin to the door and grabbed the handle. I counted down from three in my head and swung the door open. There was nothing there. In the distance, a flash of light crashed and thunder rolled, but no person was standing there. I sighed and then stepped onto the landing. You really feel the breeze up here now. The storm was moving in quickly. You could smell the rain coming. The earthy scent that the raindrops stir up was all around me. Even though I was sure there was no one outside the cabin, I wanted to check out the stairs just in case. I walked over the stairs and stared down. In the darkness,

the stories below me just merged with the night. I couldn't see anything. I pulled out my flashlight and shone the beam down the stairs next to the landing. The flashlights we had were decent, but not ideal. cops got a thousand lumen flashlights to shine in your eyes when they pull you over and we were lucky to get half of that it's not like we'd need adequate lights working in pitch black or anything i walked down to the first landing and glanced around nothing seemed out of place i flashed my light down the next landing and something caught my eye the light reflected off of something on the stairs not unlike a toddler i made my way to a shiny object i was a little surprised to a little surprised to a to find a small piece of reflective strip on the stairs. I didn't remember seeing it on my way up. I would have picked it up and thrown it away. It looked like it had been ripped off a jacket or a uniform or something. But how did it get up here?

The wind might have blown this up from the campsite, but that felt wrong. It was. I turned to climb back into the cabin when I froze. On the railing, something had carved another set of eyes. I didn't move. I stood there as my brain tried to piece together an excuse that made sense, but it was failing. Even when I started to feel the patter of rain on my face, I didn't move.

What the hell was going on? Fearing that something might be looking at me. I clicked off my flashlight. I know I said earlier I didn't want to waste essential tools, but at this point, I was ready to brain someone until the damn thing broke. The rain started to come down a bit harder, which helped. to break me from my fugue state. I was about to start back up towards the cabin when I heard the floorboards above me, squeak. There was a crash of thunder nearby, and it barely registered in my mind. I was so tuned into the symphony of pine stairs that a bomb could have

blown off near me, and I'd miss it. After what felt like 17 hours, I hadn't heard anything else. I relaxed a little bit. It was probably nothing. My mind was overreactive, and I was red, stringing together desperate events into a cohesive narrative to scare myself. I was sure that was it. Then I heard something drag across the pine above me. It sounded like someone was gouging out the wood. I didn't know what to do. My legs felt like jello.

I wanted to go streaming down the stairs, but I was afraid I would make too much noise. Plus the idea of running down eight stories of now wet steps didn't sound ideal. I slowly started making my way toward the stairs, heading down when the gouging noises above me stopped. After a slight pause, I heard footsteps head towards the door of the cabin. Someone was up there. I was sure of it. But what they wanted to do, well, I didn't want to think about that. I slowly started down the stairs, careful to not let any of them squeak underneath me. I kept my flashlight off and descended into the darkness.

I reached for where my walkie should be and cursed to myself when I realized I had left it up there. As if on cue, I heard the cabin door swing back open and heard an object crashing through the trees towards the ground. As it passed me, I heard the familiar static of the walkie. Whatever was in the cabin had just tossed my only lifeline to the outside world. Well, that wasn't good. I hastened my trip down the stairs as I rounded the landing for the sixth story. I suddenly heard the familiar call of a wood thrush three landings below me. Only, the thrushes were gone at this time of night.

This, this was a person. He made the noise again, and it clicked as to why they would give their position up. He was signaling to the person above me. He was letting him know where I was, one above, one below. I was trapped. Above me, I heard someone start down the steps. They move slow and steady. deliberate. Whoever was up there was coming down to me, and I had nowhere to go. I thought about

jumping down and tried to grab a branch on the way, but I knew that would end poorly for me and the best of scenarios, and deadly and worse. They rounded down the second story. I was running out of time for a plan. I could rush down the stairs and tried to bull rush whatever was down there, but the rain was coming down harder now, and we could slip and fall off the tower. The only thing I had going for me was the darkness. I had the only light and the outside of the occasional lightning flash. It was dark as hell. It would cloak me if I had a spot to hide. As I rounded the landing above me, I made a decision that, looking back, was one of the wildest things I ever done in my life. I wake up some nights gasping for breath because I dreamed about doing this. The instinct to

survive is so deeply ingrained into our animal brain that I suppressed all of the fear I would have and just acted. As quietly as I could, I climbed over the handrail and just hung off the side of the stairs. My feet felt for the handrail on the landing below to help steady me, but my toes just grazed against the wood. I couldn't reach them. My arm started burning as I held my weight. I clawed into the wood of my hands, hoping my nails digging into the pine would counteract my wet palms. I closed my eyes, partially to shut out the pain of my arms and partially because I was afraid of the whites of my eyes would get noticed. I heard the footsteps turn the corner and start coming down the stairs right next to me.

I held my breath. My arms were burning and I was so afraid I would lose my grip. The person took the steps one at a time, slow as possible. They were looking for me on the landing, but didn't see me. Suddenly, whatever it was started chittering in the darkness. A few seconds later, the woodthrush called back. The footsteps stopped coming down the stairs and started going back up. No, no.

In a flash, a solution came to me. I used my right foot to kick off my left boot. Suddenly, I was glad I didn't take Jonesy's advice to keep the laces as tight as a drum. I kicked my boot off onto the landing below me, and they landed with a heavy crash. The footsteps stopped going up the stairs. I freed my other boot, and it crashed down next to their partner on the landing. It sounded like I was down there. The footsteps walked right past me, heading down quickly to surprise, me, on the landing below.

As soon as they rounded the corner, I called upon my strength and my body to quickly pull myself back over the railing. I landed with a thud, which gave away the ghost. I popped up and dashed up the stairs to the top of the cabin. I knew they'd be right behind me, so I didn't hesitate. In seconds, I was at the top of the stairs and outside of the cabin. door. I was met with another pair of eyes carved into the wood. They stared back at me, watching and waiting to see what I was going to do next. I dashed into the cabin and leaned

against the door to brace against anyone trying to burst in. I knew two people. At least I hoped they were people, were coming, and they were not going to stop until they got into the cabin. Another bolt of lightning flashed nearby, and the ensuing thunder shook the tower. Things were close, I glanced up and noticed that someone had carved yet another set of eyes staring at me above the window. Only this time, they left a message with the picture. You watch us, but who's watching you? I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I swallowed hard as two sets of footprints reached the top of the landing. Sure enough, they charged onto the door, pushing it open slightly. I braced hard against the door and started yelling. Just the most primal

screaming I've ever done. They kept thumping the door. Each time pushed the door open a bit more, and a bit more. I was struggling to hold out against them. I was tired and my socks were slipping on the wood. It was only a matter of time until they burst through. I thought about my life. I thought about my parents, my friends, all of the things I'd never get to do. Then the hair on my arm started to stand on end. Then my leg hair. Then my hair started to rise. Only, it was in fear that was causing this. It was something much more primal, much more natural, much more powerful. I dashed across the room and sat on the insulated stool, a beat-up wooden seat with glass legs,

and held my feet up. The door burst open and I saw two sets of eyes staring at me. The two faces grinned, and the cabin light reflected off of the blade of a knife. I screamed as everything went white, and what sounded like the sky splitting into two erupted around us. Lightning had struck the tower. I was safe, glass and wood or crappy conductors, but the two men who were standing in a puddle weren't so lucky. The blast had shocked them and sent them tumbling down the side of the tower. When I opened my eyes, I could see the burn marks across the pine and the smell of fire that had been started. Without giving a second thought,

I dashed out the door, careful not to catch myself on fire, and ran down the stairs of the centennial. It may take about ten minutes to climb up, but it took me about two minutes to get down. As soon as I hit the bottom of the landing, I saw the light of the gator carts pull up. I collapsed on the ground as Jonesy and the other rangers rushed over me. I glanced up and saw his face, and I started to sob. Above him, the flames licked and ate away the tower floor by floor. It would burn for over an hour. Later I learned that the two men taken by the lightning were escaped convicts from the jail. Both of them had beat up a guard, grabbed their clothes, and headed out into the woods three days earlier. The escape had been kept quiet because they

didn't want to spook anyone and thought they'd track them down in the woods sooner rather than later. Why scare people if they didn't have to? Also, that's so ridiculous. They both have been convicted of murder, and I swear this is what the police told me. The criminals had ill intent for me. I told the officers, I had gathered that. Thinking back, they probably watched me climb up the tower later and saw an easy target. When I had first heard the floorboards squeak outside the door, the criminal that had followed me up made a quick decision to climb up onto the roof of the cabin to prevent me from seeing him until he was ready. I probably didn't hear anything on the roof because of the fan and the rain. I think about what he could have done to me if he had caught me by

surprise, jumping down from the roof and shudder. At best, I'd be stabbed by a madman. At worst, I tumble ten stories to the end. Either way, not a great thing to linger on during idle hours. What they did to your family, you're lucky to make it out alive. Streaming on Peacock. These men are going to come after me. Taking them out, it's my only chance. Put a bullet in her head. From the co-creator of Ozark. Looks like a family was running drugs. Execution style killing. It's rare for the keys and it leads on who they might have been running for. The cartel killed my family. I'm going to kill them, all of them. MIA, streaming now, only on Peacock. That was my last day as a ranger. I was due back to school in a few weeks,

and I needed to calm my nerves. Everyone understood. They even paid me out for a week, which was nice. I also took a small part of the Sentinel as a momental of the ordeal. Every time I look at that piece of wood I took from the tower, I wasn't reminded of what could have happened to me, but instead of what I did to survive. Someone was watching me that night, but it wasn't just the criminals. It was nature herself. This incident was the most terrifying experience of my life. This happened in the fall of 1982 in Baxter State Park, Maine. I lived in Manchester, New Hampshire at the time, and desperate. I desperately wanted to get one last camping trip in before the weather changed and the region would become buried in snow and tourists from out of state for the skiing season. It was early November, and it was still warm during the day and nice and chilly at night, perfect for sitting around the fire and relaxing.

I loved the outdoors, I still do, but the events of that night in Maine would leave a mark on me for the rest of my life. My husband worked all weekend at the hospital downtown, and both the kids were at Grandma and Grandpa's for the weekend. I called in sick to work, loaded at my Bronco, strapped the canoe on the roof, and hit the interstate. I was on the water late in the afternoon. I loved this area because of how remote it was. I was a few miles from my launch site where the truck was parked, when I spotted a perfect place to camp. I paddled toward the shore. This is a great spot, I thought to myself.

I set up my little tent, built a fire, and unfolded in my packed chair to relax. The day turned into night, and I crashed out in the tent. The following day I awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. It was a little cooler, but still great weather. I took my camera out into the forest to take some pictures. I did some fishing and just enjoyed the peaceful stillness of this remote wilderness. The day was uneventful, and soon after dinner I lay in my tent with my flashlight reading. I must have dozed off, because I awoke startled by something moving outside my tent.

I laid still, but instinct told me that there was something outside. I could hear the carefully placed steps of something. There are moose and black bear up here. Moose can be very dangerous if you walk upon them by surprise. The bears generally smell you before you see them and keep away. I lay still and listened. Whatever it was had stopped at the entrance flap of the tent. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness,

I could make out a faint, shadowy shape. I was wide awake now and on full alert. Whatever it was, I could hear it sniffing around and panting out of breath. I slowly began to unzip the tent when it ran off. I opened the flap of my tent and looked out just in time to see the branch of swaying and hear the sound of something moving through the brush and into the deep woods. The sound of its steps told me one important thing. It was on two legs.

That couldn't be right. I hadn't seen any other people since entering the park and leaving my truck at the trailhead. The tourist season for leaf peepers had passed, and even so, someone could only reach this location by the waterway. I suppose someone could be out here, someone I hadn't seen or heard until they came sniffing and snorting around my campsite in the middle of the night. I guess it was possible. As the sun rose, I ate my breakfast but remained on guard. I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. I felt a presence in the forest, someone or something, just out of sight.

I kept a 45 revolver when I camped out here in the north woods. I wasn't concerned about the wildlife so much as the weirdos you might run across. In my experience, the scariest thing you can come across when you're alone in the deep woods is another human. I couldn't be sure if someone were out there, but the paranoia had began to take hold. It was dark now, and I was inside my tent. I kept the revolver close and my boots on. I was done playing games. I sure didn't plan on shooting anyone, but I was sure to show them I was.

was no easy target. I sat up quickly. I must have fallen asleep again because I was startled awake by movement all around the tent. The shadows everywhere, on all sides in all directions. I could hear sniffing and snorting, low growls and raspy breathing. What is happening? I thought in a panic. It didn't sound like people, but the height of the shadows cast against the flaps of the tent in the moonlight revealed prominent upright figures. There must have been five or maybe six on all sides. Fear shook me as I made the realization. I was surrounded. The low growling started. It was answered back on the other side and all around me. Low, deliberate growling. Were these coyotes? Were the massive shadows just the

light playing tricks on me? The growling increased in pitch and intensified, and I knew an attack was imminent. I pulled my revolver and fired straight up into the air. The next moments were a complete blur. I charged through the tent with just the clothes on my back, my 45, and the truck keys in my pocket. I bolted straight for the canoe and muscled it into the water. I jumped in and began paddling. I never looked back until I got far enough from the shore. I should have never looked back. They were standing completely still on the riverbank. Their bodies crouched down with heads low. eyes reflecting in the moonlight. They looked like giant coyotes, or maybe even wolves, six in total.

I was transfixed by what I was seeing. I had never seen a coyote this large. As I sat in the safety of my little canoe studying these creatures, they did something that I will never forget. They began to stand up on their hind legs. Each one would slowly raise up on two legs. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They all stood like men, these things, these creatures that had almost ambushed me.

I turned and furiously paddled as the howling rang out behind me. I haven't been in the forest since. This happened a year ago and I can't stop thinking about it. No matter how hard I try and quiet. at times, my mind goes back to that night. The night I found out you really should be frightened of the dark. My sister lives in a backwater town, a bit of a drive away. I hadn't gone to see her in such a long while. I decided to use my week vacation to drop by. I was bringing over gifts and clothing I had grown out of for her. She's a fantastic cook. Spending a week, having some

good home-cooked meals and no reliable internet was just what I needed. I packed up and got on the road pretty excited for my week away, but I had been so busy tying up loose ends for my trip. I got going very late in the day. The sun was already setting by the time I got on the highway. She knew I was going to get in late. I might arrive by 11 a.m., and I would call her when I was getting close and she could greet me by the door. I found myself on a dark highway surrounded by farmland for miles. When it was in farmland, the highway was cut through dense trees. While I was driving, I saw something I never thought I would. Something that made me pull over. Speeding along, I saw a figure walking along the side of the road. My headlights reflecting off the white sweater

they were wearing. It was a small figure, so I felt safe stopping, and at least looking to see if they needed help. My entire life, I had never seen someone just walking along the side of the highway. I hadn't seen a house for a long time, or a car that had been pulled over. I had no idea where the person came from, or where they were trying to go. I stopped my car and got out to get a good look at the person in the dark. They had also stopped when I had. pulled out in front of them. I lifted my hand and gave a weak wave and got one back. Do you need help? I called out and waited. When I didn't hear anything, I started to walk towards them. It wasn't a good idea for a short woman like myself to approach a stranger on the side of the road. It could be an

ambush, but my brain wasn't thinking about that. I was concerned because the figure was clearly a child. When I got close enough to see, I could tell that he couldn't be older than 13. I was guessing it was a boy, but it was hard to tell with the backy clothing and shoulder length wavy hair, white wavy hair. I had my cell phone out and using the flashlight function on it to see if the boy was hurt. I stopped a few steps away from him, and he looked up at me. One side of his face was covered by his hair. One red eye looked back at me. I frozen fear for a half second, but mentally berated myself for such a reaction. The boy's hair now made sense. He was albino. I never personally met someone with this condition, but I had seen photos. Would it be possible to get a lift to the

next town over? The boy asked in such a low, soft voice, even standing as close as I was, I could barely hear him. Of course. Why are you on the side of the road, sweetie? Come on, get in the car. I have some water. He followed behind me silently. He wasn't crying or anything. And the odd thing was, he wasn't wearing any shoes either. It was just so strange. I had to call the police. I knew that, but I wanted to make sure he was all right first. He climbed into the passenger seat so I could see him more clearly. He was so pale, his skin almost looked silver. He looked so small and frail, he would have no chance with someone with bad intentions. I gave him a bottle of water and let him drink it before asking more questions. What's your name? I asked. I'm Nikki. I added my name in,

thinking that he would be more comfortable if he knew it. Ellie. Again, he spoke so softly I could barely hear him. I at least got a name out of him. I needed some more answers, though. What were you doing on the side of the road? Do you have someone I could call? I asked as nicely as I could, hoping it would make him speak some more. I'm heading to the next town to meet an acquaintance. He's an officer. I have no one you can contact. If it's possible, it would be nice to get a ride to the police station. But please do not go out of your way for myself. At least the kid was polite. I debated on what I should do. He wasn't injured and he wanted to be taken to the police. If that was the case, I could just drive him and not bother calling someone to pick him up. It really wouldn't be any

trouble to myself. And he wasn't a threat to me either. He was so small, even if he pulled a weapon, I could swat it away. I decided to take him. where he needed to go. All right, I'll take you. Are you sure there isn't anyone I can call? I asked once more. He only shook his head. Either the poor kid really didn't have any family

or he was running from them. At least he was on the way to some help, so I decided to not press the matter. I started up the car and put the directions on my phone to the police station he wanted, and we were on our way. The whole thing was a bit weird. but not supernatural weird. That came after.

Ellie didn't talk while we drove. The poor kid must have been so exhausted from the walking. He nodded off. I was glad he trusted me enough to nap right beside me. I would send a message to my sister telling her I would be late. We drove in silence for a little while when I saw yet another thing that I never expected to see. A car just sitting in the middle of the road. I saw it soon enough that I slowed down and stopped a few feet from it, just staring at the odd sight. We were on the highway, but it was the dead of night, and I saw no cars. Plus, any cars coming from behind us would see both cars stop soon enough to break safely. The car had the driver's side and passenger doors open.

I sat on a strange angle, idling. When I reached to undo my seatbelt and get out to see what was going on, I felt a small hand on my arm, and it made me jump. Keep driving. Ellie's voice was so stern it froze me in place. It was no longer the voice of the soft-spoken child I had heard before. But someone could be hurt. I stammered, not knowing how to react.

They're already gone. My mind couldn't process those words. I suddenly started to question who I let in my car and if I was safe. but my rational mind said that the car in the middle of the road was a trap. Once I got out, I could be dragged into the middle of the woods by whoever put the car there to start with. Movement made me pull my gaze away from Ellie and to the road. Out from the front of the car, a large dog came trotting out, staring at us. At first, I thought it was a breed of husky, but it took a few moments to realize my mistake.

This wasn't a dog, but a wolf. I had never seen a wolf in person before. They were much bigger than I had ever thought. Its yellow eyes stared us down, waiting for us to react. Then another came from the trees. This whole thing was crazy. My mind couldn't put it together the two facts of the car in the middle of the highway and the wolves wandering around it.

Wolves weren't native to the area. Coyotes maybe, but not wolves. If the car was placed to ambush people, then why were the wolves in the area? I don't understand any of it. I understood less when the wolf by the car started to stand up. My throat closed up and my body tensed as I saw the creature seamlessly turned from a wolf

just standing on its back legs to a hulking monstrous form that towered into the darkness before us. Drive. Ellie ordered, and his hands gripped onto my arm, hurting enough just to bring myself back. I don't understand. I said still, but a bit dumbfounded.

Silver King, oh Silver King, a pleasure it is running into you here. Come out to greet us. The figure standing in the road roared at us in a booming voice and outstretched its clawed arms in greeting. It was covered with dark rough fur, with a body similar to a man. Its head was large, but looked like the wolf that had been looking at us seconds before. Its legs were the same of a wolf also, and at one wonder, how it was even standing. Behind it, a tail nearly half the size of its body, moved back and forth.

Is that a werewolf? I asked, the idea sounding completely insane. Monsters weren't real. They just weren't. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but it was in front of me, standing there, beckoning us out. I looked over to Ellie expecting him to disagree or even call me crazy, but I only saw a look on his face, saying not to ask him to say the ridiculous truth out loud. Before I could ask again, the creature outside spoke, come out, we have such treats tonight. On its odd legs, it walked over to the idling parked car and easily ripped off the back door so it could reach in and bring something out. I froze when I saw he was holding a stuffed rabbit. A person had been inside of that car. My head started to swim and I felt sick.

Again, my hand went to my seatbelt, even though I had no idea how I could help in any way. I told you, they were already gone. Do not leave this car. I cannot protect you. Ellie warned in his gravely stern voice, Didn't he just call you the silver king? What's that about? I demanded in a low hiss.

That is my title. I am the king of them, the king of everything born in the moonlight or the dark. And as I could easily take them, I cannot do so in order to protect a human. I am their king, not yours. So stay in the car. I couldn't help, but stare silently at this helpless boy. He no longer looked like the weak, frail child I had picked up on the side of the road.

He looked more frightening than the monster outside. But I couldn't help but trust him. His hand gripped into my arm one last time, then slowly pulled back. He was done warning me. If I got out, I would be taken. I may have already been taken if he hadn't picked me up. Those monsters, those werewolves could rip car doors off. I was idling and nothing was stopping them from dragging me out of the car to rip me apart.

Nothing aside from who was sitting next to me, but I still felt like I couldn't just leave. I turned my attention to the dark beast still in the road, teeth gleaming in the moonlight, a cruel smile over what him and his pack had already done. Without a second thought, I got the car out of the park and slammed down on the gas. Ellie was jerked forward in his seat as my car sped forward,

directly towards the monster in front of us. The thing could have jumped out of the way, but I think he wasn't expecting it, and his reaction had been delayed. The car slammed into the werewolf, knocking him back. I expected more damage to both him and the car, but we got off pretty all right. That was until the car was in reverse

and ran directly over the creature's legs, it howling in pain. It was not good for my junker of a car, but it was worse off for the wolf. I could only risk running it over once. I saw more of the wolves in the woods glaring at us. Slamming on the gas once more, we sped off leaving the monster in the road.

Even as I drove, I could see his legs were healing and snapping back into place. I doubted I did any lasting damage, but I was sure I heard its pride. The others in the woods could have caused, us before we got away, but my passenger must have scared them enough to stay away. We were silent for a long time as I drove along the empty road, listening to my car making grinding noises from time to time. Was that stupid? I asked finally. Yes, but justified. I wanted to laugh. The whole night

had just been so out there, I didn't know what else to do, but I held it in thinking it would be in poor taste. Once my racing hearts slowed down, I noticed I was going well over the speed limit. I thought to slow down, but would rather a ticket instead of those creatures catching up. Ellie didn't talk to me again until we arrived to the police station. Are those things going to find me? I asked slowly. No, I doubt it. They're unaware of your relationship with me. If you had some future use and they got you, I would be very upset with them, and the creatures of the night do not wish to upset me. I sighed in relief, but it came too soon. However, since you have encountered something like them, you are more likely to encounter something else you humans would call supernatural.

You're almost guaranteed to be taken by a supernatural threat after surviving the first one. I am unsure when that shall happen. It could be when you're a hundred or a week from now. Going by your luck, seeing as you came across myself and a pack of wolves in the same night, I think you don't have a long life. I should have been worried about my bleak outlook, but I couldn't help but want to laugh again. By Ellie, apparently being embarrassed, calling them werewolves. I wonder why he disliked them so much.

Is there anything I can do about that? I asked, hoping for a good answer. Enjoy the life you have left. you humans could be gone at any second. You just so happen to know the most likely reason why you are to perish. I would suggest not to fear it. Just live the way you like. It wasn't the answer I was hoping for, but I would take it. My face fell trying to figure out what my life would be like from now on. How I would be able to live, knowing that there was some things in the dark, just waiting for me. Ellie noticed my face and let out a small sigh. He looked from me and the police station we were parked in front of.

You did do me a favor, so I will grant you one in return. If you come across something of the night, and if you have time to do so, tell them you are useful to the silver king. However, you may only use my name once, and I do not promise that thing shall spare you. It only gives you a better chance of survival. I didn't know much about his world, but even I could tell that this was a huge favor he was giving me.

I was thankful for it. Just dropping his name may give me a few more years to my life. He saved me twice that night, and all because I gave him a ride. Thank you. I gave him a smile and watched as he got out of the car. I waited until he was on the steps of the police station, out of habit. He could handle himself, but I still wanted to make sure he got inside safely. I sent my sister a message saying I was going to be a bit late.

I then drove off, leaving the odd person behind. Since then, I hadn't seen anything strange. I sold my car while I stayed at my sister's place and got a new one, just in case a certain wolf remembered what hit him while I drove back home. I didn't tell my sister what happened, aside from finding a kid on the side of the road and turning him in, there was a report of a car found on the highway. but I didn't want to know any more information about it.

I don't want to know who was lost that night and how I couldn't do anything to help it. I still can't help but wonder how Ellie is doing and who he was meeting that night. But it's best if I never see him again and never find these answers.