Just Creepy: Scary Stories - Scary Park Ranger Stories for a Dark and Spooky Night | Forest Ranger, National Park, Missing 411

Episode Date: April 7, 2023

These are 8 Scary Park Ranger Stories for a Dark and Spooky Night | Forest Ranger, National Park, Missing 411 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/its_just_creepy Dr. Squatch -$10 OFF!: https://tinyurl.com/2n5w57sr Story Credits: ►https://www.reddit.com/user/thegeneralg/ ►https://www.reddit.com/user/thegeneralg/ ►https://www.reddit.com/user/philosophicalnonsens/►https://www.reddit.com/user/sabino_lopes/https://www.youtube.com/@whatscaresyou-/videos ►Anonomous►Anonomous►https://www.reddit.com/user/Midnight_Realm/►https://www.reddit.com/user/ChardNo6398/ Music by: ► Myuu's channel http://bit.ly/1k1g4ey ►CO.AG Music http://bit.ly/2f9WQpe Business inquiries: ►[e-mail] #forestranger #scarystories #nationalpark 💀As always thanks for watching! 💀

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. Where's 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. M.I.A. Streaming now.

Only on Peacock. When the call about the missing campers and the abandoned campsite came in, I was sitting in front of the Park Ranger Station, watching a fire that crackled in the rusted old pit that's been here for decades. The flames were slowly eating the wood. The heat occasionally sputtered and spat as the pine logs were devoured. It's one of my favorite ways to pass the time out here. A fire, like watching fish in an aquarium or animals in a zoo,

is endlessly captivating because it's a tiny bit of nature captured and put on display. The same reason people come here to the Spruce Ridge National Park, and just like a fire, the woods here can scorch you if you're not careful. I shuffled back inside, took the call, and headed out for the rendezvous point after listening to the report for a few minutes. Another couple gone missing. Nothing too out of the ordinary, at least not yet. So I loaded my gun, hopped in my Jeep, and headed out as the sun began to recede past the trees. The searing summer sun peeked out from between dense fur limbs that surrounded the rocky terrain on all sides, sweeping over the horizon as far as I could see. I passed glimmering ponds filled with plant life

and pavilions filled with brown picnic benches as the jeep bounced up and down on carefully maintained blacktop and rutted brown roads filled with rock. I could practically hear the croak of frogs, the chirping of crickets, and the hum of a few dragonflies as I sped past. No matter how long I was a park ranger, I never got used to the thrill of the great outdoors. The serenity you could find in the fresh air was eternal, as was its sheer size. It reminds me of pioneer days when it was just a few families alone in the vastness of the frontier, and it was a very unforgiving frontier. Back then, there were no rangers or park security like me to make sure no families got lost. First aid didn't exist, and Mother Nature never suffered fools. Some people have forgotten that,

But Mother Nature never hesitates to remind people about what she can do. Lately she seems particularly active on that front and these parts. I carefully maneuvered the jeep through hills, which were bigger the farther I got away from the base. The wind lashed through the cracked windows as I passed fallen cedar trees on the way to my destination. I love these woods, but I never forget how merciless they can be and how many people have met their end out here. How many bodies have been buried right here? How many people went out into these woods and simply never came out? There's no way of knowing for sure, but these woods have been around for centuries,

and that's enough time for death to plant a seed for every tree out here. I was dispatched to find Libby and Dale Morrison, a well-to-do couple that had gone out on a camping vacation. Their empty campsite had been found by a group of hikers, and since no one had seen the couple for a few days, I was sent out to take a closer look. Funny enough, while I've always loved the outdoors, I've never liked camping. If you fill out enough missing persons and death reports, you learn fast to treat the woods like a tiger or lion. They might be stunning to look at, but never forget what can happen when you encounter them. Although plenty of people have wised up and learned how to camp safely, camping certain places alone is a bit like putting out a candy bowl on Halloween with a,

please take one, sign with no one to watch. Not everyone who walks by has to ignore the rule, and do whatever they please. All it takes is one. It may have only taken one person to make my brother-in-law Jerry vanish a few weeks ago. National parks seem so humdrum and tame, but anyone who works at one knows there's a lot of dark things that happen within those trees. Colts will meet here, drug deals go down and go wrong,

and plenty of people vanish within these woods. People are dumped here and found days, weeks, or even months later, all torn to pieces from the animals and no coroner could figure out how they got that way. I've interviewed plenty of applicants who think this job is some kickwalk, and an easy paycheck. They all get a nasty wake-up call sooner or later, and it either soberes them up or makes them run out of here like they've been chased out. And I've seen things that I don't blame them for wanting to run from. People have been afraid of monsters in the woods for centuries.

I don't expect that to change any time soon, no matter what modern technology exists. That's why the single best alarm system that ever existed is man's best friend. The minute a dog starts barking, you know someone, or something, is there. But when you're outside and your dog whimpers and runs away like the ground is on fire, that's your cue to get out. It's no coincidence that in all the time I've been on duty here, I've never had to deal with a situation where one or more person involved had a dog. Never. Back at the station that houses my office, there is an entire bulletin board with missing persons flyers.

Most of them are couples or entire families. Wholesome looking, happy, and smiling at the camera, like they don't have a care in the world, which is usually how they end up on the wall in the first place. I was about to find out whether the Morrisons would join them. It's not a task I enjoy at all. In the five years I've had this job, I've taken off maybe ten of those flyers. and not because the people on them were found safe and sound either. Most people on it are the type of people who think just because they have GPS, and cars with all the latest bells and whistles, there is nothing to worry about when you camp or venture into the woods.

A lot of people who venture out here have that attitude. If they're lucky, they realize the mistake can live to talk about it. Other times not so much, but maybe their fate can help teach others a lesson. I've certainly had to deal with my share of journalists, documentary filmmakers, law enforcement officers from various divisions, private investigators, and inquiring relatives and friends. The professionals I have no problem dealing with. They're just doing a job, same as me. That's not to say they don't take what happened seriously, or feel bad for the parties involved. Not at all, but they're used to dealing with stuff like this

for the most part, and it rarely touches them personally. Only rarely do I see the look in their eye that tells that What happened here will haunt them. On the other hand, dealing with family members in that situation is by far the worst part of my job. I'd rather stumble upon a million bodies that have to deal with grieving family members. I've done it too many times, but it never gets any easier. Never. And it shouldn't. It was dark by the time I arrived at the Morrison campsite, which was a long way from any main area.

As expected, they had spared no expense and had gone camping with brand new gear that I was certain they had just bought. brand new equipment, cooking gear, and a black SUV that was still gleaming like it was fresh off the lot. I did have to concede that Mr. and Mrs. Morrison picked a terrific spot right on the lake. It was a clear night and the moon glistened off the calm surface, which looked like glass. No matter what happened on the job, nighttime was always my favorite time to work or do anything else, so long as I took proper precautions. I suppose it's the same reason people think about hitting up an old flame late at night. In the modern era, it's easy to look down upon more primitive times and their fears about what lay just out of sight in the darkness.

But come out here at night, when it's pitch dark, and those fears suddenly become far more relatable. Modern technology may be the 21st century, but where your flashlight ends, it's the 19th century. All it takes is for your flashlight to run out of batteries, your GPS to fail, or your car to not start, and you're no longer in modern times out here. You're right back where your ancestors were, but at least they knew how to survive in conditions like that. As I looked around the campsite, the stars gleamed out of the sky and looked brighter than usual. I don't think people think about space, as in really think about it and what it entails. It is a stunning concept to behold, the vastness of the galaxy and all the galaxies beyond it. When you think about it, Earth is nothing more than a tiny apartment in a massive skyscraper when you think of how massive space is.

A phrase outer space invokes gargantuan size and a scale that is unfathomable. When pondering this, the two most terrifying concepts and their implication are that you are completely alone in the universe, and you are not alone in the universe. Which one is more terrifying depends a lot on the person. The phrase in space, no one can hear you scream, is so much more than a movie tagline. It's a simple fact. Because not only can no one hear you scream, you might not even be able to scream, which is one of the most horrifying feelings a human can experience. It's like calling for an ambulance only to be told help isn't coming. The woods are the same way, as it's no coincidence they refer to space as the final frontier.

It's also what makes someone going missing in a huge park like this such a nightmare for a search party. In a populated area, you can rule areas out and narrow things down. But out here in the woods, someone could be literally anywhere. The Morrison campsite wasn't torn to shreds like it had. had been attacked by a wild animal, nor did it resemble the scene of a horror movie-style bloodbath. It looked like countless campsites that had been abandoned without an afterthought. Had it not been for their car nearby, I would have thought they just left on a whim. Their car, a shiny black Cadillac SUV with a grill hood that gleamed in the light from my

flashlight, was still here. So that meant they either left in someone else's car, they ran off somewhere outside the park, where they were still here. But it wouldn't be the first time I've seen couples did. ditch one vehicle out here to get in another. So the question was, what caused the Morisons to flee from where they'd set up shop? It certainly wasn't because they needed to use a bathroom. In my experience, people almost always flee due to fear, but fear of what? I scanned the area slowly with my flashlight. The Morissons certainly spared no expense. The RV was top of the line, certainly a step up from sleeping

in a tent. You don't leave equipment like this for no reason, especially if you're someone with money. A quick check revealed that none of the car's tires had been slashed, and from all appearances it looked to be in good condition. Since the RV's front door was halfway open, I wasted no time in climbing the metal steps and peering inside. As expected, everything inside was top of the line. Most of it looked like they had just bought it at the store a week ago. I carefully climbed inside and with one hand on my gun, I slowly checked the bathroom and bedroom. The bathroom was a jumbled mess of tubes and bottles and the bed was unmade, but everything was perfectly in order, nor did it look like anything was stolen. I stepped back outside and started to walk towards

my Jeep to radio what I had seen. But when I was over halfway there, the skin on my arms prickled and I felt a chill run down my back. Despite the billowing humidity, I was chilled to the core. I took a deep breath, carefully placed one hand back on my gun, and carefully walked the remaining distance, taking care to keep my back aligned with the RV as I had the sense I was being watched. I had felt this sensation before and you never get used to it, and just like dealing with grieving families, you shouldn't. Because if you do, the next grieving family may be yours. With paranoia and fear growing with each step, I mercifully made it to the Jeep okay and slammed the door shut. Before I radioed back to the base, I leaned back in the driver's seat and tried to relax. As I took another

deep breath and reminded myself to remain calm, I surveyed the terrain again. No car tracks aside from mine or the Morrisons, no evidence of a struggle, and no sign of any other life out here. But that did not mean nothing else was out here besides me. As if to answer me, a guttural roar burst out from the woods to my right, and I practically shot out of my seat. It was the ugliest sound I've ever heard, and there was no way a human was capable of making that noise. It was the kind of sound that seems to be a living, breathing, physical entity like thunder. Without waiting another moment, I started the engine, floored the gas pedal, and the Jeep roared to life as I drove out of there as fast as I could. As I pulled away, I swear I could see the

trees where the roar came from tremble slightly. It wasn't until I had been driving for about ten minutes that I noticed some heavy breathing that sounded pained. When I realized it was mine, I tried to take a deep breath and calm down. Once I had done the former and was attempting the latter, I picked up my radio with a clammy hand and called in what I found and heard. I was surprised, as my voice was far calmer than I felt. On the other line, my colleague sounded surprised but not skeptical. Maybe it was sincere.

Or maybe when I had backup and we all headed back there together, we might find nothing, and they might just declare me paranoid. I didn't really carry their way. I'd much rather be called paranoid than a crime statistic. I rolled along at a good pace until I rounded a corner, and a figure standing in the middle of the road made me slam on the brakes. In the harsh light from the vehicle's headlights, I could see the figure was slender, wearing badly tattered clothes, and was pretty beat up. But when the figure took a step forward, I couldn't believe it. It was my brother in law, Jerry.

I rolled down my window in shock. What the hell is going on? Bobby, we got to go. Get in. I said before he ran unsteadily. towards the passenger seat. The minute he sat down, I hit the gas, and we roared out of there. He panted for a good 30 seconds before his breathing evened out.

What happened, Jerry? I asked after he had a chance to rest. There's something out here, Bobby, some kind of creature, a monster, like something out of a TV show. And there's this group of people that know about it and treat it like it's real important. They think it's so important they even kidnap people and offer it to the monster to eat. That's what happened to me. What kind of monster is it?

It was the only thing I could think of to ask. I don't know. How did you get away? Remember that knife you got me for Christmas last year. The one you can store anywhere. That's right. I had it in my shoe at the time they grabbed me. Once I had a chance, I put it to good use.

And here you are, saving my neck again. I'll never be able to repay you. His voice broke as he spoke. I always liked you. Jerry. not like Tyler Marion's last boyfriend. The sentence was barely out of my mouth when the car went around a bend, and I had to slam on the brakes again.

But this time the site was far more chilling, as the road was filled with people wearing identical monochromatic black plastic masks, the kind you get in bulk at a party store. They also wore plain black-hitted sweatshirts with the hoods pulled up. No one moved an inch as I stopped. They all just stood there, facing me, all 25 of them. Then, almost on command, they all started walking at once towards my vehicle. That was the only cue I needed to start the car and run right through them.

Or that was my plan before out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blur of color and two of the masked people went flying and slammed into trees. When they landed, both of them were sporting deep scratches that were bleeding. This made the others stop immediately before they started to flee in opposite directions. But that wasn't enough because more of them fell prey to whatever was out there. which I couldn't see. Either way, I hit the gas harder than I ever had in my life, and it wasn't long before the screaming and wailing was a faint background noise. What's the matter? Jerry gleefully called out from the cracked window. You can't handle what you tried to do to me. The two of us didn't say a word

to each other until we reached the Park Ranger Station. Dathered around the front were a few of my colleagues, but two of the people were dressed casually and matched the description of the Morissons whose campsite I was sent to check out. My face must have showed my surprise because Mrs. Morrison walked over to me and shook my hand. Libby Morrison, Paranormal Investigator. My husband and I were investigating

the rumors of strange occurrences out here, and we left the campsite abandoned in order to try to record what happened. Well, congrats, you found something, was all I said before I briefly explained what happened and left it to the professionals. Altogether, the bodies of 10 masked people, were pulled from the park. The rest were rounded up by law enforcement and charged with various things.

And while that was going on, I handed in my resignation while Jerry went home with my sister. I eventually got another job related to the outdoors, but this time it was a job related to outdoor retail. No more searching in the forest for me. Kayak gets my flight, hotel, and rental car right, so I can tune out travel advice that's just plain wrong. Bro, Skycoin, way better than... Never fly during a Scorpio full moon. Just tell the manager you'll sue. Instant room upgrade.

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Get this new must-have concealer at Sephora or at Sephora.com today. It was one of those late nights on the job, but that didn't bother me at all. In fact, it was one of my favorite parts of being a park ranger. Hanging around late at night with just a few of my fellow rangers in the middle of the woods, it was just like huddling around a campfire while you told stories. Except we were indoors around a fireplace. It was the middle of spring, but it had been cold lately, so while the afternoons were pleasant, the nights had been chilly,

which was why we were all inside gathered around a fire while on the clock. The ranger station was beyond comfortable with a fire, so I was contently sitting in one of the many leather couches facing it. We were all midway through a shift, and like many nights on the job, it was quiet, so we got to talking about nothing in particular. There is nothing like the natural flow of an unplanned conversation. Outside, the evening had slowly given way to night,

and the darkness had settled upon the woods with its usual silent thoroughness. The area may be a park during the day, but at night it was the woods. Parks inherently sound fun and brings to mind cookouts, whereas the woods has an inherently spooky vibe. There were four of us sitting by the fire in the ranger station on that chilly night. Me, Harland, Anthony, and Craig. Pregg had just finished talking about his cousin's wedding when Anthony asked Harland what his scariest story was from working here all these years. Usually, Harland just chuckled and said he'd heard some crazy things over the years. But not this time.

This time, he sat there quietly for a moment before he said, The Witch of Blackthorn Creek. That was when we all went completely still. If we were just like people huddled around a campfire, Harland was the one in charge of building the fire. He was the ranger we always deferred to. He'd been on the job long enough to have earned that right. Harlan's family had also been in the area for generations,

so if anyone had any stories to tell about what may have happened here, it was him. Plus he was a terrific guy, hardworking and beyond helpful when you needed something. So when someone like Harlan tells you he's heard of a story like that, you listen. Intently, especially with the tone of voice he used. Serious and no nonsense, without a trace of a sense of a trace of a story. amusement. The Witch of Blackthorn Creek, Harlan began in a clear voice as we all gave him our full attention. The story was first told to me by my uncle George, who had been a lumberjack for years. According to him, people said there was a curse on the land, which was placed there by a witch.

It all started one year when the harvest went bad. Since there had been nothing but plentiful harvests every year and made people beyond suspicious. There was barely enough grain and stuff to get through winter. It didn't help matters that the town had generally been prosperous, but had recently started to go through some financial difficulties. Then, numerous bits of misfortune happened within the community over the years. Houses burning down. People going missing and never being found again. Periodically, there would be something odd left lying around near where someone had vanished. Creepy things like weird-looking dolls made from wood that never failed to rattle people. There wasn't anyone around who people thought was capable of anything like

this, and since one of the families in town had experienced something like this before in a different town many years ago, they suspected there was some kind of curse put on them, especially after a few people who kept track of all the strange events realized every one of them took place on a full moon. Arlen took a sip of his coffee before he continued. It all came to a head when there was a terrible accident at the town lumber mill, a fire that no one could figure out how it started. Several employees died and many others were badly injured, and the lumber mill, which was one of the biggest employers around, closed. That was when the paranoia that had been lingering under the surface boiled over, so when some people from town found an abandoned cottage in the woods near Blackthorn Creek with weird symbols

written on the walls, and the floor, they grabbed their torches, set the place on fire, and watched it burn. According to the crowd, the cabin took forever to burn, much longer than the people thought possible. But once it did finally burn down, they took the ashes and buried them deep in the woods and didn't mark the location, hoping that would be the end of it. And, for a while, that seemed to be the case. But every once in a while, something would happen that would make people in town look over their shoulders. Nothing major. A bit of bad luck in the form of an injury. or some suspicious noises outside the house after dark, and perhaps some scratch marks on the door or the wall.

But ever since then, people would be very careful what they did, especially if there was a full moon. Then he paused for a moment to look at the fire, which was crackling pleasantly in the fireplace. I couldn't tell you how old I was when I first heard the story, but I remember exactly how I felt. Confused. Because the story, although creepy and entertaining,

didn't quite make sense to me, and I said something to Uncle George about that, and he laughed. Then he said he agreed that the story was long on atmosphere and short on believability. That's when he got serious, told me that although the story was a bit of fiction, he never doubted that it came from somewhere and there was indeed something going on out in the woods. Then he added that it didn't matter how old I was, where I was, who I was with, or what was going on. If I got a terrible feeling, I should listen to it. and I've listened to every feeling I've gotten since then.

It's never served me wrong. He looked around towards us, slowly taking us all in. I've never quite believed that story, but I will be the last person to deny that in all the years I've been out here. I've felt things on occasion, things that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck, and on even fewer occasions, I've seen things, fleeting glances at things that I wasn't sure I saw,

that there was one time when I not only felt something, I heard something. The air in the Ranger Station was completely still. I briefly glanced at my colleagues as Harlan said this, and they met my glance, and I could see they were just as gripped by the story as I was. It was about 30 years ago. Harland explained,

I was just starting out as a park ranger. This was back in the early 90s when technology and life in general was very different from today. I'd grown up out in nature, and I'd seen plenty of scary movies, and more importantly, I'd grown up hearing countless spooky stories about what may or may not have been lurking outside, so I wasn't exactly sheltered. But there are some things you are never truly prepared to experience. The fire in the fireplace

popped in the grate, but we were so absorbed in Harlan's story we barely noticed. There was plenty of wood in the fire, so we didn't have to worry about that for a while. It was early November. Halloween had just ended, which made everyone sad because I remember that year was a particularly fun one. Darkness seemed to be arriving early. so I was barely halfway through my shift when the sun was going down. I remember it had been raining almost every day, so the days were all gray and cloudy, and the nights were damp with plenty of fog.

But that particular morning was dry. All the leaves that had clung to the trees had been scattered by the winds, and rain, so they lay there on the grass, all damp and torn. My job on that particular day was to go around raking them up so they didn't completely cover the trails and paths people walked on. The chill in the air was that chill only late fall can bring. The dampness that seems to soak into your skin and never let go. I had just finished one section of the park and was walking back to my truck when the rain started up again,

and it did so with a fury. So I hustled it to the truck, got inside, and headed back to the Ranger Station where I planned to spend the rest of the evening. And since it was a quiet night at the Ranger Station, it looked like I would get what I wanted. I was used to working the late shift by myself as the night supervisor, so being alone didn't bother me. I'd always been a quiet type who liked to read a book, so it was an ideal situation for me, except for that night. Harlan took a deep breath before he continued. Because Halloween was over and the rain had been steady, the park hadn't received as many visitors as it usually had. But I was inside the ranger station, this ranger station in fact, which was just as cozy and warm as you see it now.

Plus, now that I was done with my task, I was free to read a book, so I wasted no time in curling up by the fire with a paperback. I'd spent many a shift this way, and it was fine by me. I'd happily read a book on a nice day, but on a rainy day. Nothing better. Eventually, I started to get hungry. Since I'd just brought a light snack, but turned out to be craving something bigger, I decided to order pizza.

There was a local place that was only a few minutes away that often delivered out here back then, so I didn't hesitate to give them a call. I ordered a medium pizza with pepperoni, and as I hung up, the rain started to really pound heavily on the station roof. I knew from experience that the rain pounding on the station roof could truly be loud. It seemed to surround you from all sides, but by the time the headlights pulled into the driveway, the rain had faded to a slight drizzle. But I could see the grass leading up here was pretty well soaked, and there were numerous small puddles on both the grass and the road. The trees were swaying along with the winds, and the sky was getting darker by the minute as night was settling in. Thigh now, the outdoor

lights had started to switch on as the car from the pizza place pulled up in front of the station, its windshield wipers going back and forth as it stopped in front of the entrance. I stood in front of it under the part of the roof that kept me out of the rain. The driver, a young guy named Derek in his early 20s, got out of the driver's seat and grabbed the pizza from the passenger's side. Derek had delivered here before, and he'd always done a great job. We chit-chatted as I handed him the cache with a generous tip. Then Derek handed me the pizza and was just about to go back to his car before he stopped and stared at something behind me. He paused and said that it would probably sound crazy, but it looked like there was a woman

lurking in the woods near the Ranger Station. We all sat there silently for a moment before Harland continued. I remember just standing there when he told me. The words sounded almost foreign as Derek said them out loud. My first reaction was that it was impossible, but there was only one way to find out, so I turned behind me to look at where he was pointing. He took another sip of coffee. The cluster of trees he was pointing out

was a dense area of tall pine trees. They've been long gone by now. But back then, there wasn't much in the way of illumination out there, but even I could see there was nothing there. I stood there, the pizza still clutched in my hand, as I waited for anything to happen. that nothing emerged from the woods. I was just about to turn back to Derek

when I heard get out from beside me in a hushed voice, clear as could be. I turned around immediately to look at Derek, and without saying a word, I knew he'd heard it too. But while it was creepy as could be, I didn't know for sure what it meant. It didn't come out as an ominous command. More like a warning. But I won't lie, standing there outside.

I'd never felt fear like that before. I'd been afraid before, and I'd been afraid after, but not like that. That fear was less like a feeling, and more like a part of your body. Like it's always there, and only rarely are you truly aware of it. Sitting there watching Harland, it was clear that although we were sitting there in the present, he had been immediately transported back to that cold November night. I couldn't have told you how much time passed, may have only been a minute or two.

But despite the dwindling light, I thought I could see shapes moving far out in the woods. Very far out. After a moment, you couldn't see anything at all. Then Harlan's voice became quieter. To this day, I have no idea why that sight filled me with so much fear. Just like I also have no idea how I knew it was people. But I did. And I knew it was people, as in more than one, much more than one.

But I had no idea exactly how many. Then, almost as if on cue, I heard the word now. And it was all the motivation I needed to tell Derek we had to go. He didn't need to be told twice, because we hopped in his car and got out of there as fast. as we could. Didn't stop for about 20 miles and we were far away from the Ranger Station. By that point the fear had slowly faded and I was starving, so we split the pizza while debating what to tell my superiors. I eventually decided to say that I was feeling really sick and went to see a doctor I knew. Harlan chuckled, but it didn't take long for me to realize my excuse for leaving

would be completely forgotten. Because after I left, the Ranger Station had been broken in two by a group of people. The security camera we had at the time saw all six of them, dressed from head to toe in black, break right through the front door, just crashed right through it. Then, minutes later, they came back out without taking anything and vanished into the trees. The cops thoroughly searched the area, but found nothing. I found out when I called my superiors to tell them I had to leave because I was feeling horrible. From the time on the camera, they appeared to arrive within mere minutes after I left with Derek. We all exchanged a look as the fact that he really was talking about this ranger station dawned on us. Sitting across from us, Harland didn't say anything, but I knew he could tell the

three of us were seeing the ranger station like never before. The conclusion the cops reached, Harland eventually said, is that it was a gang of professional criminals who saw the ranger station and decided to see what they could find. Since there was apparently nothing they could make use of, they split. And every year on that day since that happened, I've taken a single flower and left it by where Derek says he saw someone that night. I've never seen or heard that voice since that night, but on occasion I have felt the presence of something or someone watching me, and not in an unpleasant way. But that's the thing about the woods. There's no telling what you may find in them. And if you're really paying attention, it's amazing what you can learn. Like I learned

that November night, all those years ago, was a full moon. clouds just happen to obscure it out here. Own it all. Pay off your home, travel for life, drive a Ferrari. In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslot machine by Aristocrat Gaming, Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is giving one person a $1.6 million dream package.

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My then-boyfriend, Christopher, who I called Kit, was visiting me from Seattle to celebrate my mom's birthday in our hometown, a city called Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. I was living in Alberta, attending a university there when Kit arrived. We were planning on driving out to my mom's place together. I was very eager to introduce him to my family. They were eager to meet him. The two of us were excited and giggly while we were getting ready to leave. I was packing up the last of my schoolwork and clothes while rambling on about what snacks we should buy for the long drive.

Meanwhile Kit, who hadn't unpacked from the flight, already had his bags in the car. He was going to drive for the first half of the drive, and I drive for the second half. After only a couple hours of driving, we had switched and I was driving. The sun was setting by now. I remember Kit pointing out how pretty the pinkish orange sky was, and before we knew it, it was dark. It had still been an uneventful drive. We were listening to a podcast, pointing out owls or raccoons in trash bins when we passed truck stops. Nothing of note, until a deer appeared in the street out of nowhere.

I slammed on the brakes and we stopped maybe 20 feet from the deer, and it was just their standing, staring back at us. Not unusual for a deer, as I'm sure you all know, but it was staring, for an uncomfortable amount of time, even for a deer in headlights, like three to four minutes at least. I honked the car horn a couple of times, no response. After another couple minutes, a guy in a white Honda drove up behind us and stopped. He was honking too, and we both sat there honking at this deer, or maybe he was honking at me honking at the deer. Anyways, eventually the deer walked off into the woods, his nose pointed in the air, and we carried on. The Honda guy

was clearly in a rush because he passed us the second he got the chance, and then we were the ones following him. That's when something really weird happened. We heard aloud, deep-voiced, help. From a direction I couldn't quite pinpoint. It was loud enough to be heard over the podcast, yet quiet enough to seem far away. We slowed down a little bit and glanced at each other. I suppose just wondering if we actually heard that. The Honda slowed down too. We decided it was just a background noise in the podcast, which was a true crime podcast so it made sense and carried on driving. When again, we heard a help. Help me please. At this point the podcast had ended and we slowed down again, looking out the open window. The voice was the same as the one before and sounded

just as far as the one before, but we were going too fast for anyone to keep up with us. The guy driving the Honda stuck his hand out his window and gestured us to pull over. We stopped at touristy photo area beside a lake with some factory across from it. I think it's a cement plant or something. The Honda driver and his wife both got out. They were both in there, maybe late 50s, and asked us if we also heard the cry for help. We said yes, and the four of us chatted for a bit about it. And then, again, from an undetermined direction, help. Please help. The older man called out to the voice. Hello. Is someone there? Are you okay? The voice responded. help, please help, and he responded, where are you? Are you hurt? The voice sounded significantly

closer this time, and sounded almost contorted. Is someone there? The old man, after hearing the change in the voice, went pale white. He looked at his wife, then at us, then over at the forest, and said, yet much quieter, hello. And the voice, once again, though this time much deeper, and even less human sounding, replied, help, is someone there? We were all kind of freaked out, so the older couple called the police, as did we, and then we went back to driving. As we continued down the road, Kit and I didn't talk, we were both wildly uncomfortable. We just watched the tree line, counting the deer we saw, quite a few of them for so late at night. Although I'm not a deer expert, maybe they graze at night or something.

We eventually arrived at my mother's house, and I told her and my sisters about the event, and they all got really anxious listening to it. My older sister scolded us, saying someone could have been in serious danger, and I suppose she was right. But I'm not sure. The voice it made didn't sound natural. The more it called the less human it sounded. Every cry for help got more and more twisted. I'm not well educated on the matters of local folklore or mythology.

I don't know if there's some cryptozoological monster out there who could explain it. Or maybe all of us were just sleep deprived and sharing some sort of mass hysteria. I'm not sure. but it was still the creepiest event of my life. I was going camping in the forest, as I used to do every year. I have always enjoyed spending time in nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This time, I decided to explore a different area a little further from my usual campsite. That was when I saw that someone had made a trail as the vegetation was disturbed,

and this strange path extended all the way to the entrance of a cave. I can't explain what caught my attention, maybe it was the sense of the sense of the same. of mystery emanating from that place. The cave seemed dark and scary, but at the same time, it seemed to invite me to explore it. I found a notebook in an old and dusty backpack that was lying at the entrance. The backpack seemed to have been dragged and torn. There were bloodstains on the cover of the notebook and on some pages. As soon as I opened it, I noticed something strange. The handwriting started off normal, like someone who writes without hurry, sitting at a desk. It continued like that until the note, day two. From the note, day three onwards, the handwriting became a little shaky.

I thought it might be the cold, but the shaky handwriting was so intense that it seemed like the person who wrote it was trembling with fear, or in a hurry. The contents of the pages left me chilled and with an inexplicable fear. Day one, I arrived at the forest this morning. I set up my tent near a stream and made a fire to keep warm. At night, I heard some strange noises as if something was dragging on the ground. I thought it could be some animal, so I ignored it and tried to sleep. Day two, I woke up with the feeling that something was watching me. There was nothing nearby, but I still felt to chill down my spine. During the day, I walked through the forest and noticed that I was being followed. I couldn't see who or what it was, but I felt its

presence. At night, I heard those strange noises again and started to get worried. Day three, a dark and mysterious thing has been following me in the forest, and getting closer and closer. It's almost like I can feel its breath on my neck and hear its heavy footsteps. It seems to know every corner of the forest better than I do. This night, the creature approached even closer, and I could only see a dark shadow moving between the trees. Its glowing eyes were the only thing I could distinguish in the darkness. Day 4. I'm starting to feel like I won't be able to escape. It's getting closer and closer. I know it's taunting me and enjoying seeing me suffer. I couldn't sleep tonight because the creature was outside, howling and scratching at my tent. Day 5. I can't take this anymore. The creature

was talking to me, whispering things in my mind. It was telling me horrible things, things that I can't repeat here. I tried to run, but it always found me. Today, it revealed itself completely. When I looked at it, I couldn't believe what I saw. Its appearance was grotesque. and it seemed to have something sharp in its hands. It approached while insisting on whispering things in my mind. I felt a chill run through my entire body. Am I losing my sanity? I started running, but I knew it was following me.

I entered a cave and the journey through it seemed endless. I heard the creature getting closer and closer and started to panic. The cave has no way out, or maybe I got lost in its tunnels. I think this is the end. I'm surrounded and I can already see its glowing eyes coming in the distance. I'm leaving my notebook here in a hole I found in the cave wall, hoping that someone finds it and knows not to stay here. If anyone finds this notebook, please don't come after me.

I don't want anyone to suffer what I'm suffering. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. It was just a story, a work of fiction. There was nothing to be afraid of. The notebook ended there. The shaky and bloodstained handwriting left me with a feeling of fear and anguish. I knew I shouldn't investigate. but my curiosity got the best of me.

Slowly, I made my way towards the entrance of the cave. I looked around, but it was too dark to see anything. I took out my phone and turned on the flashlight. I took a few steps towards the darkness and tried to illuminate. Where the light could barely reach, I noticed that there was red liquid everywhere, and the walls were covered in scratches. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and quickly turned around.

It was just a bat, but it still scared me. I was about to leave when I heard a voice. I turned around, but there was no one there. The voice seemed to be coming from inside my head. I tried to run, but my legs wouldn't move. My body shuddered, and I felt that someone or something was watching me. Fear froze me, and I couldn't move. The forest was darker and colder.

I hadn't noticed that night had already arrived. I tried to move my eyes, and that's when I noticed. Two shining eyes in the darkness. The air was crisp as my partner, and I'd be able to be. began our hike through the National Park. We had been planning this trip for months and were excited to finally embark on our adventure. The trail was well marked and the scenery was breathtaking, but something fell off. As we walked deeper into the forest, we started to hear strange noises that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. At first, it was just a rustling in the bushes

or a twig snapping in the distance. But then the sounds grew more intense. We couldn't tell where the noises were coming from, and that only added to our unease. We quickened our pace, hoping to leave whatever was making those sounds behind. But as we turned a corner, we came face to face with something that stopped us dead in our tracks. Standing before us was a creature unlike anything we had ever seen before. It had long, spindly limbs, and its eyes glowed in the darkness. My heart raced as I realized that we were in serious danger. I grabbed my partner's hand and we started to run, but the creature was faster. We could hear its footsteps behind us as we scrambled up a steep incline,

hoping to escape its grasp. Just when we thought we were in the clear, the creature let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed through the forest. We knew we were still in danger, and that there was no way we could outrun it forever. As we pushed forward, we began to see other strange figures lurking in the shadows. Our heart sank as we realized that we were not alone in the woods. Whatever was out there with us was not of this world, and we were trapped in its domain.

We had to find a way out, or else we would be at the mercy of these creatures until the end of our days. But as we ran deeper into the forest, we couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Our hearts were pounding, and our lungs were burning as we ran as fast as we could. We didn't know where we were headed, but we knew we had to get away from those creatures. As we ran, the woods around us grew denser, and the path ahead became more treacherous. My partner stumbled over a route and fell to the ground, pulling me down with him. We scrambled to our feet, but it was too late.

The creatures had caught up to us. They were closing in on us from all sides, and we were trapped. Panic set in as we realized we had nowhere to go. We were surrounded by the creatures, and they were closing in on us. I could hear their breath on the back of my neck, and I could smell their foul. putrid scent. I was paralyzed with fear and I knew that our time was running out. Suddenly, we heard a voice in the distance. It was faint, but it gave us hope. We knew we had to make a run for it and hope that whoever it was could help us. We darted towards the sound, hoping it would lead us to safety. As we ran,

the creatures behind us hauled in fury. They were closing in on us, but we could see a light in the distance. It was the ranger station, and we knew that if we could just make it there, we would be safe. We sprinted towards the light, our hearts pounding in our chests. We burst through the door of the Ranger station, gasping for air. The Ranger looked at us with concern and asked what had happened. We tried to explain, but our words came out in a jumbled mess. The Ranger listened patiently, and when we had finished, he told us that we were lucky to be alive. He explained that the creatures we had encountered were an unknown rare species that lived deep in the woods. They were known to be aggressive and territorial, and they were not to be trifled with. We spent the rest of the night at the

ranger station, safe and sound. But even as we slept, we could hear the creatures howling in the distance. We knew that they were still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for their next victim. We had survived this time, but we knew that we could never let our guard down again. The woods were full of mysteries and dangers, and we had stumbled upon one of the darkest secrets they held. The next morning we woke up with a renewed sense of urgency. We knew we had to get out of the woods as quickly as possible. We packed our bags, thanked the ranger, and set out on the trail. We hiked for hours, our eyes darting around the woods,

searching for any signs of the creatures that had chased us the night before. The sounds of the forest were eerily silent, and we couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching us. As we walked, we noticed that the trail had started to twist and turn in strange ways. It was almost as if the path was leading us in circles. We tried to stay focused, but the woods around us seemed to be shifting and changing, making it impossible to keep our bearings. Just as we were starting to feel lost, we saw a figure in the distance.

It was a woman dressed in a ranger's uniform. She waved to us, and we ran towards her, relieved to have finally found some help. The ranger introduced herself as Emily, and offered to guide us out of the woods. We followed her, trusting that she knew the way. As we walked, she told us about the strange occurrences that had been happening in the woods lately. People had been disappearing without a trace, and there were reports of strange creatures roaming the woods at night.

Emily had been investigating these reports, and she had found evidence of something truly terrifying. As we walked, Emily suddenly stopped in her tracks. She looked at us, her face pale with fear. She pointed to a tree ahead of us, and we could see what had for us. frightened her. It was a symbol carved into the bark of the tree. It was a circle with three lines intersecting it. It looked like nothing we had ever seen before. Emily told us that

this symbol was a warning. It meant that we were in danger and that we should turn back. We tried to protest, but she was firm. She told us that we had to leave the woods immediately and never come back. We turned back following Emily's lead. As we walked, the woods seemed to close in around us and the sounds grew louder and more. more ominous. We heard footsteps behind us and we knew that the creatures were following us once again. We ran, our hearts pounding in our chests. We could see the edge of the woods ahead of us and we knew that we were almost there. Just as we were about to break free from the trees, we heard a deafening roar from behind us. We turned back to see the creatures closing in on us. They were bigger and more ferocious than before and we knew that we had no chance of outrunning them.

As the creatures closed in on us, we braced for the worst. But then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, they vanished into thin air. We looked around, confused, and frightened. It was as if they had never been there at all. We stumbled out of the woods, our bodies shaking with fear. We never spoke of our experience again, but the memory of those creatures stayed with us forever. We knew that we had come face to face with something truly otherworldly and that we had been lucky to escape with our lives.

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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. As I pulled up to the Ranger Station, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and nervousness. This was my first day on the job as a forest ranger in this new area, and I was eager to get started.

As I stepped out of my car and looked around, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the forest. Towering trees loomed overhead, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was thick with the scent of pine needles and damp earth. As I made my way inside the Ranger Station, I was greeted by a few of my own. my new colleagues. They were a friendly bunch, but I couldn't help but notice that they seemed a bit on edge. When I asked them about the local wildlife, they grew quiet and exchanged nervous glances. As the day wore on, I tried to gather more information about the area, but everywhere I went, people seemed hesitant to talk. It was as if there was some unspoken taboo about discussing the

forest and its inhabitants. That night, I settled into my new cabin, eager to get some rest before my first day on the job. But as I lay in bed, I heard a strange sound coming from outside. It was a low growling noise, like nothing I'd ever heard before. I got up and walked to the window, but I couldn't see anything in the darkness.

Suddenly, the growling turned into a blood-curdling howl. It was so loud that it made the walls of my cabin shake. I felt a sense of panic rising in my chest. What kind of creature could make such a terrifying noise? I tried to calm myself down, telling myself that it was probably just a wild animal. But as the night wore on, the sounds outside only grew more intense. I could hear scratching and clawing at the door and low growls that seemed to come from all around.

I realized then that something was terribly wrong in this forest, something that was far beyond my understanding. And as the night stretched on, I began to fear that I might never make it out alive. As the first light of dawn began to filter through the trees, I realized that I had survived the night. The sounds that had kept me awake for hours had all of a sudden stopped, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me.

However, as I stepped outside my cabin, I saw that the ground was covered in strange footprints. They were too large to belong to any animal I knew of, and they seemed to lead in every direction. The door of my cabin was covered in deep scratches, as if something had been trying to claw its way inside. I tried to radio my supervisor, but my radio seemed to be malfunctioning.

I decided that it was best to pack up my things and move to a nearby watchtower for a better view of the surrounding forest. Once I reached the watchtower, I spent the day scanning the area with my binoculars, trying to spot anything unusual. But for the most part, everything seemed normal. There were no signs of any dangerous creatures

and the forest appeared to be as peaceful as ever. As the sun began to set, I prepared myself for another long night. I barricaded the door of the watchtower and set up my sleeping bag near the window so that I could keep an eye on the surrounding forest. Around midnight I heard a piercing scream that seemed to echo through the forest. It was like nothing I had ever heard before and it made my blood run cold. I looked out of the window and my heart nearly stopped when I saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes staring back at me from behind a tree in the distance. I fumbled from my radio hoping to call for backup, but all I heard was static.

I knew then that I was completely alone with no one to help me if something went wrong. The night stretched on and the creature in the woods continued to scream and howl. I felt trapped and helpless, unsure of what to do. As the first light of dawn began to appear in the sky, the creature finally disappeared back into the forest. I knew then that I had to find a way to protect myself. I spent the rest of the day gathering supplies and fortifying the watchtower as best as I could. But as the sun set once again, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. I knew that the creature was out there and that it was only a matter of time before it came back for me.

The heavy rain poured down relentlessly, pounding on the roof of the watchtower like a thousand angry fists. I knew that I was stuck there for another night, with no escape from the creature that roamed the forest. As the night wore on, the screaming started again, but this time, it was different. it sounded like someone I knew, like one of my friends from back home. I couldn't believe it, was it possible that the creature was mimicking human voices? The screaming continued, growing louder and more insistent with each passing moment. I felt a creeping sense of unease settle over me as if something terrible was about to happen. Then, all of a sudden, the radio crackled to life.

It was my supervisor, urgently trying to reach me. Get out of there. He said, his voice trembling with fear. You're in grave danger. We've had reports of strange creatures in that area, and we don't know what they're capable of. You need to get out now, while you still can. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I realized the full extent of the danger I was in. The creature outside was not just some wild animal, but something much more sinister and malevolent.

I knew then that I had to get out of the forest as soon as possible, before it was too late. I quickly packed up my things, grabbed my flashlight, and prepared to leave the watchtower. But as I opened the door, I froze in terror. Standing right outside was the creature, its glowing yellow eyes fixed on me. For a moment, we stared at each other, locked in a deadly standoff. Then, with a guttural roar, the creature lunged at me, its massive claws flashing in the dim light. I stumbled backwards, fumbling from my flashlight as the creature closed in for the kill. But at the last moment, I managed to do it.

to shine the light directly in its eyes, causing it to recoil in pain and confusion. Taking advantage of the creature's momentary disorientation, I bolted out of the tower and ran as fast as I could through the rain-soaked forest. I could hear the creature howling and rage behind me, but I didn't dare look back. Finally, after what felt like ours, I stumbled out of the forest and onto the road, where my supervisor and a team of other rangers were waiting for me. They whisked me away to safety, and I never looked back. To this day, I still don't know exactly what kind of creature it was that stalked me through the forest that night, but I know that I never want to experience anything like it again.

Growing up where I did, there was always more to do in the woods than in town. We had one bowling alley and a few bars, but that was all. Most kids played in the forest. Climbing trees, playing tag, or even hide and seek, with the understanding of potential hunting, and wildlife dangers and the bridge. The bridge stretched over a riverbank, but halfway through was a small gate with a sign telling us to not trespass.

Me and the other kids always theorized about what might have been on the other side. One kid said they were doing construction, another said it goes down a big hillside kids have been known to fall down. One night I decided to take a new camera I got and told the gang I was going to sneak over the gate and see what was on the other side.

And if I come back with a picture, they owe me $10 each. They all agreed, and I took my small flashlight and camera and made out into the dark woods. The dark wasn't a problem, however, seeing as I knew the forest like the back of my hand. After about ten minutes of walking, I make my way to the bridge. It was amazing as I felt like an explorer about to chart the uncharted and explore a whole new world. By the time I had got my courage together, I jumped over the gate and made my way to the other side of the bridge. As soon as I got to the other side, it became darker.

It had gone from being pitch black to downright abyssal. My flashlight didn't light up much around me, and when I looked up, I saw the sky had gone from stars and mooned to dark amethyst purple with crimson clouds. I was beginning to panic. I pulled out my camera and took a shot of the sky, a clear photo surprisingly. I then ventured further down the path knowing that the picture wasn't enough evidence to get my friends to part way with their allowance. My flashlight stayed on the path which was becoming less of a dirt road, and more of an obscure pile of broken sticks and leaves.

I shine my flashlight around me and what I saw paralyzed me in fear. The trees had eyes. The base of the tree was as dark as the atmosphere, and seemed to devour the light I shined on it. The eyes were the same as the sky, some amethyst, some crimson. I took lots of pictures, forget the bet. I was going to sell this to scientist and explorers. At least that's what my dumb kid brain thought. When I got to a clearing in the woods, I ducked down into the thicket immediately.

I saw people, humanoid figures and long robes with deep hoods. I couldn't make out the color because depending how the torches around them reflected the light. It was some variant of black, crimson, or purple. That's when I noticed the torch lights were green like emeralds. I raised my camera and silently took some photos. The flash was eaten by the darkness and the pictures came out blurry. They gathered around a monolith and began chanting as some light was pulled from the sky and channeled into the rock. The monolith had patterns on it, but they were ineffable ruins and finally, above the rock formation, a terrible darkness began to stir.

The being of shadow bared an ethereal shape with wings and horns of a rim. The only color that could be distinguished were the eyes, one violet and one crimson. I went to lift my camera, but upon seeing the thing I dropped it and ran as fast as I could, I ran for what felt like a hour's before I saw the bridge, and with the last of my strength, I jumped it and then collapsed. I woke up in a hospital with my mother and father at my side. They told me, my friends found me passed out from dehydration at the bridge. I was asleep for two days after my friends found me.

I lost the camera, so my prize was forfeited. I honestly couldn't care less about the prize. I tried to tell them about what I saw over the gate, but they tell me it was just a bad dream. So what prompted me to tell this story now so many years after the ordeal? Because to this day it has affected me negatively. I have a phobia of the forest, mirrors, and the dark. I also do not look out my window at night because the last time I did I saw one of the hooded figures outside waiting for me. This episode is brought to you by State Farm.

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I was staying with my friend, Kate, at her family's cabin in the woods. It was a remote location surrounded by. tall trees and thick bushes. As we sat on the porch, sipping iced tea and chatting, I had no idea what horrors were about to unfold. We decided to take a walk through the woods, as we often did in the evenings. It was quiet, except for the sound of the leaves rustling beneath our feet. The sun had almost set, and the shadows were growing longer. We walked for what felt like hours until we stumbled upon an old abandoned house. It was hidden behind a thick patch of bushes and I could barely make out its silhouette through the leaves.

The house was old and it looked like it hadn't been lived in for years. Its roof was caved in and the windows were boarded up. Kate, being the adventurous type, was eager to explore it. I, on the other hand, was hesitant, but I followed her anyway. As we entered the house, we were met with a musty smell that made me cough. The walls were covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. It was dark except for the beams of sunlight that streamed in through the holes in the roof. We walked through the old living room and Kate noticed a staircase that led to the upper floor.

She insisted we go up there, but I didn't want to. Something felt off about the house, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Reluctantly, I followed her up the stairs. As we climbed the creaky old steps, the feeling of unease intensified. We finally reached the top floor, and I noticed that there was only one room. The door was partially open, and I could see a faint light coming from inside. Kate pushed the door open, and we stepped inside. It was then that I saw her, a woman sitting in a rocking chair by the window, looking out at the woods.

She didn't acknowledge us, and I couldn't see her face clearly, but I could tell she was old. Kate walked towards her, but I grabbed her arm, pulling her back. Something's not right here, I whispered, feeling my heart racing in my chest. Just then, the woman turned. around and I gasped. Her face was twisted in anger, her eyes cold and unfeeling. I could feel the fear rising in me as she stood up, staring directly at us. Kate didn't seem to notice anything was wrong, and she walked towards her, her hand outstretched. But as soon as she got close, the woman lunged at her, revealing a long sharp knife hidden behind her back. Kate screamed as the woman

threw the knife, and I was frozen in fear. I watched in terror as Kate fell to the ground, hurt. I tried to run, but the woman blocked the door, trapping me inside. She advanced towards me, the knife glinting in the dim light. I was sure I was going to die, but then I woke up. It was all just a nightmare, or so I thought. I looked around and I saw the same abandoned house outside my window, the same woman sitting in the rocking chair by the window, and Kate lying next to me, not alive.

I don't know what happened that night, whether it was real or just a dream, But one thing is for sure I'll never forget the terror that I felt that day, and I'll never forget the feeling of waking up to the same scene that had haunted me in my nightmares. It was like my mind had been projecting my fears into reality, or maybe I had stumbled upon something in those woods that I was not supposed to see. I quickly called for help, but it was too late for Kate. The authorities came and investigated the area, but they never found any evidence of the woman or the abandoned house.

It was as if they had vanished into the house. to thin air. The incident haunted me for a long time and I struggled to come to terms with what had happened. Years went by and I tried to forget about the incident, but it always lingered in the back of my mind. It wasn't until one day, when I was browsing through old photos that I found a picture of Kate and me in front of the abandoned house. I couldn't believe my eyes as I looked at the picture. The same woman was sitting in the rocking chair, looking out at the woods. It wasn't just a nightmare. It had really happened. That realization left me with a sense of unease that I couldn't shake off. How had we missed seeing her in the picture? Was it a coincidence or something more sinister? It was a

mystery that would never be solved. Since that day, I've never gone back to those woods, and I've warned anyone who would listen to stay away from that area. The incident changed me in ways I couldn't even explain. I don't know what the future holds, but I know one thing for sure. Some mysteries are better left unsolved and some places are better left unexplored.