Just Creepy: Scary Stories - True Scary CAMPING Stories For A Rainy Night | Hunting, Cryptid, Deep Woods, Scary Forest Encounters

Episode Date: November 21, 2023

These are 3 True Scary CAMPING Stories For A Rainy Night | Hunting, Cryptid, Deep Woods, Scary Forest Encounters Linktree: https://linktr.ee/its_just_creepy Story Credits: ►D.D.Wikmanhttps://www.reddit.com/user/Saturdead/►https://www.reddit.com/user/Horror_writer_1717/ ►Brian L. Timestamps: 00:00 Into 00:00:18 Story 1 00:25:52 Story 2 00:59:42 Story 3 Business inquiries: ►[e-mail] #scarystories #horrorstories #camping #forest #hunting #deepwoods 💀As always, thanks for watching! 💀

How many discounts does USAA auto insurance offer? Too many to say here. Multi-vehicle discount. Safe driver discount? New vehicle discount. Storage discount. How many discounts will you stack up? Tap the banner or visit usa.com slash auto discounts. Restrictions apply. This autumn, a couple of work friends are going deer hunting.

It's been the talk of the office for two months straight. It became the conversational watering hole. And everyone who didn't take part are left to dry out in the sun. Hell, even Vicky the receptionist is coming along. I think she's going mostly for the smores, but I'm not going. I have a difficult history with hunting, and not a lot of people know about it. I don't like to talk openly about it, since it happened so long ago, and I hate being the guy who keeps talking about his past. Trauma or not, I've had it buried in the back of my mind for years.

But now that all this talk is circling around the office, it made me want to put to paper what actually happened. It was two months ahead of my 15th birthday. My dad was taking me hunting in a state park over in Logan County, West Virginia. I had little to no idea what was going on. I just knew I had to come along and try out new boots, a hat, a vest, the whole shebang. He took me to target practice for a couple of sessions, but we ended up spending most of our time discussing gun safety. I was very anti-gun back then, and I suppose I still am. But for different, different reasons. Still, I wanted to spend time with him. Dad had been sick on and off work for a long time following an accident, and he'd just started to properly recover. This would be our first

outing in almost two years, and the whole family was excited for it, again, for different reasons. It was an early September morning when we set out. Mom waved goodbye from the kitchen window. Dad had packed enough stuff to cover us for a whole week, but we were only going away. for the weekend. We pulled into a drive-thru, got some lunch, and met up with his hunting buddies. There was Cisco, a man in his late 50s, mostly worked in accounting and had no concept of how to speak at an appropriate volume. Then there was Abe. He was in his mid-40s, and he had some relation to Cisco, but I never really understood the nature of it. I think Cisco was married to his older sister. Finally there was Hugo. He was new at Dad's job and just kind of wanted to belong

somewhere. Guy was quiet as a mouse and had this intense raccoon-like face. It was a long trip. I was on copilot duty, meaning I was to respond to any texts and provide snacks to the driver. And of course, in charge of keeping the music going. It was exactly what I wanted out of that trip. The hunting itself wasn't that important. It was nice to just see him happy again. This was his element, something he'd done with his dad and that he was now doing with me. We were the last to a little. We were the last to a arrive. Cisco and Abe had packed enough for a small company of soldiers, while Hugo barely had anything at all. Dad parked, shut the music off, and from that point on it was all business. I wasn't that amped about it. We double-checked our equipment and set out due west.

Cisco and Abe took point with the rest of us following in a line. I zoned out for most of it, to be honest. I drowned myself in music and texting. Dad was busy talking to his hunting buddies, and Hugo wasn't much company anyway. We went deeper and deeper into the park. I didn't even realize until three hours in that I didn't have the slightest idea of where we were. We'd followed so many off paths that I could have ended up anywhere.

It was somewhere around lunch when we decided to make camp. My feet were already sore from the new boots. Cisco gathered rocks for the campfire, while Dad and Abe started to plot out where to go next. It was decided that we were splitting up into teams of two. I was going with my dad, Abe went with Hugo, and Cisco went on his own. He was by far the most experienced of us, and we all knew that there'd be nothing caught if he went with someone in a duo. The man just couldn't control his voice.

I jumped every time he laughed. While we didn't do any actual hunting that afternoon, we spent some time just getting to know the area. I had no idea what to look for, but Dad kept pointing at things and telling me how close we were, and how these were telltale signs. I couldn't really follow, but I tried to be supportive. I hadn't seen him enthused about something in a long time. We ended up looking across a clearing somewhere around dinner time. Dad had this can of Vienna sausages that we shared.

On the far side of the field was a thin stream running along the tall grass. That's where we'll spot him in the morning, he said. Guaranteed. We spent the rest of the day trekking along the edges of the field, trying to find a good spot. We ended up making a dig on the eastern side so we wouldn't get the morning sun in our eyes. We made a wind shelter from pine branches and moss, leaving space for both of us, shoulder to shoulder. Heading back to camp, we went through our checklist of gun safety protocols again, and again, and again. As we did, there was a loud bang, somewhere off in the distance.

We both stopped. We knew the others had brought their guns along, but had they already found something? Improbable. Dad put a hand on my chest, signaling me to stop. Could be others, he said. Gotta stay on your toes. We all met up at base camp. Dad went around asking the others which one was the mysterious shooter, but no one fessed up. It could have been anyone, really. Abe and Hugo had split up to check different areas, and Cisco was off on his own. I figured it was Hugo that fired a shot accidentally and didn't want to make a scene. He kind of had the look of it. At night they all shared some hunting stories, mostly Cisco. He went on and on about hunting alligators from a riverboat. How we wouldn't believe the size of those things, and how they were big enough to swallow a man's torso in a single bite. When that stopped impressing us,

he went on to talk about sport fishing Atlantic yellowfin tuna. Fourteen hundred pounds, he chuckled. Fourteen hundred damn pounds. You could feel the weight of the thing just standing next to it. I turned in early that night. Dad got me my own tent, so I spent most of my time watching stuff on my cell phone. We had chargers and stuff solar, but I hadn't bothered to unpack it. Once the batteries ran out, I just lay there on my back, waiting for sleep to come.

It was a crappy and surface-level sleep at best. I'd accidentally set the tent up on some kind of route, leaving me with a bruise on my right shoulder. There was also the constant buzzing of some kind of wasp right next to my head. The thing didn't get through the tent, but by God it really really was. tried. We got up just before sunrise. It felt like I'd just barely shut my eyes, but dad was at the top of his game. He was bouncing between the tents, humming, and double-checking not only his own equipment, but everyone else's. That whole morning was basically just my dad trying to get us excited. Hell, even Cisco was tired enough to shut up for a few minutes. We had breakfast,

went over our plans, and got into our gear. It was game time, and the sun wasn't even up yet. I was half asleep all the way out there. I almost tripped twice, but Dad pressed on. He ping ponged between us, hurrying up and staying quiet. It was weird seeing him doing all the talking. It was usually the other way around back home. We got to our makeshift shelter and made ourselves comfortable.

Dad kept talking about the direction of the wind and various techniques he swore he'd employed. I was trying to pay attention, but I kept nodding off. He didn't seem to mind. I think he was just happy to be there. I don't know how long we waited. After a while, as things turned quiet, I couldn't really tell the time anymore. It all sort of blended together. At some point, Dad elbowed me, and there they were, six of them in total, three doves, two yearlings, and a buck, all strolling into the middle

of the field without a care in the world. Dad nodded at me and eyed the rifle. You're up. It was a heavy lever-action brush gun. We had about 55, 60 yards distance, and an unobstructed view. I was nervous, though, nervous as all hell. We'd practice plenty, but this was different. I could imagine them scattering to the wind, and our one shot at this blowing up in our face. Dad didn't seem to care, though, but I wanted to make him proud.

I brought the gun out and rested my head, letting the whole iron sight fill my view. I felt the weight of the trigger as I tempted it. Inhale, exhale, you got this, he whispered. Then a gunshot, and it wasn't mine. The deer thundered off into the woods. Dad just lay there, slack-jawed. There was no way to tell where it had come from, but it was close.

Maybe someone had taken a shot at the same deer as us. We looked across the field for someone to stand up or show themselves, but there was nothing out there. Dad put a hand on my shoulder. That's not on you, he whispered. I don't know what the hell that was. We tried to reach the others through our walkie-talkies. Cisco reported in first.

Apparently he'd heard the same thing as us, but from a far different angle. Hugo reported in too, telling us the shot had been close by from his angle. Finally, we waited for Abe, but nothing came through. We waited, listening to the static. Cisco interjected with the occasional Abe check-in, but we got nothing in response. "'Hugo, where the hell are you?' growled Sisko. "'You were supposed to partner up. "'I'm a South.

"'We took the cliffside trail, the one with—' "'Then where the hell is he?' "'He went ahead. "'He thought he heard. "'Just answer the question. "'Dad shot me a concerned, almost apologetic look. "'Sisco was always loud, but this was another level. "'Hugo met up with us over at the Southern Trail.

"'We followed it for a good 45 minutes, "'calling out to Abe as we went. The quiet stutter of the walkie-talkie felt like getting poked by an icicle. It started to dawn on me that this might turn from a hunting trip to a rescue mission. We should, uh, get the Rangers, said Hugo. It's been a while. He could be. He probably ran out of batteries, said Dad. But yeah, let's keep that in mind.

Batteries last for days, scoffed Cisco. Ain't no way he'd forget that. He had a point. They'd been over their equipment two or three times. just that morning. Unlikely at best. We all moved up the trail, stepping over fallen trees and pressing trough dry undergrowth. As the forest breathed, we could see further and further up ahead. It was quiet, too quiet even, like something had scared off the birds. Where'd he go? Sisko whispered. What direction? He, uh, should have kept going south, I guess.

You guess, huh? sighed Cisco. Freaking useless. We spread out for an impromptu search. not a lot, but enough for us all to cover some ground. We still had eye contact with each other. Dad asked me to stay close, but I wanted to help, so I took the space in the middle. Everyone called out to Abe, not caring about the deer or other wildlife, we spooked along the way.

But apart from a few strange red birds perching on a nearby pine, there was nothing around to spook. And the birds didn't seem to care about either of us. After a while, it didn't even sound like a name anymore. It just became this call, this noise. Abe, Abe, Abe. Then I saw something. I thought it was a log at first, but it wasn't. As I got closer, I was met with Abe's eyes looking up at me. They didn't blink. It looked like he'd just tripped and was about to get up, but he wasn't moving. He had his neck at a weird angle, like he was trying to brush something off his ear with his shoulder. Then I noticed the bullet wound straight through the heart. I'd never seen one before, not on anything living. Not like this. To this day, I can't stop thinking about that first second when I realized what I was looking at. The absolute chilling panic running up through my lungs, causing my words to freeze in my throat.

I just stopped and stared at him, watching the unmoving eyes and how they seemed to find me at every angle. I didn't realize I'd stopped yelling his name. Now I was just screaming. The others rushed over. Dad put his hand over my eyes, turning me away. I could still see Abe's face behind my eyes. Hugo started making this wailing noise, and Cisco just turned deathly quiet. I couldn't make out their voices individually anymore. It was all deafened by those dead eyes looking back from the dark. Cisco immediately turned to Hugo, taking his rifle away.

Hugo let go of it like it was on fire. Cisco tore out the magazine only to find it unused. When it finally dawned on Hugo what he was doing, I could hear his voice sink into his belly. You think I... You got spare rounds? asked Cisco. I wouldn't. Show me! Hugo held out a small box of ammunition, dropping half of them in the moss. This just pissed Cisco off even more.

He was in no state of mind to do any counting. Dad tried to call 911 but couldn't get through. We were too remote, and his phone was about a decade old. He wanted to try mine, but I'd forgotten to charge it from the night before. Finally, Hugo gave up his phone and stepped back, holding up his hands like he was being arrested. Sisko was losing his mind, stomping back and forth, growing louder and louder and louder with every step.

Dad redialed 9-1-1 and got a signal through but could barely contain himself. As soon as that operator picked up, it was like all his words just dropped off the face of the earth. Then, another gunshot. Dad pulled me down into the grass. Hugo dove behind a tree, and Cisco went prone behind a stump. As the sound echoed through the trees, we all held our breath. Dad grabbed my face, and I kept reassuring him that I was okay. At the same time, I was reassuring myself.

Nothing came of it. We were all fine. Dad looked around for the phone, listening for the voice of the operator asking us to stay on the line. We scanned the tree line but saw no movement. Dad reached for the phone, another gunshot, closer this time. Dad pulled his hand back and held me tight. I could hear his heartbeat through his chest, pounding like a hammer. We spread out, called Cisco.

We spread out and call for help. What the hell are you talking about? yelled Hugo back. I'm not moving. Like hell you aren't. On my count. Dad propped himself up on one knee and urged me to do the same. He'd be facing the way the bullets came, shielding me, just in case.

There was no time for me to object. Cisco counted down from five. It was so hyper-focused that I forgot to breathe, making my heart race before we even started. As the countdown ended, we all spread to the wind. Dad and I burst into a sprint towards base camp, while Hugo went north. Cisco headed south, further up the hills. We kept our heads low, praying to God we wouldn't trip on anything. I have never, ever, ran that fast in my entire life.

Just thinking about it elevates my blood pressure. We just kept going and going and going, down a trail, past a landmark stone and beyond. I only had a vague idea of where we even were at that point, but I didn't stop to think. Somewhere in the distance, I kept hearing gunshots. Not a lot, but every so often. And with each one, my heart skipped a beat, making my body retract like a winding spring. As we stopped to catch our breaths, Dad got out the walkie-talkie. You see him? he weased.

Does anyone see him? No, cried Hugo back. I can't see anything. Sisko, you see him? silence. Sisko, dad repeated. Again, silence. Sisko, we made our way back to camp. We figured we could use my solar charger to get my phone up and running and try to call for help again. It was still early in the day, but it was ridiculously easy to get lost, even with clear weather. I had a general heading, but that was about it. We took it real slow, crouching between trees and between

outright sprints. We kept our heads low, listened, and watched for birds taking flight. All the while, couldn't help but to feel like something was up. If there was someone else moving out there, we would have heard them by then. Sound traveled far, especially in the open areas. When we finally made it back to base camp, I dove into my tent. I fumbled out the solar charger, plugged it in, and set it up outside. Dad moved it so it wouldn't be so easy to hit with a stray bullet. We hunkered down behind one of the tents. We didn't move a muscle. My body cramped from staying so still, but I didn't want to move despite the pain. My eyes watered from not blinking, and I could feel my tongue going dry with every ragged breath.

It's all about the waiting, Dad whispered, just like hunting. It must have been close to lunchtime when my phone lit up with a mild yellow light. It had about 30% battery charge, but it looked like the weather was about to change. There were a few clouds on the horizon, and Dad had warned us about rain. Hell, half our camp was made to be waterproof, just in case. A bad enough cloud cover would mean we'd be. be wasting time waiting for nothing. While dad phoned 911, I stuck to the walkie. I tried a few hellos, but I got nothing in response. The thought hit me that they might be in hiding. If so,

my voice might give them away. Abe's face flashed before my eyes as I put the walkie down, waiting for someone to reach back from the other side. Dad tried his best to explain our position. Yeah, we... We got an active shooter, he said. I don't know, I don't know, maybe... Maybe, maybe one, maybe two, just west of... Dad put the rifle down and held the phone to his ear, trying his best to work out on a map exactly where we'd been at. I couldn't help but to stare at the rifle. There might be one of those things hunting us right now,

and we'd have no idea of knowing, could have a clear shot, could be anywhere. He probably stayed on for ten, maybe twenty minutes before the battery ran dry. It was the first time I heard him swear uncontrollably. He was so frustrated that he could barely contain it, kicking a fold-up chair into the burned-out fire. They told us to get moving, meet them halfway, he spat. Don't bring anything. We'll get it back later. He grabbed the rifle and we promptly left. We got turned around a couple of times when the rain came. Things started to look

the same, and we had no proper source of light. We kept trying to head in a straight line, but it became painfully apparent that we'd messed up somewhere around the half-hour mark. We'd veered off track and might just be heading further into the park. We tried to backtrack but couldn't find any of the landmarks. There was supposed to be a tall rock along the path, but there wasn't. We must have taken a wrong branching path. I hadn't really paid attention when we first got there, so I had to rely entirely on dad to find his way forward. And dad was not doing okay. It was pouring down, far worse than anticipated. At one point it felt like it was raining sideways. I had to curl my hands up into my armpits to keep warm, and I kept getting slapped by branches as we pushed forward. Every now and then, we'd stop,

only to turn back and try again. We'd been out for nearly two hours when my head snapped back to attention. In the distance another gunshot. I could barely make it out in the rain, but there was a clang to it that just cut straight to my ear canal. There was something primal to it, like my hearing was tuned to catch it. Then another, closer. I dropped to the ground while Dad took cover behind a tree. Before he got a chance to ask, I yelled back that I was okay. I had to repeat myself three times before I saw him visibly relax, his shoulders slumping against the tree. Stay down, he yelled back.

I think I saw something. I tried to see what he was looking at, but he yelled at me to stay still the moment I moved. He refused to have any part of me exposed to gunfire no matter what, and yet I think I saw something. Movement, further down the tree line. He crouched down and rested the gun on a branch for support. I could hear him trying to control his breathing, taking longer and longer breaths.

He squinted through the iron sights, counting to himself as he did. I kept my head down waiting for the next shot to ring out. I don't know how long we stood there. Ten seconds, ten minutes. It could have been either. But all we heard was rain and crackling branches and all we saw was pine. I kept looking at my dad. He was the only thing I could see in that angle.

He kept staring straight ahead, waiting with bated breath. Then I saw something. Something fast. Duck! I shouted. Dad, there's... I haven't seen anything like it ever since. It was tall and had this strange green tint to it. Bipel, but not like a person. At least six foot seven. Wide set legs with long arms that scraped across the forest floor. A single finger on its right hand was longer than my entire forearm. Its head had a shape like a thorn bush, with little blinking appendages all along what should be the scalp. It twitched forward, and as it did, The long finger snapped straight through the tree where Dad was taking cover, causing another sound of gunfire to rattle through us. This one is right next to us, deafening me. I saw something explode out of the other side of the tree as the force burst straight through the trunk, blasting Dad's face with something akin to shrapnel. He threw himself backwards, covering his bleeding face and dropping the rifle.

It circled around him in a sort of crab walk, raising its long finger like a scorpion's tail. I grabbed the rifle, swung it around, and did as I'd been instructed, down the iron sight, exhale. This time I didn't hesitate, and as a real gunshot rang out, the creature reeled back. Every little white slit along its head opening and closing, blinking in unison. It was gone in an instant, scrambling on all fours to get away. I think I hit it in the shoulder, revealing something bright green, like a snapped twig. Dad propped himself up against the tree as I swung the rifle around, releasing the spent cartridge with two clicks. I was breathing steady, calm, but it felt like my entire body was sweating

all at once. I could feel this intense heat under my clothes, despite the cooling rain. Hold it steady, he said. Finger on the trigger. He'd gotten something in his eye. He couldn't see anything. It was up to me. Then, far off into the woods, another gunshot, then another, and another, and another. All around us, gunshots piercing the rain, but they weren't just gunshots. What should be these high-pitched explosions started to twist and ache, some turning long and low similar to a stalling engine, others reverbed like wail or a heartbreaking cry. One of them kept spitting out gunshots that sounded like small arms fire, a semi-automatic pistol, and far off in the distance was something with a high caliber. Something deafening. Look beyond the scope, down the line, watch between the trees.

And I did. Despite the rain, the ache, and the panic, I held that rifle like it was my goddamn life. For hours there was nothing but rain and gunfire. I'd catch glimpses of something moving in the distance. Sometimes straight ahead, sometimes from the flank. Sometimes I'd fire hitting a branch or the side of a tree. Sometimes I'd hit something, causing a loud, gun-like squeal to echo back at it. me. And one by one, our bullets started to run out as cartridge after cartridge started to pile up in the underbrush. Then, at some point, it stopped. I remember the rain clearing. The final cartridge lay hot in the grass. Dad put his hand on my arm. That's enough, he said. It's all right. As I put the rifle down, I felt a barrier collapsing. There was nothing between me and what was out

there anymore. We were sitting ducks, waiting for come what may. I burst into tears. I burst into tears, as this intense, vulnerable feeling washed over me like it was already over, like I was just waiting for that final gunshot. Just one. That'd be all. But it never came. Instead, we saw the forest rangers. Maybe they hadn't been that far away to begin with. In the aftermath, we found that both Cisco and Hugo had made it out.

Cisco had dropped his walkie as he ran, but had taken shelter in a fishing cabin. Hugo had kept moving in a wide half-circle, making his way back to his camouflage shelter. But Abe, yeah, he didn't make it. They called it a hunting accident, but could never pinpoint it on a single individual. Dad was beyond himself, questioning each and every decision down to the line. He questioned the fact that none of the Rangers had heard the gunfire to begin with. There was no way they hadn't. I've since heard all kinds of stories coming from the same area. Seemingly random gunfire scaring off the deer seems to be a common theme. A lot has happened since those days. I still keep a gun for protection, and my dad lost most of his vision on his one eye.

He's still around, but we don't really talk about it anymore. We've never gone back there. We've never heard of anyone else seeing them either. Honestly, I don't think I really want to know, and nowadays we stick to fishing. If only Jolene hadn't made that fateful choice to wear the ridiculous mask, perhaps the course of events could have been drastically different. In hindsight, I realize I might have reconsidered the entire camping trip, saving us all from what was about to unfold. The story began on an ordinary day, one where I stood impatiently by my mailbox like a child eagerly awaiting a toy from a cereal box. The mailman's punctuality was never in question. He always arrived at three o'clock, like clockwork. But on this particular day, as I stared at my watch reading

3.10, unease began to creep in. Why the delay? Had he encountered a flat tire, a terrorist attack, or perhaps a bear had intercepted him on his way to deliver my much-anticipated mail? Just as I contemplated returning to the house, my nerves were jolted by the sudden appearance of a little yellow light atop an approaching car. Relief washed over me as I realized my awaited delivery had arrived. This was it. If the package didn't reach me today, there was would be no chance to order a replacement before embarking on our camping trip. The car pulled up to the mailbox, and I greeted the mailman with a polite hello. Instead of placing the mail into the box, he handed me a small stack of letters and averted his gaze. My heart sank as he

turned toward the road. Is there anything else for me? I asked, trying to conceal my desperation. He hesitated for a moment, and then looked into the back seat. Oh, wait, it looks like there's something I forgot, he said, retrieving a brown envelope with the address I had been eagerly awaiting. With a smile and a wave, he drove away, leaving me clutching my precious parcel. With the booklight in my hands, my anticipation for the camping trip soared. I rushed back to the house, carelessly tossing the rest of the mail on the table before eagerly tearing open the package. There it was, my beautiful booklight. I was an ardent reader and a passionate camper, but the two pursuits rarely seemed to intersect harmoniously. Camping often

presented a challenge when it came to reading. I had experimented with various battery-powered lamps and flashlights, but none had truly met my needs. Reading comfortably amid the rustic outdoors had always been a struggle. The moment I had seen this booklight advertised on Instagram, I knew it was the solution I had been searching for. It was designed to wrap around your neck, with lights on each end that cast a gentle glow onto your book. I ordered it instantly, and now I could finally complete my packing for the upcoming camping trip. My friends and I shared a deep love for hiking and camping.

With a vast state park nearby, we made it a point to visit as often as possible. Our tradition was to rendezvous at the trailhead and embark on the hike together. However, this time was different. Scheduling conflicts had arisen, making it impossible for all of us to start the trip. simultaneously. Dawn and Rose, my closest companions, would only join us later for the weekend. Even Jolene, who had initially intended to join us, called to say she was running late. In hindsight, it should have been a red flag to choose a different date for our trip. But instead, I brushed it off as mere scheduling conflicts, shouldered my backpack, and embarked on the trail

alone. Being alone on this trail didn't usually bother me. I had hiked it countless times and had never encountered any issues. On this occasion, I had opted to start early to set up camp and maximize our time together. As the sun dipped below the horizon, I continued along the trail, knowing that darkness would soon envelop me. Hiking at night wasn't the wisest decision, even if I was familiar with the route, yet I couldn't resist the excitement of using my new booklight. The booklight proved to be a reliable companion, illuminating the trail, and making it easier to navigate through the forest. I took my time, savoring the scenery and the luxury of walking at my own pace. Normally, Dawn would lead the group, pushing us to reach our campsite swiftly.

Although I longed to read my book as I walked, I refrained from doing so, fearing I might stumble over a hidden tree root. Lost in thought, the forest abruptly fell silent. Birds ceased their melodies, squirrels stopped their chattering, and even crickets withheld their chirps. The silence was unnerving, my footsteps echoing through the eerie quiet. It felt as though I had entered an unnatural stillness. Stopping in my tracks, I turned slowly, using my booklight to scan the surroundings for any unusual signs. After a full circle revealed nothing out of the ordinary, I attempted to shake off the feeling and continued on my way. My steps quickened with every passing moment, each one more frantic than the last.

It was as if reaching my campsite would provide. refuge from whatever had cast a shadow over the forest, silencing its inhabitants. As I approached the campsite, the sounds of nature gradually returned, as if a switch had been flipped, or I had crossed some invisible threshold of danger. I paused and turned to see if there were any visible indications of what had transpired, perhaps some lurking creature or entity, but there was nothing, just an empty forest. The absence of any evidence only heightened the unease. It wasn't until much later, after the harrowing events of that night, that I realized the recklessness of my actions. Hiking alone on that trail in the dark was a reckless choice, but a combination of factors had led me down that path.

First, the disappointment of my friends nearly canceling the trip at the last moment. Second, the timely arrival of my package and the desire to utilize my intriguing new booklight. However, it was my stubborn determination to go camping. regardless of the circumstances that ultimately propelled me into that chilling adventure. Little did I know, October 30th, the day before Halloween, held its own foreboding significance. My tent was soon set up, and I opted against starting a fire, instead diving into the tent and hastily zipping it shut. Inexplicably, I believe that the thin layer of tent material would serve as an impenetrable barrier against the unknown threats lurking in the night. I lay on the tense bare floor, my breaths quick and shallow, trying to rationalize my fear.

There had been no tangible evidence of danger, no visible sign of a threat. Why was I so frightened? I repeated this question to myself, desperately attempting to quell my anxiety, as I unpacked my belongings to settle in for the night. Once I was snug in my sleeping bag, I retrieved the book I had brought along, a domestic thriller titled Secrets, featuring a woman whose life had been upended. I switched on the booklight and began to read. The gripping narrative quickly consumed me, and I lost myself in the pages. Little did I know that this moment of solace would soon be disrupted

by a surge of adrenaline, plunging me into a nightmare from which there was no escape. As I stirred from my slumber, I felt the uncomfortable dampness of drool on my face, seeping into the fabric of my sleeping bag. In the dim light of the wilderness, I sat up, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and stretching my tired limbs. To my astonishment, the small booklight I had left on was still intact, despite my night of shifting in my sleep. The inky darkness that had enveloped the world outside had begun to give way to a muted gray, signaling the approach of dawn. It was that chilly time of year, the early days of autumn, when the morning air in the forest possessed a biting coldness that cut through to the bone. As I reached for my jacket, an unsettling

realization gripped me. There was an eerie presence outside my tent, something or someone moving stealthily in the pre-dawn hours. With utmost care I zipped up my jacket, my heart pounding like a drum, and inched toward the tent's zippered window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intruder. My trembling hands grasped the tab, and I pulled it slowly, trying desperately to minimize any noise, eager to ascertain the nature of this mysterious visitor. My eyes peered through the narrow opening, revealing only indistinct tree outlines amid the growing light. I strained to see more when suddenly, a pair of luminous, malevolent eyes materialized in the window. My scream erupted involuntarily, and I recoiled, tumbling backward onto my sleeping bag with a resounding

thud that knocked the wind out of me. The shadowy figure outside shifted from the window to the main tent flap, and I lay there helpless, as the zipper began to unzip itself. The grotesque face of the creature poked its way inside, unleashing a thunderous roar that sent shockwaves through my body. Regret coursed through me like a tidal wave. Why had I not waited for my friends? But then, if they had arrived earlier, they too would face this abominable monstrosity. Perhaps it was better that they were delayed.

They would discover my horribly mangled and possibly devoured remains, but at least they might have a chance to escape. Amid these harrowing thoughts, something peculiar caught my eye. The creature was wearing a glistening bracelet, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to have meticulously manicured nails. In fact, it sported a casual t-shirt and sweatpants. Without thinking, I reached up and grabbed the creature's face, tearing it off with all the strength I could muster. To my astonishment, the beast let out a rather unexpected exclamation of pain.

ouch as the fur-covered visage came loose. In the blink of an eye I found myself holding the creature's face in my trembling hand, and there beside me stood Jolene, her ears still smarting from the ordeal. You think you could yank my ears off next time? She quipped, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Sure, after I'm done having a heart attack, you jerk, I retorted, my heart still pounding in my chest. She couldn't help but smile, her fingers tenderly massaging her ears,

as if to soothe the lingering discomfort. Happy Halloween, she cheerfully declared. Screw you, I exclaimed. Hurling the grotesque mask at her before storming out of the tent, my anger boiling over. Wait, you're not really mad, are you? I heard her voice trail behind me as I stomped down the dimly lit trail, my frustration guiding my steps.

I didn't bother to turn, to answer, or even to slow down. My mind was consumed by a whirlwind of emotions, leaving me in a state of blind determination. Where are you going? she called out, her voice filled with genuine concern. The question echoed in my mind, but I couldn't seem to find a clear answer. Where was I going? I had become an aimless wanderer, stomping down the trail with no destination in mind. The first rays of dawn began to pierce through the dense canopy of trees,

casting a gentle golden glow upon the world. Without conscious thought, I gradually slowed to a stop, standing there in awe of the simple elegant beauty of the sunrise. As I marveled at the horizon, a presence beside me stirred, both heard and felt. I turned my gaze to find Jolene standing there, sharing in the breathtaking sight of the rising sun. Beautiful, isn't it? she remarked softly. I turned to her the anger from before slowly dissipating, replaced by a genuine smile. I should throw you off this cliff, I jokingly threatened. She took a cautious step back, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

Sucks being afraid, doesn't it? I mused, attempting to bridge the gap between us. Yeah, she admitted, staying at a safe distance. I guess it does. You know what you should do with that mask? I suggested with a mischievous glint in my eyes. I'm sure you have a few creative suggestions, she replied cautiously.

I turned to her a wicked grin forming on my face. You should scare the hell out of Dawn and Rose. Her expression slowly transformed from fear to confusion, and then to a mischievous grin of her own. The darkness of the night began to fade, replaced by a newfound camaraderie forged in the crucible of fear and laughter on this haunting Halloween night. The sun had begun its descent, casting long shadows as the late afternoon unfolded on the campsite. The atmosphere was filled with a palpable tension, as dawn and rose finally made their way up the hill, panting and gasping for breath. I had taken the initiative to start a campfire and prepare some lunch, the aroma of which wafted through the air.

A pot of coffee bubbled away merrily on the flames. With a raised eyebrow, I greeted them. Well, you two sure took your time. I nonchalantly poked the campfire and added a fresh log. Dawn, her annoyance evident, retorted, You're lucky we came at all. I was going to call and cancel. Like Jolene did, I responded, doing my best to feign disappointment.

Are you kidding me? Rose exclaimed, dropping her backpack with a thud. After we busted our butts to get up here? Afraid so, I said, maintaining my facade. Dawn evidently outraged, swiftly retrieved her cell phone. You wait until I talk to her. My heart raced. Dawn's call could potentially derail the entire prank. My mind raced to come up with a solution.

Don't bother, I interjected. I already tried calling her this morning. It went straight to voicemail. Hmmph, Don muttered, putting her phone away. she's probably snuggled up in bed sleeping. Well, at least you two made it, I said, gesturing towards the logs arranged around the fire. Take a load off. They exchanged skeptical glances but eventually yielded, sitting down.

I guessed that exhaustion had temporarily lowered their standards for seating arrangements. We engaged in small talk for a while, primarily focusing on our mutual disappointment with Jolene's absence. Afterwards, I helped them set up their tents, and just as we finish, A distant roar and a piercing scream shattered the tranquil forest ambiance. What was that? Dawn questioned, her head darting around as she tried to pinpoint the source. I don't know, I said, putting on an Oscar-level performance of looking frightened while trying not to smile. Jolene had outdone herself.

She said she would look for roaring sounds on her phone, but that was so loud. I didn't know her phone could get that loud. Light was just beginning to fade, making it even harder to see if there was anything coming. out of the trees towards us. Rose was having a full panic attack. What do we do? What do we do? She said. Let's just go in our tents and hope whatever it is doesn't care about finding us, I said. We should leave, Rose said, her eyes darting all around, searching for danger. I think so too, Dawn said. If there's something out there, it could come after us. I tried to do a quick pivot to save the prank. Where would we go, I said. Our cars are miles away.

If that thing was after us, it would stalk us on the trail too, and we wouldn't have our tents made up to hide in. They looked at me with what looked like suspicion that turned into resignation. I guess you're right, Don said. We should just go in our tents and hope that thing goes away. Are you kidding me, Rose said. Why not just wrap ourselves in our sleeping bags and serve ourselves up as burritos for that thing? Don't you think you're overreacting? I said. We don't even know what that was.

Maybe it was some animal calling for a mate. And the scream. Could be someone saw it and was scared. Dawn watched our back and forth conversation. Let's just go to our tents, she said. No, Rose said. I want to leave right now. There's the trail, I said, pointing.

No one's stopping you. She looked from the trail to Dawn to me. I turned and went into my tent. A few minutes later I heard another tent flap, Russell, followed by a third. A smile crept across my face. This was going to be fun. I was so excited I barely read any of my book. Within an hour I heard something outside the tent,

rustling through the campsite and knocking things over. Here we go, I whispered. It was all I could do to stay in my tent when I heard Rose scream. There was no way I could watch Jolene chasing them around with that ridiculous mask on and not howl with laughter. I wanted to give the prank time for them to be scared before revealing our devious plan. Fits of laughter fought to escape me,

but I held them in as I heard Dawn's screams join the fray. From the sound they were all running around destroying the campsite, between the growls running, knocking into things and screams of terror. The whole cacophony of it was nearly impossible to sit through. Every inch of me was aching to jump out and say, Happy Halloween, we got you. After a few minutes, the noise died down. Everyone must have gotten tired.

I was still waiting for the aha moment when I heard Dawn or Rose curse at Jolene. The mask wasn't that convincing once you calmed down and got a close look at it any minute now. I leaned close to the wall of my tent, but all movement had stopped. It was like everyone had just laid down and took a nap. I couldn't take it any longer. I ripped open my tent and jumped out yelling, Surprise!

Happy hello! The rest of the word died on my tongue. The campsite wasn't in disarray. It was destroyed. Both Dawn and Rose's tents were flattened. As I stepped closer, I saw rips and gouges in their tents as well. As I looked around the campsite at the carnage, my first thought was, Wow, Jolene really overdid it.

But that thought didn't hold for long. The more I moved through the camp, the more I saw claw marks and huge footprints, something that Jolene couldn't do. All doubts ended when I came across dawn. She lay in a pool of blood, and at first I thought it was a trick, that they had turned Jolene back against me, and now I was being pranked. However, that thought died a quick death when I saw Don's severed arm lying a few feet from her. Her eyes were wide open in shock.

She looked at me with a blank stare of accusation and tried to whisper something, but I couldn't hear it. I leaned closer and she whispered again, her final words haunting me. This couldn't be Jolene. It wasn't a trick or a prank. Something real had just invaded our camp and destroyed my friend. Fear gripped me as I looked around to see if this creature was lying in wait to get me too. As I searched the rest of the camp, hoping moment by moment that this thing was gone, I also didn't find Rose.

Eventually, I found a large pool of Crimson not far from her tent, but nobody was around. The trail of Crimson led from the pool off toward the woods, and I had no desire to follow it. The next thought that came to my panicked mind was, if this wasn't Jolene, then where was she? She purposely didn't tell me where she was hiding, so I wouldn't unintentionally give away her position by glancing at a certain spot. It was a smart plan until she went missing, and I have no idea what's going on. My next thought was calling for help, but when I got out my phone, I found it was also dead. Even though I didn't want to, I went over to Dawn's now dead body and searched for her cell phone, but I found it in pieces. There would be no call for help.

Despondency smothered me and pulled me to the ground. I sat in the middle of the campsite beside a pool of crimson that used to be one of my friends, only a handful of feet away from the broken body that used to be another one of my friends, having no idea where my third friend was. I'd never been in such a desperate place in my life, not only physically, but mentally, and I hoped I would never be in such a place again. I had no idea what to do or where to go. The realization began to set in that I had lost three of my closest friends in the space of a day,

Tears flowed down my cheeks as I sat there in the growing darkness with only the embers of the dying fire to keep me company. Should I sit here and hope that help would stumble by in the form of another hiker, or even better, a park ranger? It was late October, and the trails weren't very well traveled once the weather turned cold. As I sat there, a gust of wind blew through, tearing at the few remaining leaves clinging to their branches. They began to fall as if the forest was crying with me, or fore. me. I wish I knew what the forest knew about this thing that had destroyed my friends in my life, about how I would get out of here alive and most of all, about what had happened to Jolene. As much as I wanted to just sit there and mourn forever, I knew I couldn't. I knew I had to get up and go figure

this out. How would I get out of here? How would I survive? Maybe my tent held the key. By some miracle my tent was undamaged. I started digging through my backpack. There are always things in everyone's backpack that they have for emergencies that never happen. Usually it's a snake bite kit, a length of rope, or band-aids that seldom, if ever, get used. But as I was digging, I came across some things that might be useful. There was a can of pepper spray and a small pocket knife. At this point, I was happy to have anything I could use as a weapon. They went in my pocket along with the rope. So now it was decision time. Do I pack up my stuff right now and leave, hiking down the trail in the dark, having no idea if this thing is still on the hunt? Or do I lay down and get some rest?

Wait for morning and hope it doesn't know I'm here. Neither one was a great option. There was no way I could even consider burying dawn. I didn't have a shovel, and I would need all my energy to hike back out of here if I hope to survive. Thankfully, the decision was made for me. As I lay there, mind whirling from everything that had happened, I fell asleep. I woke hours later to a bright morning sun, peeking through my open tent window. I yawned and stretched, thinking about what a beautiful morning it could be, when suddenly I remembered everything that had happened. That's when I heard the growling. It was just loud enough to get my attention. Fear gripped me as I tried to figure out what to do. My brain went into full, useless mode as, run out of the tent screaming, rose to the top of

possible options. The growling didn't seem to get any closer as I lay there awaiting my fate, encouraged by the fact that I hadn't become the monster's breakfast yet, I got up to my knees and quietly looked out the window. What I saw disgusted and enraged me. There were two mountain lions having their breakfast. Normally, I wouldn't care about such a thing more than staying as far away as possible. But today, their breakfast was my friend. I did exactly what was at the top of my brain's list. I ran out of the tent screaming. At first I ran straight at them, hoping it would scare them off. They both just stopped and stared at me as if I were some rude interloper interrupting them having morning tea. The next thing they did was turn and take a few steps toward me. As I stared at their

red-soaked faces, I realized I had done the worst thing possible. I lowered my hands and started backing away, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. This seemed to encourage them to increase their pursuit. I was almost back to my tent, but it didn't seem like diving inside. and hiding was an option now. They were aware of me and very interested in me, possibly as lunch. As my list of potential actions dwindled to wait for death, my hand brushed against my leg,

and I felt something in my pocket. It was the pepper spray. I pulled it out, having no idea if it even worked on cats and aimed it at them. They didn't slow in the slightest. It looked like a stream of water sprayed out of the can and landed on the first cat's face. its reaction was immediate. It led out a massive yowl and began clawing at its face. The second paused in

confusion, watching its companion devolve into convulsions of pain. When it looked back at me, I had already sprayed its face, causing the same reaction. For a long moment, I was treated to the insanely comical sight of these two predators twirling in circles, trying to claw their own faces off. And then the impossible happened. They both decided breakfast wasn't worth the cost. of admission and ran off. I looked down at this small, innocuous-looking spray can that had just saved my life. It was tempting to give it a kiss in celebration, but I didn't want to take any chance of getting any spray on me. Rithing in pain wasn't high on my list of things to do today. Having just escaped death, I decided on my plan of action. My backpack was packed in under a half

hour, and I was on the trail, having said my goodbyes to dawn and what was left of rose, a sharp pang of guilt stabbed me as I left the campsite. Dawn's last whispered words haunted me. Shouldn't have come. She was right, of course, if any of us had known what was about to happen. There was no way we should have been here. But that's the whole point of life, I guess. None of us know what's going to happen at any minute. As if I wasn't depressed enough as it was, that thought sent me into near panic as my eyes darted all around, searching for danger. Now it wasn't only the monster, but the mountain lions and any other creature whose home I had invaded. Right then, I knew I would never visit this place again.

Even the woodland creatures were quiet out of respect for my fallen friends. Wait, how would they know? As if in answer, the monster stepped out onto the trail and stared down at me. It was massive. I'd never seen anything that tall. Not only was it tall, but its shoulders were a good five feet wide. It was covered in dark fur that had splotches of wet, dark stains down the front of it. My mind told me that was all that was left of Rose. It unleashed a deafening roar that made a small river flow down my pant leg.

My mind was like a little dog chasing its tail trying to figure out what to do. As I stood there frozen to the spot, it took two steps and was right in front of me. When it reached for me, some basic survival mode kicked in, and I went back to the last thing that had saved my life. I whipped out the pepper spray and emptied the can in the monster's face. It reared back and screamed so loud I had to hold my ear. as I ran around it and sprinted down the trail. My heart was pumping adrenaline. My feet barely touched the ground. I had never run so fast in my entire life. The trees were a blur as I wound back and forth along the trail. All I could think was, just get away, just get away. As hope soared

that I might be able to do just that, I heard a noise coming from behind me. It was like a bulldozer with legs. I heard pounding and crashing as if something was destroying whatever got in its way. I glanced back, and the monster was gaining on me, but it was flailing its arms around in front of it as if to protect its eyes from whatever was there. That momentary distraction was just enough. My foot caught on a branch I wasn't looking for, and I went tumbling at full speed off the trail and into the brush. I hit a tree hard with my back. I was sure I heard a crack. It was all I could do just to stay conscious. I watched through bleary eyes as the monster ran past me on the trail.

There was no way I could celebrate or even move. Running so fast for so long had taken its toll. And now, having fallen and possibly injuring my back had just added to my immobility. It took me a few long moments to catch my breath. Once I did, I slowly move body parts to make sure they still worked. I saved the worst for last. Trying to sit up caused pain to shoot down my back. That wasn't a good sign.

It seemed like I would be here for a little bit. At least until I recovered enough to make another try for. for my car. I knew it was less than a mile away, but right now I couldn't even think about getting up to walk, let alone run. I painfully pulled my backpack off and sat it beside me. Next I tried to cover myself and my pack with the loose leaves that blanketed the ground. Within 10 minutes, I was satisfied that no one would be able to see me from the trail without looking very closely. There was a peephole I had left open to keep an eye on the trail. The monster would be back eventually. There was no doubt about that. Once it realized I wasn't on the trail anymore,

it would backtrack looking for me. Spraying it may have saved my life, but it also doomed me to be its enemy forever. It would search high and low to find me. I was as sure about that as anything. Even though it was mid-morning, the trees here were dense, and light had to filter through a lot of them to make it to the ground, reaching into my pack. I pulled out my reading light, which was surprisingly still in one piece. I used it to check my wounds and found they were mostly cuts and scrapes. As my adrenaline crashed, I could feel myself being once again dragged into unconsciousness. My eyes drooped, then suddenly shot open as I heard something. The part of the trail I could see through my peephole was quite small. I leaned to the left a little bit, trying not to make any sound.

That's when I heard the sniffing and saw the monster coming slowly back up the trail. It was on all fours, smelling the ground. One eye looked like it was swollen shut, and the other was bloodshot. It got to the point in the trail where I had fallen and stopped, then turned and looked right at me. My body turned to liquid nitrogen. The monster stalked straight towards me as if it could see me plain as day. I glanced down and realized to my horror that my reading light was still on. I panicked. If I turned it off, the monster would know I was there. If I left it on, it was a beacon leading it right to me. I gently pulled it from around my neck, trying to move it as little as possible. Once I had it off of me, I set it on top of my backpack, so it was at the same level as it had been

around my neck. As I slid away from the pack, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the knife, then opened it. The monster was so close I could smell the stench of death coming from its mouth. It got right up to the light and brushed the leaves away to see what this thing was. There was only one shot for me to survive. I swung the knife with all the strength I had left, getting it in the eye that wasn't swollen. It reared back and screamed in pain. I didn't wait around to see what was going to happen. Every ounce of energy I had went to running away from this monster.

My back screamed at me, but I ignored it. The creature screamed again, this time in rage rather than pain. It tore off after me but couldn't see, so it ended up slamming into a tree three feet behind me. My legs kept pumping, driven by sheer terror. As I glanced back, I saw the monster listening to me run away. It followed my sounds and ran after me again. I pivoted and ran up the side of the trail just in time for it to miss me and fall face first on the trail. It wasn't far to the trailhead now.

I knew it was getting close. There was a hard turn in the trail where I had to be careful of my footing. It was narrow, and there was a steep drop that ended in a river far below. I ran to where the turn was and suddenly stopped. The monster had gotten up and was listening for it. for me again. It was a gamble, but I stood at the turn and jogged in place as though I was still running away. It listened, then launched itself toward me. As soon as it began to run, I quietly stepped around the corner and softly walked down the trail a few feet. If my gamble paid off,

I would be home free. If it didn't, I'd be gone. Time slowed as the beast galloped towards the turn. I watched and waited until, finally, I saw the red fur of its face with the knife still sticking out. last moment it seemed to sense me around the corner and tried to turn, but momentum had already carried it past me, and it had no chance of staying on the trail. I leaned over and watched as it fell helplessly over the edge and tumbled down to the water below, hitting its head on several trees as it went. It had just come to rest at the bottom when I took off running. The trailhead loomed in front of me, and I didn't want to take any chances of that thing recovering and catching me before I got to my car. I'd never seen a more beautiful sight than my beat-up Toyota Corolla.

When I approached it, I paused yet again and looked around for who or what might be watching me. Hanging from my driver's side mirror was the mask Jolene had worn. I took it off the mirror and looked at it in shock and confusion. Inside was a note. There was a crash from the woods that told me the monster hadn't given up. I jumped in the car, threw the mask on the passenger's seat, and broke every speed log getting out of the park. Even once I was on the main road, I pushed the pedal down to make the cargo as fast as it could. My speedometer needle was vibrating when I hit 80.

It wasn't until I was close to home that I slowed down. I got out and went into my tiny house, bringing the mask. I collapsed on the couch as my back complained. I would have to schedule an appointment with my chiropractor. Once I was safely inside, I picked up the mask and pulled out the note. It read, I'm sorry to leave without telling you. The girls were coming up the trail, and I was about to jump out at them when I saw this monster following them through the woods. I couldn't warn them or you without

the monster seeing. When they set up their tents, it was watching from the edge of the woods. I panicked and quietly left while it was busy watching the camp. I hope you're alive to read this, and if so, you can someday forgive me. Jay, I lay the note beside me on the couch, and all I could think of as tears streamed down my cheeks was Dawn's final words to me. Shouldn't have come. Own it all. Pay off your home, travel for life, drive a Ferrari. In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslaught Machine by Aristocrat

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Run, ride, canoe. Whatever it takes, we'll be here. Bring your AT&T or T-Mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best network. A better deal. No surprises. That's Verizon. on route metrics best overall mobile network performance us second half 2025 all rights reserved it must provide a recent consumer mobile bill in the name of the person reading me the deal additional terms conditions and restrictions apply it was a chilly fall weekend when my friend first proposed the idea of camping initially i resisted the idea shivering at the thought of sleeping in a tent in the cold alongside someone else however as the five of us discussed it i began to warm up to the idea we decided to embark on this adventure the following weekend which had now arrived that morning we gathered all camping essentials, tents, snacks, a lighter, and various other supplies. We opted for a remote

location in the woods, a two-hour hike away from any road or houses. I couldn't shake my apprehensions about the risks involved, from the possibility of a random assailant to a lurking bear. However, the others assured me that our car, parked on the nearest road, would provide a quick escape if needed. I mentioned the two-hour walk to the car, but my concerns were brushed aside. drove as far as possible before embarking on the hike. Something immediately struck me, the utter absence of wildlife sounds. No crickets, no birds, nothing but silence. It felt eerie, as if something were subtly amiss. I attributed it to my jitters and pushed it out of my mind. Where should we set up the tents? Rob inquired. Over there looks good, Nate replied. Who's setting

them up? After a brief discussion, we assigned Dan and Murphy the task of setting up the tents, while the rest of us ventured out in search of squirrels to hunt. However, it quickly became evident that the woods were devoid of wildlife. Perhaps we should head back and start cooking the supplies we brought, I suggested. Rob and Nate halted, signifying their agreement. We turned and began the trek back to our camp. A few minutes into our walk, we heard a faint noise, but it was unmistakably there. We halted, scanning the surroundings, and spotted a deer behind us.

Yet, this was no ordinary deer. Its antlers protruded from its mouth, and it possessed five legs. It was a deformed creature, something I'd only heard of but never seen. We chose not to harm it, fearing potential diseases. I couldn't help but wonder how long that deformed deer had trailed us, stealthily enough to avoid detection. We finally reached the camp an hour later and decided to dine on the canned chili we had brought with us, cooked over the campfire.

The five of us squeezed into two tents. Nate and I in one and Rob, Murphy, and Dan in the other. We stayed up for a few more hours, singing songs and enjoying some drinks before retiring for the night. I fell asleep about an hour after lying down. I awoke to a strange clicking noise, initially dismissing it as one of the guys fiddling with something. However, I grabbed my gun just in case and unzipped the tent. I froze. The same deformed deer from earlier was standing right outside my tent, its mouth moving oddly, with its teeth clicking together intermittently. It followed us all the way back. How did we not notice? I thought, and then hastily zipped up the tent again, trying to ignore it. Needless to say,

I got no sleep that night. The next morning all six of us decided to discuss something before packing up to leave. Something felt off, as though my mind was playing tricks on me, but I couldn't pinpoint the source of my unease. Me, Dan, Nate, Robert Murphy, and someone else. else? I paused, trying to recall, but my thoughts felt muddled. There was only five, no six of us. My confusion was unsettling, but I dismissed it. That evening I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with my mind, and it seemed the others shared a similar unease. That night, all six of us retired to our tents, three in each. I shared mine with Nate and someone else. A sense of unease nagged at me, but I couldn't grasp its cause. In the middle of the night, I

jolted awake by the same clicking sound as before, only this time it was coming from inside the tent. Fear immobilized me. Had the deer somehow infiltrated the tent? I felt Nate shift beside me. What? He began to say, but abruptly fell silent. What the hell? He muttered louder this time. I sensed movement on my left side, even though Nate was on my right. Nate cried out before something, or someone, leaped over me and onto him. I awoke the next morning, gasping for breath. Had it all been a dream, I wondered. The five of us packed up to leave, but something still felt wrong. No, someone felt wrong. Nate seemed off. He spoke and acted the same, but there was something about his appearance. Have you ever heard of the uncanny valley? It was like that. Something was

definitely off, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I chose to ignore it. And with that, the five of us walked back to the car, got in, and drove away. Yet, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that I had made a terrible mistake that something unholy might have been unleashed upon our town.