Lighthouse Horror Podcast - This Small Town Cop found something TERRIFYING | Scary Stories

Episode Date: November 22, 2023

What is it?      Story from xXKikitoXx   Make sure to check out more of their work at u/xXKikitoXx                          Original Post: Why I will NEVER go swimming, or take a bath, again. : r/nosleep  Original YouTube link: This Small Town Cop found something TERRIFYING       For more stories like this one, check out my YouTube channel: Lighthouse Horror | YouTube  Patreon: Lighthouse Horror | Patreon Merch: lighthousehorror.com  Music: Lucas King - YouTube Myuu - YouTube  Incompetech Darren Curtis Music - YouTube  Thank you for listening to this scary story! If you enjoyed this new creepypasta story, please check out some of my other horror stories. We'll be uploading new episodes every week, featuring ghost stories, haunted encounters, mysteries, true stories, creepypasta, and anything supernatural and paranormal. Don't miss out on the thrill and suspense that await you in each episode!

It all started with a couple of teenagers and a body. I've been a deputy sheriff in this small town for a long time. Usually it's peaceful. But one night, something terrible happened. And I owe someone my life. It was a slow Tuesday night. Time dragged on slowly as I sat in the patrol car. I was parked off to the side and in plain sight,

about halfway along a straight stretch of dirt road, This area was prone to reckless teenagers racing each other. Really wasn't much else for me to do, but to hope one of them would try, just so that I would have something to do. Two sets of headlights traveling side by side approach from the left around 10 p.m. And I flashed my lights as a warning. Immediately, the car swerved back into a single lane, and I chuckled to myself as they crawled past at a dismal speed.

One of the cars was pink, the other was yellow, and both had racing stripes along the hood. As they passed, they rolled down the windows to yellow me. Something about how they were model citizens and wouldn't dream of racing down the road. Yeah, right, I thought sarcastically. I'd undoubtedly ruin their night. Admittedly, it wasn't all that long ago that I myself was one to race my friends along this road. You can't beat the feeling of the cool night air in your hair, the deafening roar of the wind past your ears as you try to outrace the dust. But ever since I got promoted to deputy sheriff,

you know, I can't be setting a bad example like that. Law enforcement, it was never something I wanted to get into, but I grew up local and there weren't a lot of other job opportunities in the area. So when the last guy retired, I applied for the position. Apparently I was the only one. Now I'm the youngest in our small country office. I get stuck with all the jobs no one else wants to do like night shift patrols. Still, it's a relatively peaceful, steady job. The station itself is located about an equal distance out from three even smaller nearby towns.

These towns are tourist destinations along the way to the National Park, which is located Which means, when something goes wrong, we are their first call. Now, that's not to say that the calls we get are anything exciting. Most often, it's to help some campers that missed check-in, or day hikers that sustained an injury on trail, and need an escort to get back to civilization, you know, stock standard stuff. However, my boss, Sheriff Johnson, did tell me about an interesting case a few years before I started working here.

Allegedly, there was a group of campers that just disappeared. They set off into the wilderness on a Friday afternoon, only to have vanished completely come Monday morning. The camp was found in a restricted area. That area is off limits, only because it was close to bordering private property. The owners, the Houghtfell family, were very particular about people crossing onto their land. but the campsite wasn't quite on their property and nothing was out of place.

There was no evidence of an animal attack or any foul play. The fire pit was cold and all their belongings were left behind. Rescue workers and volunteers searched for two weeks. They didn't find anything, not even so much as a shoe print in the dirt. It was as if the campers simply evaporated into thin air Do you think the hotfells had anything to do with them?

I asked, as Johnson explained the story. Yeah, don't talk about that family. It's not wise to mention their name. He responded tensely, ending the conversation. To be honest, I had known about the disappearances before the sheriff told me. It had made the local news at the time. It was rumored in town that the... The family had something to do with it.

And his reaction, it only made me more curious. The Hought Fell family have lived in this area for generations. Their property is this huge expanse of land and largely just forest. None of them attend any of our local schools, and it is rare to see any member of the family in town. Honestly, I'm not even sure how they live. As far as I'm aware, no one has ever seen the family. them as much as shopping for groceries. If it weren't for the fact that they are occasionally

seen walking down the streets at night, one might assume that they don't exist at all. They've become something of a superstition in the area. Eyewitnesses say that they walk like they're drunk, shambling along together. Their children crawl on all fours, they say. And if you use see them, you're supposed to pretend you didn't. Their property, it's surrounded by a tall, well-maintained fence, plastered with keep-out private property signs. If you're lucky, and the weather permits, you might see a glimpse of their house between the trees surrounding it. Rumors say, it's a massive 18th century mansion, but I've never seen it for myself. In fact, I'd only personally met one member of the Hotfell family, Adderon Hotfowl.

Right when I was still new to the job, my partner, David and I, had been making our way between the towns, nothing exciting, you know, just routine patrol. But then we spotted a person up ahead. He seemed to appear on the road out of nowhere. He hesitated when he saw the patrol car, taking a step back to the person up. to wait for us to pass before crossing. I can't say that he walked weirdly, as the rumor suggested. Instead, though, he stood straight up as a pole, and he looked very presentable. David stopped alongside him, and the man looked distinctly inconvenienced by our presence. Now Adarin was tall

and generally handsome. He had dark hair, amber eyes, and lightly tanned skin. He was about the same age as me, early twenties, and wearing a white business shirt. It was halfway unbuttoned, with neat pants that looked distinctly out of place. It was like he'd been changing clothes as he walked. And in his arms was a strange-looking coat that he kept a tight grip on. "'You are one of the hot fellows, then,' David commented. "'Out on one of your spooky night walks?' Personally, I never would have dared say that.

Yes, I'm Adarin Hotfel. He responded politely, regardless. Well, where are you headed to, Adderin Hotfell? David kept going. As you said, I'm just out for a walk. Adderin replied. Looks to me like you're loiteran. You wouldn't be loiteran now, would you?

Adarin didn't respond immediately to David's remark. Instead, he looked tense. His eyes flicked momentarily to the forest. It was only a brief glance as if he was checking for witnesses. And then his attention refocused on us, and his eyes glinted in the darkness. It must have been a reflection from the car's lights, but it was enough to unsettle me. Oh, forgive me. I'm not loitering. I'm only walking to get some fresh air. He stated calmly.

Good. You won't mind then if I check your ID. Adarin smiled sourly, and I noticed his teeth were sharper than expected. Regrettably, I don't often carry my ID on me when going for a walk. He said, That's so. We might have to take you in, then. Mightn't we, deputy cating? David dragged me into the conversation.

And I looked at him with wide eyes. I was very anxious. I did not want this man in the back seat of the patrol car with us. Yeah, uh, aren't we supposed to call it in then? I said nervously. David looked disappointed with my answer. While Adarin waited patiently for us to reach a decision. Eventually, David waved his hand dismissively.

Yeah, fine, too much work, he agreed. But you better watch yourself, Hotfell. If you're still here when we get back, you're spending the night in the slumber. Oh, of course. I'll do my best not to be here. Do drive safely now. I hear deer come from nowhere around these bends. Wouldn't want you having an accident on these roads, the man replied.

And get this, it wasn't two days later that David hit a deer. He was out of work for a week while he recovered in the hospital. And I try not to draw conclusions. But the coincidence still makes me shiver. The hotfells, as far as records go, they don't cause any trouble and have never had any run-ins with the law. But something about the idea of them, it sets my teeth on edge. My thoughts were interrupted as headlights approached at a high speed. I sighed to myself.

You know, it's probably the same cars from before, assuming I'd moved on. I flashed my lights again in warning. Now the cars didn't slow. I expected that they would fly past me at blinding speeds, so I reluctantly started my car. They were already doing well above the limit. I was going to have to really push it to catch up with them. That is, assuming they would even stop at all. Surprisingly, they came to a screeching halt beside my car.

The two teenage boys drive. driving the cars, scrambled out. From their expressions alone, I could tell they were terrified. Their eyes bulged out as they breathlessly glanced over their shoulders. What the? I started to get out as they reached me. What are you? Someone needs help. There's someone screaming in the woods. The boys spoke over each other in their panic. Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. I can't understand you when you talk at once. I said as calmly as I could. It's not every day something spooks teenage boys.

We heard screaming coming from the forest, the taller one said. Screaming? I asked. Yeah, it sounded really bad, man. I think somebody's being murdered. The terrified honesty in his voice had convinced me he was telling the truth. and the hair on my arm stood on end. All right, all right, calm down. It's okay. Maybe it's just a mountain lion. They sound crazy, you know? I said, trying to put them at ease.

No, no, I go hunting with my dad all the time. I know what they sound like. This was definitely a woman screaming. Please, you got to go help. The shorter boy exclaimed. I took in a deep breath. All right, yeah, yeah, I'll go take a look. How far is it?

I asked. It's all the way at the end of the road. By that creepy house on the hill. You know, that's where we heard it. A chill ran down my spine. And I shivered. Of course it was the heartfelt house. Right.

All right, don't worry. I'll take a look, all right? You two go home. and stick to the speed limit. I told them firmly as I ushered them back to their cars. Now, truthfully, I didn't want to go investigate at all. I mean, I know it's my job, but the training program hadn't been great. Not much happens aside from the standard search and rescue or highway patrols.

So anything past that or a lazy afternoon brawl at one of the two bars in town? It was not covered. It was lucky I could even remember the code to call it in. I arrived on scene within ten minutes. My headlights shone slowly across the woods, reflecting back against pale trees and twiggy bushes. As I pulled up, I rolled down the driver's side window, and I listened. The forest was eerily still and quiet. Only the sound of loose gravel being crushed under truck tires broke the silence. Two abandoned cans of paints lay at the base of a large road sign. Black streaks of burned rubber mark the gravel where the kids had taken off. Funny how they'd failed to mention they were tagging government property. Least it was easy to tell

where they'd been as the fresh paint glistened. Some ways off, the dark silhouette of the hot fell house, confirmed the location, and I hesitated. It wasn't all that late at night, but they had no lights on. And I couldn't imagine they were the kind of people to go to bed early, especially considering that a majority of the time, they were only seen at night. Shutting off the engine, I waited for any kind of noise. I listened intently for the screaming the boys had heard. But there was nothing. Instead, the silence was almost oppressive. It made the air thick, and I didn't want to get out of the car. Part of me wanted to call it a night and just head home, chalk it up to teenage imagination, and leave it at that. While another less assured part

reminded me that dead people don't scream if they'd heard a woman, and if she was being hurt, it was possible that I was too late. With a deeply regretful breath in, I made the decision to get out of the car and investigate. Backup would be arriving soon anyway. And I told myself, I'd just go a little ways into the forest, just far enough to look around. But not too far that I couldn't see the red and blue lights of my patrol car. I cautiously scanned the area as I walked, shining the flashlight from one side to the other, in a steady rhythm across the forest floor. Hello?

This is Deputy Kating from the sheriff's office. Anybody out here? I called loudly to receive no response. seconds drew out into minutes. A breath of air rustled the undergrowth, making thin branches dance and dragging dry leaves across one another. It was the kind of breeze at the beginning of a storm that would pull the clouds across. It brought with it a bad feeling. Instinct tells us we should seek shelter and companionship under these conditions.

In a sense of utter isolation hit me at once. I'd gone too far into the forest, and with mild panic, I realized I couldn't see my car anymore. Okay, crud, I muttered to myself. Now a search and rescue was going to be needed for me. I stumbled blindly through the forest for what seemed like ours. I pushed through the foliage like a clumsy bear. Branches grabbed at my clothes and hair. They cut my skin terribly as they snapped back into place.

Overall comfort rating, it was like a two out of ten, and I would not recommend any such night adventures. So as I kept pushing through the woods, I stumbled over a fallen log, and I was sent tumbling down a small embankment. I landed hard on something soft at the bottom of the gorge, and I froze in place immediately. The soft thing I landed on was wet, slippery in fact. I pushed away from it with reflex.

For a moment, I thought I'd crushed a small animal or a large mushroom. However, directing the flashlight downward revealed the truth. I'd landed on a corpse. I recoiled from the freshly decaying body, and I tried to hold in my dinner. It was a woman. Her hair was tangled with blood, and her skin was very pale. Cause of death was impossible to determine. Blood soaked the leaves beneath her, and her face was unrecognizable.

I'd never seen a dead body in person before, and I'd be lying. if I said I wasn't terrified. In those moments, I am embarrassed to say that all rational thought left my body, and I couldn't remember any of the training. On the ground beside the woman was a little white card propped neatly on the dirt,

as if left there on purpose. I had no doubt what it was, for written on it in red ink were two simple words No trespassing. Of course, my first thought went to the Hotfels. Only the front portion of their property was fenced. The rest backed into the park with no clear boundary.

Had they killed this woman for walking under their land? Was I on their land? The soft sound of something dripping drew my attention to the large tree just to the right of the body. A thick red liquid trickled down slowly, and as I followed it upward, my blood ran cold. Sitting high in the branches of the tree was what looked like an enormous bird. No, though, not a bird. Looking at it, it was clearly not a bird. It appeared to be a man, sitting perched with knees bent upward like a frog.

squatting, but it also wasn't human. He was holding under the branch to steady himself, but his arm seemed far too long. He was shirtless, wearing only black pants and no shoes. Covering the upper half of his face was a broad bird skull, and beneath its eyes were a reflective yellow. His hair was dark, and his skin was slightly tanned. His feet seemed more like bird talons, and blood dripped slowly from his fingertips as he tilted his head to the side to watch me.

Across his shoulders, he was wearing what I can only describe as a dried pelt of animal parts sewn together. It had bone barbs that hooked into his skin below the collar bones. more blood trickled from the wounds at each anchor point. The fur part around the base of his neck and throat it almost seemed to bristle like it was alive. A large set of feathered wings hung folded back behind him.

Knowing this was only a person, gave me some level of confidence as I shakily raised the gun in warning. Um, okay. Come down from there. You're under arrest for the murder of this woman. I felt stupid saying that. In response, he smiled slightly and made no move to do as instructed. Don't cross the boundary, depedicating.

It startled me when he spoke, more so when he used my name. name. Did I know this person? His voice was surprisingly soft, but the threat was unmistakable. Pardon? I mumbled. Completely taken aback. If you'd take one more step, you will cross the boundary, and we will kill you as well. Gradually, I drew my eyes away from him to inspect the ground with suspicious. There wasn't any kind of marker indicating a boundary line. Yet I still took an involuntary step back, just in case. Very good, he chuckled.

His canine teeth were unnaturally pointed, and the wings on his back opened slightly, as if he were about to take flight. There was something familiar about him. I just couldn't place. And as I tried to remember where I could possibly know this person from, a movement to the left caught my eye. A second person was crouched there among the brush. She was younger, perhaps only a teen. Her eyes glowed the same unnatural yellow from beneath the coyote skull she wore. Her clothes were very similar to the man's, only she didn't have wings as he did. Rather, a set of claws were worn over the top of her hands, and the bone hooked into her wrist. As I looked from him to her,

I came to understand they were not the only ones. Further back, more pairs of eyes glinted at varying heights. What were these people? Was people even the rest of the rest of the right way to describe them. I understood then that I was definitely going to die. However, no soon had the thought crossed my mind. Then a long scream came from deep within the forest. The sound was unnatural. It echoed through the night air and changed in pitch as it resonated. It melted from animalistic to unmistakably human as it drew out. It wasn't far away. All eyes turned toward the direction of the shriek in unison, waiting, it seemed,

before a second group of creatures came into view. Now these creatures, they were similar to deer, only they stood on two legs and rotted flesh, from their bones. Now I'm not a small man, but they towered over me. Their four limbs were elongated, and their long claws raked the earth. The creature closest to me gave another inhuman shriek. The girl at the base of the tree immediately responded with one of her own. The cry that left her throat was horrific, a deafening screech that answered the challenge. It was in no way anything a human could do. I covered my ears instinctively, hearing it made me want to vomit, and I stumbled around disoriented.

Blood rushed in my ears, and adrenaline went through me. I tried to figure out what was happening. I was caught in some kind of territorial dispute among monsters, and I am sorry to say, training most definitely did not cover the situation. In an instant, a sudden rush of motion erupted around me as creatures from both sides moved in to meet each other in combat. The sound was horrific. A cacophony of screams and shrieks filled the night air. They ranged in tone from human to unnatural as they collided. Flesh tore and bones broke. As I did my best to just stay out of the way, instinct took over then, and I tried to turn and run.

I wanted to put as much distance between myself and these things as possible. Unfortunately, I was followed. The thing that pursued me clambered with alarming determination, and I scrambled to get away. It was one of the taller deer-like creatures, and it had screamed as it gave chase. The noises sounded human. It alternated between psalms of agony and blood-chilling screams, as if echoing the voices of its victims. If that was somehow intended to lure me back to it, it was not working. Now the creature was faster than I was, and in moments it was on me.

So in a last ditch effort, I fired my gun, aiming it for its chest. The bullets hit, but the effort was wasted, and I knew I was going to die that much was certain. However, just as it was about to attack, a mass of the damage. dark feathers from the sky stood between it and me. Massive wings beat furiously, and low growls intermingled with vicious snarls. I recognized it as the man from the tree. He landed directly on top of the other creature, knocking it to the ground and tearing pieces from it. The deer thing fought back just as violently. It ripped one of the wings from the man's back. Fresh blood splattered the surrounding vegetation, but he didn't even look like he cared. Now, I probably should have used

that time to run. Instead, I stood frozen in place, just watching him fight. The damaged wing landed close to me. It was gigantic. The feathers were incredibly long. fluid leaked from the broken hollow of the bone, and I noticed with surprise that the entire thing was sewn. It was held together with leather and twine to bind the feathers, but it had moved so naturally earlier, I thought. Now, I'm not one to believe in witchcraft, but there was simply no other explanation. Gradually, the forest quieted as the fighting style. and directly in front of me. The winged man had won.

I knew it because he slammed the deer creature's skull into the ground, and it broke apart. Red liquid dripped from his hands, and he was covered in grime. The skull mask over his face was cracked, and he took it off slowly to cast it aside with a snort of disgust. Ah, useless. He muttered, and he turned back to me. I recognized him immediately. Adarin hot fell.

His unnatural yellow eyes came to rest on me. I couldn't read his face as the rest of the family emerged through the woods to stand beside him. Did you get him all? He asked casually. He wasn't speaking to me, but he didn't break eye contact. Yes, the coyote girl answered with a satisfied smile. Good. But what will you do about that?

She asked, looking in my direction. Adarin paused for a moment, considering. He moved closer. I took a step back and fell backward. And the man crouched beside me, grabbing my face. His skin was warm, and his claws broke the surface of my skin just slightly. Blood swelled, where his claws dug into my face as he examined me. He is uninjured, Adarin announced.

So? The coyote girl huffed. And he did as he was told. He did not cross the border. What's your point? She demanded. The rest of you may go home. I'll return shortly, he answered.

She hesitated, clearly not happy with his response. However, she didn't argue. And the hot fells melted back into the forest. Their eyes glinted as they disappeared one by one. Adarin waited, allowing his family to leave before returning his attention to me. Would you like to live? He asked, catching me by surprise. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to answer.

Do I get a choice? I replied. Well, that depends. on you. And me? Yes. I'm going to ask you some questions, and if you answer them correctly, you may go. If not, you'll become a permanent part of this forest.

Do you understand? I nodded. Good. Now what did you see here tonight? Adarin began, and I panicked, thinking, Nothing, I didn't see anything. Good. Now what is my name? Adderin hot? I started, but corrected myself quickly as he tensed.

I, I mean, I don't know. He smiled, bemused. Good choice. Now what will... you say when you get back to the station and to the sheriff? My heart pounded. I understood by now that the wrong answer would get me killed. I... I'll say who was a prank? Some kids were messing around in the forest. The call was for nothing. Huh. Smarter than you look, he said, standing and offering me a hand.

Can you stand? I didn't know if I was supposed to accept his help or not, but I did, and he hauled me off the ground effortlessly. Walk that way for 30 minutes, and you'll find the road. He pointed to the right of me, and I followed the direction with my eyes. Why? I mumbled. Why what? He returned. Why help me?

Help you. He chuckled. I'm not helping you. This isn't for nothing. You owe me a debt, and I intend to collect soon. Don't disappoint me now. You won't like the consequences if you do. I shuddered.

I'd made a deal with the devil, and I hadn't even known it. As he moved to go, he tilted my chin up briefly, like an adult giving a pep talk to a child. Now don't look so worried. I'm sure you won't be a waste, okay? We'll be watching, though. So be careful. Adarin assured me with an unsettling smile, and then he was gone, disappearing into the darkness, just as his family had. I didn't notice him collect his broken wing, but he was gone too, and I made the long walk back to my car in shell-shocked silence. Now, true to my word, I called in a non-event issue of teens tagging signs and departed early.

Almost no time had passed, and I couldn't rationalize anything that happened. More than that, I live in a constant dread, waiting for the day Adarin hot fell, asks for whatever favor I now owe him.