I have always been cautious of the forest, knowing my limits and never going too far when I don’t know the area. When I was younger, I lived in a place where my backyard was the woods. I have always loved them and cherished the memories I have had in the embrace of the trees, but recently something happened. I am figuring out where to begin since I haven’t told anyone this. If I go to the police, they’ll wave me off and ignore me, so I am at a loss for the right words. Even though this is a story platform, I would love recommendations and ideas of people I can go to if anyone can help. But anyway.
I love autumn and everything that comes with it: the temperature change, the leaves, and the brisk air that goes into your lungs and fills you with a warmer feeling. I love it enough to take time off work on an annual hiking trip. I live in Alberta only to take a trip back to Saskatchewan in September, going north and walking through the bush. I am gone for a few days before returning home, but whatever. I usually tent it and go for about fifty Kilometers. I have been doing this for the past six years and do not regret it.
I just got back from my hiking trip and strongly need to write this. I drove down a week ago and parked alongside the highway, getting up and venturing in with a GPS, my phone, a book, and any food I needed. It is always peaceful, with the initial few steps feeling great as I walk in, starting my trip.
I walked for the better part of the day, stopping a few times to eat and drink water as I walked nearly twenty kilometres on the first day. I pitched the tent and headed in for the night, only to hear rustling and moving about fifty meters away.
I got up, looking out at the woods and couldn’t see anything at first. The fire I had set up hadn’t gone out yet, so I watched for a few minutes when I finally saw what looked like a humanoid figure stepping back into the shadows. I screamed out to them and got no reply. So I figured I was tired and just needed sleep, so I slept.
The following day, I got up and kept walking, having everything packed up as I continued on. It was a typical day as I had only seen a deer and a bear from a distance. I thought nothing of the previous night as I took another twenty-kilometre hike, stopping for the night again.
The second night was hell. Every few hours, I started hearing whispers. I initially thought it was a bunch of stupid teens pranking me, but now that I am forty Kilometres in the bush, I have no idea what the noises were. They spoke in a low mutter, waking me up a few times as I kept getting a chill down my spine.
The first time I woke up to it, I opened the tent and saw absolutely nothing. The fire had gone out, and the trees were dark. I kept watching the trees, expecting to see someone hiding… But I saw nothing, so I went back to bed.
I woke up a few hours later and, swear on my life, heard someone muttering a few meters away from my tent. The mumble was low and grizzly, but it was human. I ripped open the door and stared, seeing nothing for a moment before catching a humanoid creature running away on all fours in my sight. Now, believe me when I say I thought I was going crazy. I felt tired, so I chalked it up to a nightmare mixed with reality, falling back asleep.
The next day I packed my stuff and started heading back to the truck. It was going to be a forty-kilometre hike, so I walked quicker than usual. I passed many landmarks in only a few hours before noticing something was off.
One of my landmarks was a clearing. It felt artificial, but I didn’t think anything of it as I passed through the first time. Now on my way back, I stopped before the clearing, freezing almost at sight before me. There were bodies and limbs askew to branches on trees and blood in every direction around the clearing. I know this was not here before; I know I would be able to see this, and this was done professionally. It felt like a ritual or shrine as I walked through it. Maybe even a battlefield where the bodies were just left to rot. I made my way through this, taking a picture to show authorities once I got out.
Maybe five kilometres after that sight, I saw one of the most terrifying displays I hope to ever witness. When I was walking, suddenly ahead of me, maybe fifty meters or so, a man wearing a black suit stood still, staring straight at me with his arms resting in front of him, almost standing at attention. It felt unnatural and bizarre. I slowly walked closer and shouted out to him.
“Hello?”
No response.
I chuckled nervously to myself and spoke, getting closer. “Ummm, what are you doing?”
No response.
Now, I felt something was severely off. I changed my trajectory and was planning on walking past him. He was creepy as fuck and kept staring at me. I had a horrible feeling in my gut as I started picking up the pace.
Suddenly, the guy dropped to his hands and feet, staring and contorting his body before letting out a weird crackly breath. I also heard the rustling of leaves surrounding me as I looked around and realized he was not the only one. There was someone behind me and to my left and right. Everyone is wearing suits and getting on all fours, breathing harshly.
Suddenly, there was silence. All of them stopped breathing and simply stared at me. Looking back, I realize that every one of their eyes turned white in the few seconds of silence. I looked around, now jogging to get out of this fucked up diamond. Then, with minimal sound, all of them started sprinting at me on all fours, making no breathing noises or huffs as they silently ran through the crackling leaves.
When they started sprinting, I ran as fast as possible, kicking the one ahead of me in the arm and making them stagger. I ran as I heard the leaves behind me break and crackle under the creature’s limbs. After an eternity of running, I listened to a ghastly howl, and a fucked up cry as the leaves stopped cracking. And then I only heard myself running.
I kept jogging for another kilometre before slowing down and turning around, seeing absolutely nothing behind me. It was terrifying and eerie as I walked to my truck, got in and drove home.
I cannot begin to describe this fucked encounter to the degree it deserves. I can only express the fear and uncertainty I have now. Everything I have seen is improbable, and I am at a loss for what I should do. I do not know what to do; I do not know who to tell. What the hell do I do?