Outdoor activities had always been one of my favorite activities to do with friends and family. Whether it was going out for a weekend at the family ranch, hunting on friend’s properties or camping in national parks. The outdoors always seemed like a home away from home to me. This however changed after recent events I cannot fully explain, I came to learn strange things happen in wilderness when no one is watching you.
It started off as a seemingly normal weekend adventure, my friend Derek asked me if I would be interested in a hog hunt at his ranch because they were really doing a number on the land. Of course I obliged and was actually looking forward to using my new rifle. After wrangling up the others we started the long drive to the property. On this drive Derek told us the usual run down of the property, land markers and property lines since his two work friends had never been to the ranch. When we arrived he pulled me aside and told me to not wonder off and to always use the buddy system so I don’t get lost. His voice was almost shaky and his facial expression seemed very serious. He handed me a reflective wristband saying to wear it at all times on the property. This was very unusual to me as him and I have known each other most of our lives and had spent weeks at a time on the ranch before, never got lost or wore wristbands. I brushed it off and decided to get some sleep before we started the night hunt.
This was supposed to be the fun part, however I awoke with an uneasy feeling that lingered as I began to ready my equipment. I checked my thermal scope to make sure it was fully charged as well as changed out my flashlights old batteries. I drank some coffee and talked a bit with Derek. As we talked I began to feel more at ease and was ready to head out.
On the ride to the hog spot, Derek told his work friends how it was going to be an easy hunt as the hogs would be like sitting ducks eating the feed left out to bait them to an open field. We arrived and began to set up, cut off all lights and approached the far side of the field where we would be shooting the hogs from.
The hunt was a success, we each got several hogs and were ready to wrangle them up. The coffee was starting to hit me so I told the guys I’d be right back as I stepped away to pee. Derek told me not to wander to far and jokingly asked if he wanted to come hold it for me. We all laughed as a walked toward the tree line eager to do my business.
When I reached the tree line I put my flashlight under my armpit and finally relieved myself, however when I pointed my flash light back up it was off. I then realized it was completely dead. “Guess I shouldn’t have bought the batteries at a dollar store.” I thought to myself as I reached for my phone. It was dead too. I didn’t get any time to react to this as I began to hear footsteps behind me. “I’m right here man sorry my flashlight and phone died!” I yelled expecting to hear a pissed off Derek yell back. But nothing no response. I started walking back towards the hog spot in the direction of the foot steps when I began to realize I was much farther in the woods than I originally thought. Theres no way I got turned around, I walked a straight path to the tree line and a straight path back but now there were nothing but trees in my way. I continued walking and began to feel weak like I hadn’t eaten, maybe I hadn’t? I couldn’t remember. I stopped by a tree and leaned by it when I heard the foot steps again. They picked up pace but I couldn’t tell where they were coming from. I felt weaker and weaker and the last thing I remember before passing out was being pushed.
I woke up in the dark again, and while I couldn’t see where I was I knew it wasn’t where I passed out. I smelled mildew and felt concrete under my hands as I lied on my back. Maybe I was in an old ranch house? I began walking until I felt a wall and ran my hands along the wall and found a light switch. “What are the odds this even works?” I said to myself as I flipped it.
It did work.
The lights came on and revealed my surroundings. It was vast but ordinary open area. With patches of old carpet on the ground and cold concrete walls. I ran to a hallway on the far left side expecting to see an exit but no it was more open space but this space looked like an office area. I turned back around towards the light switch and I saw a dead end, there was now a beige wall in front of me. Was someone playing tricks on me? I just came from there. How is this even possible? In my confusion and frustration I walked towards the wall and punched a hole straight through. I looked through the hole and to my horror I saw eyes staring back.
I couldn’t tell what was in the walls but it wasn’t human. I ran away as fast as I could and heard it tear through the wall. As I ran O periodically looked back but each time I looked at what was chasing me my vision distorted making me unable to make out what it was. It was gaining ground on me and fast. It caught me and pinned me down pressing its sharp nails into my chest. My vision was fully black, I began to lose consciousness and the last thing I heard was this:
Voice 1: “Catch and release?”
Voice 2: “Yeah, this ones got a free pass.”
I woke up in a hospital bed. The doctor said they found me in the morning dehydrated and unconscious but I should make a full recovery aside from some scars from the cuts on my chest. Derek visited me and explained that weird stuff has been happening around his property. He didn’t get specific, but left me with a warning to not venture off alone in the wild away from human sight, my vision became momentarily distorted as I heard him say:
“Just know you only get one get out of jail free card, next time you’ll have to escape on your own.”