Like clockwork, every year around October, my closest friends and I embark on a camping adventure to mark the end of the year. For three nights, we leave behind modern conveniences such as phones, electricity, housing, and running water. Our friendship has been strong since our days in grade school, and these camping trips serve as opportunities for us to reconnect and catch up with one another. We make it a point to explore new campgrounds each time, and this year, we settled on the breathtaking Linville Gorge located within North Carolina’s pristine Pisgah National Forest.
The night before our annual camping trip, Dell, James, and Jerome gathered at a local bar to celebrate our 30 years of friendship. While we were all in one place, I decided to introduce everyone to my fiancée, Jess. The guys hit it off with her, and we all had a great time catching up. Jess even expressed her desire to join us on the camping trip, and we all laughed at the notion.
The next morning, we woke up early to prepare for our camping trip, with each guy responsible for packing specific items. I was in charge of bringing food, Jerome packed survival gear, Dell had the sleeping gear covered, and James was responsible for entertainment. With everything packed and loaded into the van, our families came to say their goodbyes. Jessica was still upset that she couldn’t join us, but she surprised me by giving me her lucky rabbit’s foot.
As we arrived at the campsite, the stunning natural scenery took our breath away. The forest was alive with the sounds of animals and insects, and the sight of the sunset over the mountains was deeply calming. As night fell, we started a campfire and shared stories over a couple of beers, enjoying the peacefulness of nature. When it was time for bed, we settled into our sleeping bags, but our peaceful night was to be disrupted.
Suddenly, Jerome’s cries for help shattered the silence. We rushed to his sleeping bag and found a large hole filled with blood. Horrified, we tried to make sense of what had just happened. But before we knew it, Dell was pulled into the ground by an unseen force, leaving us in complete shock and terror.
James and I made a frantic dash for the van, with a loud thumping and grunting sound following close behind us. We dared not look back to see what it was. After what felt like an eternity, we finally made it to the van. But we couldn’t find the keys to unlock the doors. It was then that we remembered that Jerome had them.
Neither James nor I knew how to hotwire a car, so we made the difficult decision to split up in hopes that one of us would find help. With my lucky rabbit foot clutched tightly in my hand, I ran as fast as I could until I could no longer hear James’ cries or the sickening sound of his flesh being torn apart. Eventually, I arrived at an area with cell phone signal and was able to call for help.
After several harrowing moments, I was airlifted to a safe area. The following morning, park rangers and I went out to search for my friends, but all we could find were drops of blood and shreds of their clothing. The rangers believed that we were attacked by a bear who was protecting her cubs, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was something much more sinister than that. There was no mistaking the fact that something otherworldly had taken my friends in the darkness of the night.