I have updated the story with more details as people have requested it in DM I added even more details after reflecting and talking with Emily again. Also added feelings to make the story more interesting and scary
This happened 5 years ago in northern California, but I won’t provide more details. Feel free to ask questions.
My name is Sarah, and the night my friend Emily and I stumbled upon a terrifying cult in the woods was supposed to be a fun adventure.
Emily’s then-boyfriend had recommended the forest to us, having hiked there before. I had just moved from my home country in Europe to the US one year earlier because I met an American guy who had been studying in my country. Despite being an avid hiker and having explored trails in various parts of Europe and Asia, I never expected that this hike would turn into a nightmare. As a blonde girl with blue eyes, I’ve had my fair share of experiencing weird things and dangerous situations while hiking. But what we encountered that night was like something out of a Hollywood movie. None of us had ever been there before, but we had heard that it was beautiful and peaceful.
As we hiked deeper into the woods, we began to notice strange symbols etched into the trees and rocks. The symbols appeared to be a mix of geometric shapes and abstract patterns. Some were simple lines and circles, while others were more complex and seemed to be intertwined with one another. Some of the symbols appeared to be repeating, while others were unique.
As we hiked deeper into the woods, we saw more and more of these symbols etched into the landscape. They seemed to be guiding us towards the ritual site, as if they were marking the path to something important. It was an eerie feeling, as if we were trespassing in a sacred place that we didn’t belong.
I researched the meaning of the symbols later on, but it was difficult to say. They didn’t seem to be connected to any specific religion or cult, but rather a product of some mystic or spiritual belief. It was as if they had been created by someone with a deep understanding of both geometry and mysticism.
Looking back on it now, it’s hard not to think about how strange those symbols were, and what kind of belief system they might have represented. It was clear that the people performing the ritual took them very seriously, and that they were an integral part of their practice, but for us, they were nothing more than mysterious etchings on the trees and rocks, At the time, we certainly noticed them and thought they were odd, but we didn’t pay them much attention.
We were too busy enjoying the beauty of nature around us, and the symbols seemed like just another part of the scenery. It wasn’t until we heard the chanting that we realized something was wrong. Intrigued and curious, we followed the sound, hoping to see what was going on. But we certainly didn’t expect to find a group of people dressed in black robes, performing a ritual around a large fire. It was like something straight out of a movie. The chanting grew louder and more intense but we couldn’t make out the words
The cultists, around twenty in number, were all clad in black robes, some with peculiar symbols painted on their faces and others donning eerie masks. They encircled a towering bonfire, the flames leaping high into the night sky, casting a flickering orange glow across their sinister faces. In front of the fire stood an altar, adorned with flickering candles and other peculiar objects. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I watched in disbelief as one of the cultists produced a white rabbit and proceeded to sacrifice it on the altar.
The chanting reached a fever pitch, and one of the cultists approached the fire with a small wooden box from within his robes. He opened it, revealing a vial containing an unknown substance, which he carefully dripped onto the flames. Suddenly, my eyes were drawn to a figure on a table near the altar. A woman, her body painted with intricate designs, lay still with her eyes closed, breathing gently as if in a deep slumber.
The cultists around the fire were swaying in unison, holding candles aloft as if entranced by some dark magic. As the chanting grew louder still, the woman on the table began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up, looking around with a vacant expression. The cultists began to approach her, their faces twisted in ecstasy, as if they were under some kind of spell.
All of a sudden, the woman let out a piercing scream and fell back onto the table, her body writhing in agony. The cultists dispersed, their faces now twisted in frustration and disappointment, as if the ritual had somehow failed. As they wandered around in confusion, one of them spotted us and the rest of the cultists turned their attention towards us. They looked angry, as if they blamed us for interrupting their ceremony. I could feel their menacing stares as they began to approach us, their black robes billowing in the wind.
We ran as fast as we could, but they were always right behind us. “I don’t think we can outrun them!” Emily gasped. “We need to find somewhere to hide!”
I nodded in agreement and scanned our surroundings frantically. That’s when we spotted an old cabin up ahead. We ran inside and slammed the door shut, hoping it would hold. We could hear the cultists pounding on the door, and we knew it was only a matter of time before they broke through. We searched the cabin for any weapons we could find, and that’s when we found an old axe. We knew it wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. We huddled together, ready to defend ourselves, when suddenly we heard yelling outside followed by the sound of wolves howling close by. It was an eerie sound that sent chills down our spines. We didn’t know if it was a good or bad sign, but at least the cultists had stopped pounding on the door.
We were terrified, but we finally mustered the courage to peek outside. To our shock, the cultists were gone and there was no sign of them. It was like they had vanished into thin air. We stayed in the cabin a few hours until we decided to make a run for it back to our car.
We knew it was a risk, but we couldn’t stay in the cabin forever. We opened the door cautiously, ready to bolt if we saw any sign of the cultists. We ran as fast as we could through the woods, we kept moving, trying to stay on the path we had taken earlier. We didn’t know how long we had been running, but our legs were starting to feel like jelly. We kept running, the dense forest started to thin out, and we could see a clearing up ahead. Just as we thought we had made it, we saw them. Two cultists emerged from the treeline, their eyes fixated on us like predators. The sight of their black robes and masks made my blood run cold. They were holding long, sharp knives in their hands, glinting menacingly in the dappled sunlight. We skidded to a stop, our hearts racing in our chests.
But just as they were about to close in on us, we heard a gunshot ring out. The cultists paused for a moment, startled, and we took the opportunity to run past them. As we looked back, we saw a figure emerge from a cabin up on a hill. The cabin was surrounded by a cleared radius of trees, presumably to prevent wildfires. The figure was dressed in a ranger’s uniform, holding a gun in their hand. They shouted out a warning to the cultists, who seemed to think better of pursuing us any further. We kept running until we were sure we were out of danger.
We collapsed on the ground, gasping for air and shaking with fear. We explained everything to the ranger, and he quickly called for backup. The police took our statements, and we led them back to the cabin where we had taken refuge. The officers searched the area, but they found no trace of the cultists. They told us that they would continue their investigation and that we should go home and stay safe.
Emily and I got into our car, still trembling from the adrenaline and fear. We drove back to our homes, grateful to be alive but still shaken by what had happened.
Over the next few days, we followed the news closely, hoping for any updates on the cult and their whereabouts. But there was no news, and the incident seemed to have been forgotten.
Months passed, and Emily and I tried to move on from the terrifying experience. But every time we went into the woods or heard a strange noise, we couldn’t help but remember that night.
One day, we both received a letter in the mail. It was a handwritten note, with no return address. I opened it cautiously, unsure of what to expect. The letter read, “We know what you saw, and we know what you heard. But you should know that you are not safe. We are always watching, and we will come for you.
Emily and I were terrified once again, and we immediately called the police. They assured us that they would investigate and take the letter as evidence material. However, we knew that the handwriting couldn’t be recognized as belonging to any specific person since it appeared to be deliberately messy and inconsistent, almost as if the author had written it with their non-dominant hand. We hoped that the police would be able to catch the person responsible, but we knew that it would be difficult with such little evidence.
We knew that we couldn’t rely on the police alone. We started taking self-defense classes and installed security cameras around our homes. We never went into the woods again and always carried some form of protection with us. One becomes paranoid after such an experience, especially after receiving that letter. It felt like people were following me. Strange individuals who just stood and stared. But whether it was just my imagination, I’m not sure.
Years passed, and we never heard from the cult again, but we couldn’t help but wonder if one or more of the cultists knew us. They must have obtained our addresses from somewhere, and it made us feel uneasy.
After receiving multiple reports of strange noises and suspicious activity in the woods, the police and rangers collaborated to increase patrols in the area. This led to the arrest of three individuals who were suspected of being involved in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and animal cruelty. During the raid, the police found evidence of animal remains and drug paraphernalia, which confirmed their suspicions about the involvement of these individuals in criminal activities. They were charged with multiple offenses, including animal cruelty, drug trafficking, and conspiracy to commit illegal acts. Despite the best efforts of the police and other authorities, the investigation into the strange incidents in the woods and the incidents involving us continued for several months. However, the investigation was eventually closed, as they were unable to find any concrete evidence linking the arrested to these incidents. The strange incidents in the woods stopped, but the fact that most of the cultists were still free and at large left many questions unanswered and was unsettling. It was unclear if they had disbanded or if they were continuing their activities elsewhere. The police remained vigilant and continued to monitor the area, but there were no further reports of suspicious activity or strange occurrences. The incident remained a mystery, and the true intentions of the cultists and the full extent of their activities were unknown. It was a sobering reminder that there were still groups out there operating in secrecy, and that we may never know the full extent of their actions.
From what was discovered, it appeared that the group was attempting to summon some sort of spiritual entity or deity, using various objects such as candles, incense, and herbs. It was speculated that the cultists may have been practicing some form of neo-pagan or occult religion, though this was never confirmed. Some of the objects found at the site suggested a connection to ancient religions or mythologies, though it was unclear if these were authentic artifacts or simply replicas. Overall, the specifics of the ritual remained a mystery, as the arrested individuals denied any involvement and refused to divulge any information about their activities.
Looking back, I still can’t believe that I had never heard of the cult before. It’s scary to think that such a dangerous group could be operating right under our noses without anyone knowing.
As much as I wanted to forget that night, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the fortuante events that allowed us to escape unharmed, despite the potential danger we faced that night. The thought of what might have happened if the cultists had managed to enter the cabin still sends shivers down my spine. And then the ranger showed up just in time to save us from the the two others. If it weren’t for these fortunate events, who knows what could have happened to us. It was as if fate had intervened to protect us from harm or as some higher power was looking out for us that night.
We later learned about superstitions surrounding the woods we were in, strange happenings and unusual occurrences in these parts. Some even believed that the forest was cursed and that those who entered were doomed to suffer misfortune.
Perhaps the cultists themselves were aware of these superstitions and were afraid of what might happen if they continued their pursuit, Maybe they had some superstition around the cabin. Or maybe they had encountered something even more terrifying than they had bargained for. Wolfes don’t normally attack people, let alone a group of twenty armed individuals. So why should the cultists be scared?
As for the wolves, it’s possible that their howling had some significance in the local folklore and the cultists were wary of disturbing them. It’s also possible that the wolves simply acted as a deterrent, scaring off the cultists with their pack mentality and aggressive behavior. Perhaps it was the sheer number of wolves that made the cultists back off, or maybe it was the unexpectedness of the situation. As for the yelling, it could have been a disagreement between the cultists themselves.
The weird part is that the cultists didn’t come back to the cabin. We waited anxiously for a while, wondering if they would return, but they never did. And then, the next day, we encountered two cultists in broad daylight. It didn’t seem like they had been running, and they were coming from the opposite direction of where we had fled. We hadn’t seen anyone following us, and we had run so fast that it seemed unlikely that they could have caught up to us.
It was a strange and unsettling experience that left us with more questions than answers and the mystery surrounding the events only added to the eerie atmosphere of the forest. But one thing was certain: we had survived an encounter that could have easily ended in tragedy, and for that, we were fortunate.
I don’t hike anymore, the thought of being out in the woods and encountering the unknown was no longer thrilling, but terrifying. I couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched, of being followed. What did the cultists want with us? Did someone know us? Was the letter only meant to scare us? Are we still in danger? These questions still haunt me to this day.
As time passed, we went back to our normal lives and eventually moved out of the area. That night in the woods was a wake-up call for me, a reminder to always stay vigilant, aware and never underestimate the dangers that could be lurking. Who knows what other dangers are out there, waiting to be discovered?