Week 3–5
It’s been almost a month since my last visit to that damned trail. Since my last attack. My newly found friends, the ones dangerously addicted to the supernatural stuff, convinced me to eventually return. At least one last time. They provided a sensible reason too.
So, that night when I left my home, the following morning and for the past three weeks, I have been waking up with welts and dark black bruises on my arms, legs, and face. It’s like I have an illness of some sort. Randomly, out of the blue. Not to mention, I’ve also developed consistent night terrors. Every night, for the past three weeks. I’ll wake up in cold sweats between the hours of 2:00 am and 3:00 am. It’s spot on every night. The same nightmare. I’m being dragged down that trail by an almost translucent creature. There’s an outline in front of me, as I’m being dragged. It’s sharp and spikey. If the color was full, it would for sure be jet black. The outline of this thing was humanoid, but the way that it moved was proof that it was far from human. My body feels like it’s burning & I can’t move. I’m not tied or bound. I just cannot move. This creature is making sounds as it’s dragging me. Gurgling and growling I think. It sounds like it’s hungry or angry. Hangry maybe? I know it’s not the time to be funny, but I could use a laugh right now. Considering my current situation.
My friends tell me that these “night terrors” are demonic attacks. Like getting in a fight, but just on the spiritual plane. Or something weird like that. I’m not completely sure. Not sure that I’ll ever be able to believe in or understand such things. They’re interesting, to say the least. So, according to my friends, if I want these horrible things to stop, I have to return to that trail. Where it all began. I have to face whatever this thing is and demand it to stop. Command it to leave me. This is the sensible reason to return. Apparently. But, then again, look at what I’m dealing with. What choice do I have? All of this is just impossible. Ridiculous.
My friends have shared with me that they are indeed paranormal enthusiasts. Which, was quite obvious. One of them has been studying paranormal investigation techniques and the science behind it all. The other two have been studying demonology and how to cleanse people of negative energies. In some cases, actual demons. Like living beings that latch to you and deliberately try to harm you and those around you. It’s crazy talk! But, every morning is a solid reminder that the crazy is indeed real. It’s happening to me and affecting my physical body. Ultimately, my friends are considering creating a local paranormal team. Their primary goals would be to gather evidence that the supernatural world exists and to help those in need from what is considered spiritual oppression. Even full-blown possession. Like what you see in the movies apparently. They’ve offered me a spot on their future team, as a researcher and investigator. They said, with my personal experience and open, yet logical mind, we could make a pretty amazing team. They make a good point and I feel honored, but I don’t feel ready. Not yet. I don’t feel that I believe in it enough, or care. Plus, if this paranormal ghost-haunting stuff turns out to be real after all, I’m going to need some time away from it. Seriously.
Along with all of this to consider, they have provided me with a very detailed breakdown of what I seriously need to consider doing. That is if I want to end this impossible nightmare of course. They have taken the liberty to do a lot of research on the local area. Anything and everything that you could think of. Their research included ghost stories, tragedies, murders, assaults, kidnappings, cults, witchcraft, and so on. Nothing came back with positive results. Now, even though nothing showed up from their research, that doesn’t mean that nothing has ever happened. Or recently happened. This just means that something may not have been discovered or written about yet. What is being considered right now is that there could have recently been a murder or possibly some form of a dark ritual. My friends keep going back and forth between these two possibilities the most. I mean, they make sense. It’s not like a ghost attack can happen out of nowhere for no reason. Right?
I’m going to “stoop” to their level for a moment. Perhaps I’ve had an attachment all of my life. Maybe I’ve only had this alleged attachment for the past five or ten years. Or, according to them, a real classic reason for a haunted location or person is disturbing a grave site. Moreso, a Native American burial ground. Also known as sacred or cursed land. That’s depending on who you are and your intentions of course. But, I wasn’t being disrespectful or disturbing anything. For the past three years, I have run that trail, and I have done no such thing. I have no clue, but it’s possible I guess. From what the guys have been sharing with me lately, these are some other possibilities to consider. The research they’re doing is extensive. I thought college was bad. The tunnel ahead of me looks dark and endless. With no answers to be found. But why now? Why all of a sudden is this thing making itself known to me? Why is it attacking me? Why did this all start at that specific park? Why on the Abbaduk Trail? Why in the form of screams? Why did it start at 8:00 pm and not 3:00 am? The infamous “Witching Hour” that I’m hearing so much about. So many damned questions and sadly no answers. Not yet. But, the more I think about it, the more I want to know.
Over time I’ve become less and less fearful. I’ve made praying a daily and nightly routine, being that it’s the only weapon I know to use in such a scenario. What else can I do? What I’ve noticed, is the more I pray and the more I believe in the power of my prayer, the less often and the less severe my attacks have become. It seems to be working. Like actually working. So, I guess it won’t hurt to keep doing it. My friends also have encouraged me to keep praying. Anything positive and filled with good intentions can break down a negative being or force. They’ve been praying with me as well. Between the three of them, they all have been allowing me to stay at their homes throughout this entire process. Talk about being lucky. I can’t be alone right now and I need as much guidance as possible on what to do to stop this.
We haven’t visited the actual location since we all met. It’s been more or less a time of preparing. What we are preparing for is to conduct an investigation and then an actual deliverance. The deliverance is to be done on me and the land. We are going to return to that exact spot on that exact trail and investigate the surrounding areas. Perhaps we’ll find something that will indicate what this thing is and why it’s chosen to attack me. We’re planning on going tomorrow evening. We’re going to start the investigation during the day. Starting during the day will help us get a better understanding of our surroundings. It’s also so that we may sweep the area thoroughly. To see if we can find anything out of the ordinary that could tell us what this thing is and why it’s there. The guys seem excited but also determined to help me end this. I feel excited too, but my excitement is to find some answers. I’m not exactly excited to face this thing head-on. Especially not in its own backyard. So much could go wrong. I know I’ll be in a group, but there’s this feeling in my gut that’s telling me not to go. Fear, I guess.
Also, I don’t know what’s going to happen. The unknown is my worst enemy. Will all of this finally end? Or will it only get worse once we start fighting back? On the other hand, I do feel safer. I have a support system now. My support system seems strong and able. I’m no longer alone and I’m more ready to fight than I’ve ever been. I’m so tired though. This exhaustion has become my fuel to fight. An unexpected transition for sure. I’m just done. But, I’m ready. I have to be.
Week 3–5: Night 1
Tonight’s the night! We’re putting a stop to this demonic attachment crap! I’m going to sleep in my own bed tonight! After all of this insanity is said and done. And I will not be sharing my bed with any uninvited guests anymore. I still woke up with my typical welts and bruises. This time, they weren’t as bad though. The prayers seem to be working their magic. Good magic mind you. The nightmare didn’t occur this time either. Instead, I had a dream about war. It wasn’t super vivid, but the sensation and emotions attached to my dream felt very real and personal. There were battles taking place. Lots of screaming and anger. Specifically, I heard the screams from the woods. I didn’t feel scared or in trouble. I felt victorious and powerful. I felt alive. The screams got louder over time and tried to tear me down. But, it couldn’t. I was able to scream back and prayed right after. Then, there was a blast of white light and I woke up. My heart was pounding and I was sweating pretty badly. But, I didn’t feel helpless or like I was about to be beaten to death. It was different this time. I have no idea why or how, but it was different. A good kind of different.
The time is 5:15 pm. My friends and I went over the plan one last time. We grabbed our gear, made sure all devices were charged and accounted for, grabbed a bite to eat, and loaded the vehicle. We arrived at the park just a little past 6:00 pm. The guys asked me to show them where I heard the screams and ultimately where my attacks first started.
We didn’t grab any gear other than some flashlights. For when it got dark. We walked the trail to the spot in question and began to search the surrounding woods. This was the first time I’d been back in about a month. And for the first time in a long time, there was no screaming. There were people there too. There were families having picnics and children playing on the playground. Runners tackling the Abbaduk Trail as I used to. With no worry in the world. There were so many people and I loved that so much. I almost felt like things were back to normal. But, I knew better. They weren’t. Once we arrived at the spot, two of the guys went left off the path into the woods, while I and my other friend took the right side. The plan covered what we were looking for. Anything that shouldn’t be there. These things included clothing, money, bottles, figurines, or any trace of a human being.
The first step was to rule out any sign of a murder scene. The second step was to rule out any sign of possible witchcraft or ritual activity. And the third step was to respectfully search the area for any signs of burial grounds or lost communities. If any of these scenarios could be ruled out, then it would seem that this thing has been with me a lot longer than originally thought. We searched for hours and came up with nothing. This honestly disappointed me beyond belief. I started to feel depressed, which quickly turned to fear. Not that I wanted anything bad to have happened to someone, but I wanted to find an answer. The answer, to what this thing is and why it’s terrorizing me. Finding the answer seemed to only become more complicated and less likely as time went on.
I’m tired, I’m scared, I’m confused, and I’m lost. What am I going to do? If this thing is connected to a family member from years ago, where do I even start? Do I have enough sanity to keep looking? To keep trying to get rid of this thing? Again, I’m done. I’m just so tired of looking for answers and constantly being attacked by some freak of nature. And for no damn reason. Not a good reason at least. Is this thing natural? Can I even consider it that? No. It’s not. I’m just losing my mind and I don’t know what else to do.
It’s now 8:15 pm. The guys and I are done searching the grounds. It’s too dark now. Even in the light, we weren’t able to find anything. Maybe the area was cleaned up. Maybe some animals came by and ransacked the area that we were searching. Years before our search today. Either way, it was dark and it was that time of the night. It was time to fight. The trail had become quiet and still. No more people. The four of us had met back in the middle of the trail and sat down in a circle. Back to back. No gear. This part of the plan was to observe the area of interest naturally. Using only our senses. Honestly, we were doing what I did the first two times that I encountered the screams. Nothing. All we did was exist and listen. To my absolute shock, there was no screaming. Absolutely nothing. Some obvious wildlife sounds and nighttime bugs chirping, but nothing unusual or “paranormal.”
This pissed me off! The one time that I finally had people with me, a support system, and this thing decides not to show up. All of a sudden it doesn’t want to show its ass? No! I don’t think so, it’s going to show. One way or the other. I will make it show itself. I am not leaving tonight without forcing this thing to leave me and go back to where it came from! I’ve been going through hell for far too long and for no good reason. I’m not perfect, but I’m not a killer or some kind of demented narcissist. I live my life and try to not cause any waves in the matrix. This thing has to go. It can’t stay. I have to do something.
Two whole hours go by and nothing has happened. Something had to be done. So, I did something. I got up from our four-man circle and started calling out to the thing. Challenging it and highlighting what a coward it is. I told it that it’s proven to me that it’s weak. It obviously can’t do what it’s been doing for the past month because of my prayers and the support of my friends. It’s a coward and a weak pathetic creature. I didn’t offer my energy like how some of those “professional” investigators do sometimes. But, I did call it some pretty nasty names. My friends had me binge-watch some reality ghost shows for the past few weeks. A tax to pay for staying at their homes I suppose. It wasn’t terrible. Sometimes they were creepy and at other times they were amusing. But, the real reason for watching was for me to learn some of the basic “Dos and Don’ts” when dealing with the supernatural.
After calling the thing out for several minutes, nothing happened. Not exactly what I was expecting. A slight breeze ran down the trail, almost bringing a sign of peace with it. For the first time, I was angry and unnerved by the sheer silence. Something I have been begging for. I almost craved for the screams to come rolling down the trail. Almost prayed for them to come.
The time was roughly 10:30 pm. Fifteen minutes since my mini meltdown. We decided as a group that two of us should return to the vehicle now and grab the equipment. It was time for us to increase our efforts in search of anything “unnatural.” The other two, with me being one of the two, will stay back and continue to observe the environment without any equipment. Perhaps having fewer people around will provide different results. Maybe the cowardly ghost will show itself finally. This is a common method that paranormal investigators use in the field. Smaller groups. Why it works so well, I have no clue. But, it can be dangerous and result in terrifying results. Maybe the ghostly beings are shy. Perhaps too many humans being in one place at one time blocks their energy. Or limits the extent of their abilities. Just another theory that ghost hunters are seeking a solid answer on.
As our two friends got further and further away from our initial spot, I felt a change in the air. Like we were being watched or about to be approached by someone. Maybe just being in the dark woods with fewer people around was giving me the heebie-jeebies. Regardless of the reason, I started feeling uneasy for sure. As the other two disappeared around the trail’s bend about 150 ft. away, the show finally began. Almost instantly, rocks and pinecones started pelting me and my friend. Coming out of the thicket to our right. Hitting us in the head and the neck. Whoever or whatever was throwing these objects at us, had perfect aim. Especially for being in the pitch-dark woods with no lights. We jumped up instantly and backed away by at least 15 ft. The objects suddenly stopped being thrown.
Thankfully, we had our high-lumen flashlights on us and we flooded the nearby brush. Together, we ran into the brush and out to a clearing that we had found and searched earlier. There was no one around. Not even any animals. At this point, we noticed something odd. All of the natural sounds of the night had stopped. Even the bugs had stopped chirping. It was really weird, now that I come to think about it. As my friend and I searched the area, we noticed a pile of medium-sized rocks and five lines of pinecones neatly placed in the center of the clearing. We had searched this exact area from top to bottom earlier. There was nothing like this here before. We would’ve noticed without a doubt. This was terrifying, and running straight into the woods at night was such a stupid idea. But, at least I wasn’t alone. That helped.
I started walking toward the pile of rocks and the lines of pinecones. I bent down to touch them. Just to inspect them a little further. But, right before I could touch them, the rocks and pinecones blew away before my very eyes. Like there was someone below me scattering everything away in all directions. Making an absolute mess. But, there wasn’t anything below me, and the classic wind theory was out of the window. We were surrounded by brush and there was no wind of any kind. The rocks and the pinecones just flew off the ground in multiple directions. It was horrifying to say the least! Seeing and hearing such a phenomenon happen was not right. It was unnatural. This was for sure unnatural. Yet it was happening. There was nothing physically there to make it happen. The next thing I knew, our flashlights went out. Both of them at the same time. Somehow these brand new batteries died within minutes of being used. It didn’t make sense to me. How? Everything went black. No sounds. No light. No life. Then it happened. The screams. The screams finally returned.
That shrill blood-curdling scream quickly filled the clearing that we were in. It was zipping around us like there was a surround sound system or something. The way that the sound of the screaming traveled was inhuman. There was no way that a human could move around like that. No way at all! My friend started screaming. I could faintly hear him over the unnatural screams, but I could tell that there was a second scream now. A man’s scream. His screaming was further away than it should have been. Did he try to run away? Am I all alone now? Stuck in the pitch-black woods and surrounded by something evil? I felt hopeless and was petrified! The overwhelming feeling of goosebumps ripping through my body quickly came back. My eyes were full of burning tears. It was terrible. Being attacked and disabled at the same time. I fell to my knees, covered my ears, and started praying. I prayed for forgiveness for when I taunted the “spirit” and I prayed for protection over my friend and me. I kept praying, but I could still hear the screams of that thing raging around me.
At some point, I felt a cold sharp pain start at my mid-back and slowly crawl up to the back of my neck. It felt sharp, like a knife. It also had a tingling sensation to it, like a low-voltage taser or some kind of electrical instrument. The touch itself didn’t hurt, but the intention felt invasive and threatening. At this point, I freaked out! I screamed out loud, “Get the hell off of me and leave us alone!” “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ! Leave!” Almost instantly, the touch sensation evaporated away, the screaming repelled deep into the woods, and our flashlights started to flicker until becoming a constant ray of light again. It went silent. No more screaming. Thank God.
I found my friend behind me. About 30 ft. away from me. I was shocked to see him that far. How’d he get there? Fear and luck? Panic and instinct? Something didn’t seem right. He was lying in the fetal position by a large tree, crying and shaking. I ran over to him and picked him up. I comforted him and told him it was ok now, but that we had to move. We needed to at least get back out on the open trail. This way, we could stand our ground a bit easier and be ready for our friends to return. As I shouldered my friend and we began walking back toward the trail, I noticed he was limping. I also noticed that he had several red slash marks on his neck. Blood was drawn to the surface of his skin, but thankfully no open wounds. I waited until we got back on the trail to ask him what had happened after our lights went out. Once we broke through the tree line, we huddled in the center of the trail and kept our lights on. We consistently flashed the surrounding areas with our lights. Like police officers in a squad car searching for a perp. Everything was still. Everything was silent. A moment to breathe and think. I kept thanking God for that. I turned to my friend and asked what happened to him. He began shaking and rocking in place. He stared off into the woods as he told me what happened, and why he believes it did.
Right after the lights went out, he recalled feeling a similar sharp tingling sensation. Right away. But, the sensation went from his mid-back and down his left leg. Finally, the sensation seemed to wrap around his ankle. He then proceeded to tell me that a tight pressure formed around his ankle and that a sudden twist made him fall on his back. The twist made him yelp in pain. He said that it felt like someone had taken two hammers and smacked both sides of his ankle bone. That they smacked both hammers together at the same time. He said that the pain was so terrible, he believes that he blacked out for a moment. The next thing that he remembers after he came to, was that his left leg was elevated and he was being dragged away from me. He was being dragged off to a nearby tree where he was strung upside down. He swore to me that he was lifted mid-air against that tree. That’s when he began screaming uncontrollably. When I heard him screaming from afar. He said, as he was being suspended upside down, something began to claw at his neck. Over and over and over. Like a cat or a raccoon trying to desperately escape after being cornered. That’s what it felt like to him anyway. What seemed like a lifetime suddenly stopped, and he fell to the ground below the tree. Thankfully, he was not severely hurt during the fall. The next thing he knew, I was picking him up and we were getting out of there.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was truly thankful that it didn’t get that far with me. Thankfully it didn’t choose to do that to me first. But, I couldn’t help but wonder why. Then he told me why. He said that he was taunting and threatening whatever spirits were around us. Telling them to leave me alone and mess with him instead. He admitted that he went as far as offering up his own energy to whatever was around us. He told it that he was stronger and that it had no control over him. Even with the offering of his spiritual energy. That he was simply more powerful than it was. He also admitted to me, how wrong he was and that he planned on never doing such things again. God willing. I told him that it was ok and that we all have learning curves. We just need to pick a new strategy for when we plan on taking this thing on again. A safer one too.
About twenty minutes pass by and our friends finally return with all of our gear. They clearly saw the distraught looks on our faces and asked what had happened. We filled them in on everything. Their response was as expected. Hanging jaws and wide-eyed expressions. They immediately evaluated the area and then us. These were the two friends that were studying demonology. Why we didn’t have one of them stay with us, I have no idea. Lesson learned for sure. Perhaps everything happened the way it was supposed to. So that we’d receive the results that we did. This encounter was needed. Perhaps even planned. By a higher power maybe? But why? It seemed so cruel and dangerous. Maybe there’s a bigger picture to it all that none of us see yet. I don’t know.
After checking the area and making sure we were ok, they cleansed us. Something they had not done before, because they didn’t feel ready or confident enough that they could. But, seeing the fear on our faces seemed to have done something to them. It changed them. They became almost like our personal bodyguards. Doing their best to save their friends seemed to become a top priority over everything else. Especially self-criticism. Once we were taken care of, we checked our gear and set everything up in a small circular radius on the trail. These guys have been preparing for a while. Night vision cameras, EMF detectors, DVRs for EVP sessions, traditional battery and laser grid motion detectors, AM/FM radios for high and low-frequency sweeping, and so much more. These guys were ready. Tonight wasn’t just an investigation, it was a fight. A battle. Perhaps that’s what my dream was about. What’s that weird thing called when people have an insight into the future? A premonition!
I’m still on the fence about believing in this stuff, but who knows? These guys were willing to help me get rid of this invisible thing. Whatever it took and however long it takes. I wanted to cry after seeing how devoted and willing they were to help me. I felt like there was hope and that this nightmare was going to end. Suddenly, I didn’t feel forsaken or stuck. As we got everything in place and switched on, we decided that two of us should stay back within the equipment circle, to prevent any theft or outside interference. While the other two go back inside the brush to that clearing. The area that’s been made pretty obvious this thing likes to thrive in. That clearing seems extremely important to this “specter.” I volunteered to go back in with one of our demonologists. I wanted it to be me. It needed to be me. I wanted to be the last thing that this bastard saw before we sent it back to whatever dark hole it crawled out of. Plus, my ankle wasn’t sprained. I also wasn’t as traumatized from the most recent attack. It was only right that I went.
Just as we started to break through the tree line, we heard something in the distance. It was very faint. But, it was growing louder the longer we listened. As the sound got louder, it was clear that it was getting closer. Then I recognized what it was. It was that terrible crashing sound that I heard at the entrance of the park, and it was coming directly toward us. A freight train from hell. Like the screaming, this sound was unnatural. It didn’t sound like a normal train derailing. It was garbled and looping. The longer I listened, it started to sound like a large animal breathing heavily and stampeding in our direction. Whatever it was, it was enough to produce ripples of goosebumps throughout my body again. I started to tear up again too. Just like before. This thing was causing so much discomfort and fear. My body just reacted naturally to this unnatural thing. It was insane. It wasn’t right. Stuff like this isn’t supposed to be real.
My torment seems to be endless at this point. And I’ve managed to bring three poor souls along with me. They didn’t deserve this any more than I did. They didn’t deserve this at all. They’re just good people trying to help someone in need. Clearly, this thing didn’t care. It simply added them to the list. Whether we were ready or not, shit was about to get real. And it was about to get a lot worse. Worse than any of us could have ever imagined.