5 Camping in the Deep Woods HORROR Stories

the bloodthirsty chupacabra has been cited in the new diabolical desert structure deck for my card game crypted Fates go to crypted card game.com to pre-order now use the online deck builder or join the community at reddit.com r/ crypted ccg Happy Thanksgiving but we've already had our Thanksgiving special no today's episode features the disturbing and unexplained things that have happened to people who dare to go camping in the Deep Woods stay tuned for an encounter with the Jersey Devil a mysterious furred creature that haunted a family home in the mountains and a whistling sound coming from

the woods leading to The Disappearance of a hiker remember if you wander too far into the wild the wild will wander into you enjoy I want to narrate your scary stories of the unknown send them to me at dark stories.org and hey if you're on YouTube take a moment to subscribe if you haven't and like this video if you're on Spotify or apple please leave unexplained encounters a rating and follow the show it helps us reach new people to scare the socks off of now let's begin my childhood monster from Margaret m the older I've

gotten the less I've talked about my childhood up in the mountains not because it was bad or anything but because there are some things that are hard to explain I'm 64 now and I've recently discovered the show so I figured I'd share my experiences I grew up in a little cabin nestled deep in the appalachion back then we didn't have neighbors close by our nearest one was about a mile down the Road and that was the Johnson's life was simple we had chickens a couple of goats and a big Garden that kept us fed but

there was always this atmosphere I guess you could call it that my parents were strict about certain things and as kids we just accepted it for one we weren't allowed outside after dark no exceptions if we were out playing and the sun started to dip mom would ring this old iron bell and we'd better come running I remember asking her once why we couldn't stay out and catch fireflies like other kids she just gave me this stern look and said there's things out there you don't want to meet Margret we also weren't supposed to go

into the woods alone now the forest was right up against our backyard and it was mighty tempting to explore my brother Timothy and I with would sometimes sneak off during the day but we never went too far there was this unspoken understanding that the trees held secrets we weren't meant for nor were we old enough to know one summer when I was about 10 our Uncle Roy came to visit he wasn't a real Uncle more like a distant cousin of my father's but we called him Uncle anyway Roy was a cheerful and respectful man always

up for fun and didn't seem to share my parents' worries out here one evening he suggested we camp out in the yard the stars are out and it's a gorgeous night he said Timothy and I were over the moon we begged mama and daddy to let us and after some hemming and ha they agreed but only if Roy stayed with us we set up a big old canvas tent right in the middle of the yard made a campfire roasting marshmallows the whole deal around 9:00 Mama came out and told us to keep the fire low

and reminded Roy to keep a close eye on us he laughed and said we'd all be fine well sometime in the middle of the night I woke up to the sound of rustling outside the tent I figured it was just the wind maybe a raccoon but then I heard footsteps heavy slow and deliberate circling around us Timothy was was awake too I could hear him holding his breath Uncle Roy sat up and put a finger to his lips signaling us to stay quiet the footsteps continued sometimes stopping right outside the tent flap there was a

low growling sound and it sounded much different than a bear or dog or coyote all the things we were used to out here made me so scared I felt nauseous we sat there huddled together for some time the animal outside whatever it was kept circling us occasionally scratching lightly against the canvas at one point the silhouette of a large figure passed between the tent and the dying campfire it was tall and hunched over and it looked like it had pointed ears and a long snout Uncle Roy reached over and grabbed his hunting knife holding it

tight but making no move to go outside eventually the noises did stop we sat there in silence until the first light of dawn peaked through the tent when we finally came out there were deep Footprints all around the tent much too big to be a dogs and the stride was longer than a person Uncle Roy told us not to mention this to our parents saying it would just worry them but of course Mama seemed to know something had happened she gave Roy a look when we came in inside and he just nodded slightly after that

the rules got even stricter no more camping outside even with adult supervision over the years other strange things happened our chickens started to disappear at first we thought it was a fox maybe a weasel but there were never any signs of a struggle or Breakin no feathers strewn about no blood the birds would just be gone daddy reinforced the coupe adding extra locks and even some metal bars over the windows one morning we found the coupe door wide open even though the locks were still in place but unlatched all the chickens were gone not a

single one left the oddest part was the locks weren't even broken they were opened as if someone had used a key lying near the coupe was a tuft of coarse dark fur that didn't match any animal we knew of daddy took the fur into town to show the sheriff but they couldn't figure out what kind of creature it came from that night too we heard howling these long creepy whales that echoed through the mountains it wasn't the yipping of coyotes or the howl of a wolf it was deeper and much more wrong I remember peering

out my bedroom window and seeing Shadows moving near the tree line large figures darting between the trees too big to be any animal I'd ever seen the next day Mama set us down reiterating the rules we had no going out after dark no entering the woods alone and if we saw or heard anything strange we were to come straight inside and tell her or daddy as kids we started to piece things together in our own way we whispered about werewolves monsters and creatures that lived in the woods Timothy claimed he'd seen glowing eyes staring at

him from the dark one night but when he told Mama she hushed him quickly and told him not to spread Tales one Autumn evening Before Sunset I was out picking apples from the Tree near our house I knew I should have had it inside but I just wanted to get a few more for a pie that's when I heard rustling behind me I turned and I saw a large shape skullking among the trees it walked upright but was hunched over it had Shaggy fur and eyes that caught the fading light in an unnatural way I

dropped the basket screamed and ran inside as fast as my legs would carry me breathless I told Mama what I saw she didn't scold me for being out out too late instead she locked all the doors and windows and gathered the family in the living room daddy Sat by the front door with his shotgun across his lap not saying a word we sat there in a tense silence for hours occasionally we would hear distant howls or the snapping of branches outside and eventually exhaustion took over and Mama sent us to bed assuring us that everything

would be all right after that night the incidents seemed to stop no more howling no more missing animals it was like whatever had been lurking about those mountains finally moved on life returned to a semblance of normal but we still kept those roles in place years later when I was grown and had my own kids I asked Mama about those times even then she was hesitant to talk about it but eventually she told me that the mountains had their secrets she admitted that they suspected a werewolf or something like it stalked those woods but she

never wanted to scare us kids more than we already were looking back I still get chills thinking about it what it truly was I can't say for sure but something was out there something that walked like a man but wasn't and it seemed to respect our boundaries as long as we respected its now when my grandkids visit and beg for scary stories I tell them all about the mountains and the importance of listening to their Elders I leave out the more creepy details of course no need to give them nightmares but I do make sure

they understand that the world is very strange and that even in all our lifetimes we may never understand it something is wrong with the animals in the Deep Woods from Caleb T more often than not you'll find me working overtime at a limousine assembly plant in Ohio used to be big into hunting spent most my weekends out in the woods tracking deer or small game but a couple years back I got bit by a tick and in ended up with Alpha gal syndrome if you haven't heard of it it's a very unfortunate allergy to red

meat that can really mess you up imagine a hunter who can't eat what he hunts frustrating doesn't begin to cover it and I've never been into hunting birds and for the most part bird meat is fine but all in all I hung up my rifle hunting lost its appeal instead I started getting into outdoor survival in deepwoods camping some accursed allergy from a tick is isn't going to keep me from enjoying the outdoors and I was thinking I could turn my experiences into a self-help book someday a guide for folks looking to reconnect with nature

or find themselves or whatever people are searching for these days one fall I decided to take a week off work heading into the alagan National Forest in Pennsylvania I've been there a few times before but always stuck to the established Trails this time I wanted to go deeper get off the beaten path I got my stuff and drove out to a spot where I could leave my truck without it getting towed or vandalized the first couple of days were just what I needed the weather was not too cold the leaves were turning shades of orange

and red and the air smelled like Earth and pine trees I hiked for Miles without seeing another Soul eventually I set up camp near a small stream I caught some fish fish doesn't affect this allergy and just enjoyed the silence at night I would jot down thoughts for the book though I can't say I made much progress mostly I just sat by the fire staring into the flames and letting my mind wander on the third day I decided to explore further north I'd heard there were some old growth forests up that way trees that had

been around for hundreds of years I thought hey maybe they'd Inspire some deep Insight I could use I packed a day bag and set off marking my trail as I went so I didn't get lost about midday I stumbled upon a clearing I hadn't expected this clearing wasn't showing up on any Maps I had the trees opened up into a nearly perfect circle now here's where my experience really begins in that clearing dead in the center there they were a group of animals sitting together like they were having some sort of meeting animals that would

not be hanging out there was a deer a rabbit a fox and what appeared to be a young black bear I was startled to see them they were all sitting side by side facing the same direction none of them moved not even a twitch at first I thought maybe there were statues some kind of art installation but as I got closer I could see their fur moving slightly with the bre their eyes were open but they didn't seem to register me at all I can't stress enough how unnatural this felt predators and prey don't just

hang out together especially not calmly sitting so close together in a circle I considered taking out my phone to snap a picture but the idea felt wrong somehow besides I didn't have a signal out here and my battery was running low I took a few cautious steps closer but stopped when the bear Turned its head ever so slightly in my direction now it didn't seem aggressive but a healthy respect for wild animals especially Bears kept me from pushing my luck all right then I said aloud I'm just going to leave y'all to it I backed

away slowly retracing my steps to Camp completely weirded out the that whole encounter left me feeling just off and the whole way back I kept trying to come up with some sort of explanation maybe they were sick maybe someone had left some food about that drugged them but who would do that all the way out here I landed on gas leak somewhere some sort of vapor getting up through the cracks in the earth got a few of the wild animals a bit high that night the forest was quiet too quiet no crickets chirping no owls

hooting nothing like that there was the occasional crackle of my campfire and wind but not much else I had trouble sleeping so I stayed up writing in my notebook but I had Rider's block before long around midnight I began to hear rustling nearby I grabbed my flashlight and showed it into the dark but I didn't see anything just yet probably a possum or something I told myself but the rustling continued circling around my campsite it wasn't hurried like an animal scurrying about it was slow and steady who's out there I called no reply I stoked

the fire higher hoping the light would keep whatever it was at Bay eventually The Sounds stopped and I managed to drift off to sleep sometime Before Dawn in the morning I decided I'd had enough weirdness for one trip maybe I was just tired after a bad night's sleep or maybe the Solitude was actually getting to me but that's never been the case before either way I figured it was time to head back I packed up my gear and started retracing my path toward the truck about an hour into the hike I noticed something on the

trail ahead when I came up to it my stomach turned it was a rabbit very very similar from the one I saw in the clearing lying motionless on the ground I'm telling you it looked exactly like the same rabbit same size same coloration there were no visible wounds except its eyes were gone just empty sockets staring into nothing I knelt down to get a closer look but did didn't touch it no signs of a predator having killed it no blood no tracks nothing it was like someone had just plucked out its eyes and left it

there I shivered I stood up and scanned the woods around me feeling a bit less alone than I did a moment ago I picked up the pace ready to be out of these woods but then maybe a few hundred yards later I came across a very familiar now dead fox and of course it was in the same condition dead eyes missing body otherwise untouched this is not happening I muttered I thought about turning back but heading deeper into the woods didn't seem like a better option I decided to keep going moving as quickly as I

could without breaking into a full-on run but then I found another one the deer that dough that I saw she was lying on her side right in the middle of the trail as if I was supposed to find her eyes gone too body otherwise in pristine condition was someone out here with me leaving these animals for me to find if so what kind of message was that I gripped the handle of my knife though I wasn't sure what good that was going to do I just kept kep moving eventually of course I made it to

the bear CB it was off the side of the trail propped up against a tree like a child's stuffed animal same empty eye sockets same Eerie Perfection otherwise whoever's out there this isn't funny I yelled down to no one in particular basically screaming at the trees there was only silence in response but I wasn't going to wait for one I broke into a jog and then a run no worries about Stealth or noise anymore I just had to get out the last stretch to my truck was a blur when I finally broke through the tree

line and saw my vehicle I could have cried with relief I opened the door and tossed my gear into the back I tore out of there so fast I nearly killed myself from driving so recklessly it wasn't until I was miles away from there back on the main Highway that I finally began to calm down my mind was racing who or what could have done that why leave the animals for me to find a week after that I decided I would talk to someone about it I met up with a friend of mine named Lucas

I had known him since high school he's the kind of guy who doesn't spook easy but always has an open mind over a couple of beers I broached the topic I told him everything he listened without interruption his expression serious finally when I was done he said that's messed up you think someone was messing with you I've got no honest idea man I told him but who would go through all that trouble and how would they have known where I'd be I don't even have any enemies he Shrugged suggesting it was some kind of cult-like

thing he said you hear stories about weird stuff happening in the woods sometimes yeah maybe think you'll go back I shook my head not planning to anytime soon he nodded and agreed that that would be for the best honestly this was what got me into those Missing 411 stories those tales about people going missing with bizarre scenarios and circumstances really creeps me out but the crazy thing is it only got me more excited to go back out into the woods sure something out there wanted me gone last time but maybe it wasn't dangerous and maybe

that wasn't actually for me I don't know how to explain it but I do know that I'm not going to let one spooky experience in one neck of the woods keep me away from what I love forever one freaking tick bite and Allergy almost did that for good but nothing's going to break me this time when the whistling comes from Anonymous I grew up deep in the ader de mountains in Upstate New York our family lived miles away from the nearest town in a cabin my grandfather built himself this was way back we were were

self-sufficient growing our own food and hunting the whole deal as a kid I loved the freedom of the woods and I'd often Camp outside in our backyard or go on overnight hikes with my older brother Elijah one summer when I was about 12 Elijah and I decided to camp out at the nearby lake a spot we've been to plenty of times it was a good 3-hour hike from the cabin but we knew the trails like the back of our little hands we packed some food and sleeping bags heading out early in the morning it was

a good day with clear skies we reached the lake by midday setting up a small tent then spent the afternoon fishing and skipping Stones when the sun started to set we built a fire roasting some marshmallows and telling each other ghost stories trying to see who could spook the other more around 10: p.m. we decided to turn in the fire was dying down and the forest was getting that kind of Deep Quiet you only hear when you're far from other people as we were settling into our sleeping bags I heard someone whistle it wasn't just

any whistle either this was a tune I recognized an old lullabi our mom used to sing to us called Starlight journey I thought maybe Mom and Dad had come to check on us though that would have been weird as they usually trusted us well to handle ourselves hey Elijah do you hear that I I asked him yeah but who would be out here whistling like that we stepped out of the tent together and looked around the moon was bright enough that we could see across the lake and the tree line but there was no one

else in sight maybe it's the wind I suggested Elijah disagreed saying that wind doesn't whistle Melodies it continued seeming to come from just beyond the trees it wasn't hurried or anything just the same tune over and over at a steady Pace but it still gave me the creeps I think we should ignore it Elijah said might be a hiker or loner passing through we went back into the tent but the whistling didn't stop it circled around us first sounding from the left then from the right it was always the same distance away like whoever it

was knew exactly how to stay out of sight after about an hour the tune changed it was still familiar but not a song I could name it felt like something we should know but couldn't place that's when Elijah admitted he was getting freaked out this isn't normal he said maybe we should head back home it was late and Hiking back in the dark was not the safest idea but staying didn't feel right either we packed up our essential gear leaving the tent behind to come back for later then started on the trail with our flashlights

as we walked that whistling sound followed us no matter how fast we went it remained the same distance away we called out a few times asking who was there but there was never a response just the endless whistling about halfway home we reached a fork in the trail the that's when the whistling finally stopped the sudden silence was almost as unsettling as the sound had been we paused holding our breath listening for any movement then from the path we were about to take we heard a different sound a low humming like someone softly singing without

words let's take the other way Elijah whispered that would take an extra hour I told him I don't care I've got a bad feeling I didn't argue we took the longer path and the humming faded away eventually we did make it back home just as the first night of Dawn was breaking mom was surprised to see us but didn't ask too many questions figuring we' just changed our minds we never did tell our parents about the whistling Elijah and I didn't even talk about it with each other after that day but a week later news

spread that a high had gone missing near that Lake there were search parties but they didn't find him people said that he was an experienced hiker too and that he had known the area well so it didn't really make sense years went by and I moved away after high school Elijah stayed taking over the family cabin after our parents passed away a few months ago I went back to visit him one night over a couple of beers he brought up the incident at the lake you ever think about that night he asked I admitted that

I did think about it all the time he told me that he went back there last week why would you do that I asked don't know just wanted to hear it again and the moment I got near the lake it happened I heard it again the whistling we'd heard the same tune did you see anyone this time I asked he said that he didn't stick around to find out and left shortly after I sat there in Silence with him for a while before he said that he had done some digging apparently the lullabi mom used

to sing was an old folk song about Travelers being lured into the woods by Spirits why would Mom sing that to us maybe she didn't know where it came from or maybe she did I haven't been back to the Adon decks in a long time sometimes when I'm up late I feel like I can hear that faint whistling outside my window but I know I'm just imagining it even so I keep my curtains closed I don't know what we encountered out there maybe it was just some person playing a prank but that doesn't explain how

the sound follows us or why that hiker went missing all I do know is that there are things in those woods that can't be explained hunting grounds from Anonymous I'm a bit of an adventurer love to hike off the beaten path exploring places most people wouldn't bother with a few years ago I went on a camping trip into the deep forests of Oregon I won't specify exactly where because honestly I couldn't find the place again if I tried I sat out early on a Friday morning I had my backpack tint and enough supplies for a

few days plus a map I'd found that was more decorative than functional I've always trusted my sense of direction more than any map hiking in took me a couple of hours I set up camp at a small Creek as the sun started to dip the next morning I decided to leave the Barely There Trail which I'd been following the whole time heading deeper into the woods the terrain was more rough out here but the challenge was welcome around midday I caught a glimpse of something mad made through the trees my curiosity was peaked so I

pushed forward I stepped out of the dense forest and my mind was blown there was what looked to be a small town this caught me completely off guard there were about a dozen buildings lining a Dusty Main Street they looked old but well maintained a general store a barber shop the town hall it was like I'd wandered into a movie set for an old western but there was no one around not a single soul I called out but all I heard was my echoing voice in response cautiously I headed down the Main Street peering peing

into the windows of the buildings the barber shop had chairs lined up but no tools or mirrors the General Store had shelves but they were empty it was honestly Eerie I was thinking maybe it was an old tourist attraction that got shut down but then why wasn't it on any maps and why was everything in such good shape no graffiti no science of Decay just abandonment as I stood there the silence was broken by a deep resonating sound it sounded like a fog horn but we were nowhere near the ocean it was so loud and

sudden I couldn't place where it was coming from I looked around covering my ears trying to find it it went on for about 10 seconds then stopped abruptly the silence afterward was much eerier than it was before but that's also when I heard something else a rapid clicking noise like claws on a hard surface it was distant but it was definitely getting closer every time I turned its source seemed to shift my heart began to pound I decided it was time to leave I headed back the way I came but after a few steps I

heard the claw steps again this time more deliberate and faster I glanced over my shoulder but saw nothing nothing the feeling of being watched was so intense I went faster but the sound matched Me growing louder and closer I spotted a convenience door and sprinted towards it the door was unlocked thankfully and I slammed it shut behind me flipping the lock I backed away breathing hard inside the store was just as empty as the others shelves stood Barren the coolers were humming but held nothing inside there were no snacks no drinks not even old magazines

it was like the place had been set up but never actually used I tried to gather my thoughts maybe this was some sort of abandoned project or maybe I'd stumbled into private property but that didn't explain the noises I peered out the front window but saw nothing moving as the afternoon turned into evening the unease grew I Deb hated making a run for it but decided against it whatever was out there seemed faster than me I found a spot behind the counter where I could sit out of sight but still keep a close eye on

the front door soon it was Nightfall The only Light Came From The Faint glow of the Moon through the dusty old windows and then the scratching started it was faint at first a light scraping sound against the wooden walls then it grew steadily more insistent something was circling the building claws dragging against the exterior walls I gripped my pocket knife tightly though I knew it wasn't going to do much good the scratching moved to the windows then to the door the door knob rattled and I held my breath after a few tense moments the noises

moved away from the entrance I sat there for what felt like hours The Sounds continuing intermittently I must have dozed off at some point because I was jolted awake by a loud crash the front door had been slammed open the lock splintered and the door itself hung awkwardly from one hinge I froze heavy footsteps entered the store accompanied by a low and guttural growl I'd never heard something like that before it was deep and filled the whole space and then came the sniffing a wet sort of hiss that made my skin crawl it almost sounded

reptilian I crouched lower behind the counter trying to steady my breathing the claw steps were slow deliberate moving up and down the aisles whatever it was it was big I could hear the floorboards creaking under its weight as it looked for me it paused then going quiet my heart pounded so hard I was too scared to even look at its shadow just when it seemed I was about to meet my fate that fog horn sounded off again my pursuer screeched a high-pitched earsplitting Screech then bolted away from the store I listened to its claw steps

fading away into the distance I didn't waste any Time I grabbed my backpack and cautiously stepped out from behind the counter the town was silent again but I didn't trust it I stepped outside onto the empty Street I then ran for my freaking life heading back towards the woods I didn't care about the path I just wanted to get as far away as possible as soon as possible after a long time the first light of dawn began to filter through the trees I slowed down exhaustion catching up with me I found a stream and splashed

water onto my face trying to collect myself I checked my bearings and realized I was hopelessly off course it took me the remainder of the day to navigate back to where i' parked my car I practically collapsed into the driver's seat but I was so happy to be back somewhere safe and familiar I then drove to the nearest town without stopping I told a few friends about what happened my buddy I'll call him e wanted to go back with me with proper gear camera GPS maybe even a drone don't get me wrong I was scared

to go back but a part of me a big part wanted to prove that I wasn't crazy so a couple of weeks later we organized a trip we packed up everything we could think of and set out early I tried retracing my steps as best I could we hiked for 3 days covering more ground than I thought possible but no matter where we went or how far there was no sign of that town no clearings no buildings nothing our GPS showed that we were in the right area but the terrain didn't match what I'd seen

before I wondered did the place ever exist did I trip and fall and hit my head having the weirdest nightmare nah that's reaching I knew my experience actually happened that town was out there somewhere even e reassured me saying maybe I'd got turned around at some point or if it was some kind of set it had been taken down already I still can't explain what happened it was very very real but it just doesn't make sense why it's no longer there but why was it ever there what was the purpose of the place what did

the fog horn mean and what was making those claw steps beware the devil of the pine from among the rose in the late ' 80s I found myself at the peak of an addiction the honeymoon phase of experimentation and partying was long over all that remained was the endless cycle of Maintenance and chasing the next high inevitably it led me to a place where I was broke and homeless that place was the pine Barons everyone from Jersey or the surrounding states knows it but for those who don't the pine Barons is an enormous stretch of

forest over a million Acres spanning Southern New Jersey most of the land is protected preserving A wilderness rich with wildlife and even richer with Legends the pine Barons was an ideal place for someone like me to be homeless especially if you have the right survival skills and in my case warrants there was enough Forest to disappear into enough space to keep moving your camp for me it was even better I had a connection with a cook who'd set up a crank lab and a makeshift shed out there a place just as perfect for hiding as

it was for cooking this was the darkest lowest point in my life and I won't sugarcoat it I won't glorify the lifestyle I was living back then there were no positive outlooks to share not even the ones I might have clung to back then but even through it all one thing stuck with me the Wilderness was beautiful even when I was strung out barely functional it was undeniable as beautiful as the Pine Barons were by day they became something else entirely after dark the forest felt less welcoming once night fell when the darkness rolled in

so did that sense of trespassing the forest seemed even more massive endless even it was like a portal had opened up swallowing you whole the place you thought you knew disappeared replaced by something else darker like I said I wasn't the only one squatting out there I'd been in the area for just over half a year but there were others who'd been out there much longer than me they all followed the same rule don't move around the barrons after Nightfall I wasn't originally from this area so I wasn't familiar with the legends of the place

but it didn't take long for me to hear the stories the tale of the lead's mother and her 13th child the one she cursed praying it would be born a devil and how something did answer her plea on the night of its birth it flew from her womb up up the chimney and into the night sky right out into the pine Barons I remember the rhyme they used to say mother leads cold and crass begged for a curse that would last Satan heard dark and Sly and shaped a child from fire and Sky born of

Shadow and dark design beware the devil of the pine it seemed like everyone I met out there had a story about their and cter with the Jersey Devil but as strung out as I was even I wasn't high enough to buy into those Tall Tails and backwood Superstition until I did it was nearing the end of September maybe October hard to say my sense of time was warped back then but it was getting colder with the occasional Frost creeping in at night and early mornings I'd been feeling the withdrawal hard for 2 days my connection

had been snatched up by the cops and I hadn't been able to get my hands on anything since I felt my complete crap my body achd I was so tired I could barely move and by the second day paranoia began to set in a lot of people don't realize it but the paranoia during withdrawal can be just as intense as when you're using night had fallen and by then it had been about 3 3 days since last I used I was beyond exhausted but I couldn't sleep my mind was too Restless too anxious I couldn't

stop thinking about my connection getting arrested what if the cops came back out here or Worse what if he flipped on me he knew I was wanted what if he had ratted me out I'd already moved my Camp twice that day each time deeper into the baronss but the longer I sat the more every rustle in the trees seemed like the cops closing in on me so I packed up and I pushed even further in deeper than I'd ever been before I didn't know exactly where I was anymore and in that moment it actually made

me feel less anxious my logic was simple if I didn't know where I was how could they I cleared a patch of Earth set up my tent and built a small fire just big enough to give me some warmth but not so large it would give away my location if someone was out here looking for me I tried to rest but sleep still wouldn't come I sat by the fire for hours watching The Darkness stretch and sway just beyond the flickering light the Stillness and quiet were soothing easing the grip of my anxiety but then

I heard something the soft popping of Twigs in the distance crunch pop crunch pop it sounded high up almost as if it were coming from the trees not from the ground as paranoid as I was about the cops I knew they weren't climbing up into the Treetops I tried to calm myself telling myself it was likely an owl or a raccoon leaping from limb to limb but the noise kept getting closer and louder I could tell now that the sound was not from small creatures these limbs were huge crashing to the ground with a violent

thud there was no way it was an owl nothing that small broke those branches then came the sharp rapid crack and snap of multiple branches followed by a massive thud that vibrated through the ground beneath me I jumped to my feet body stiff ready to run but unsure if I should I had no idea what was actually happening I stood Frozen mouth a gape exhaling clouds of breath into the cold night air my body was rigid every muscle tensed as I listened closely the silence stretched on until it finally outlasted my patience I reached into

my bag retrieving my flashlight and I slowly crept away from the light of my camp and into the brush toward the noise moving through through the forest I lit my path in short bursts covering the flashlights tip with my hand to briefly reveal my surroundings before concealing it again just enough to see where I was going without giving away my position after about 20 M I reached a section of the forest where the ground was completely littered with massive branches as I moved closer I heard snorting I froze dropping to one knee trying to conceal

myself until I could determine where the noise was coming from and more importantly what it belonged to I aimed my flashlight uncovered the beam and made a quick jerking scan from side to side all I saw were scattered branches and the trunks of trees shifting my weight I turned to face a different direction and scanned again the beam cut through the dark and a the Browns and blacks of the forest a massive white shape emerged I quickly covered my light holding my breath I couldn't tell exactly what I'd seen but it was massive tensing my

body into a crouched ball I prepared to Spring backward and run toward my Camp then the creature began to snort exhaling puffs of breath into the cold air there was something oddly familiar about the sounds it made strange but not threatening as I listened a sense of calm washed over me recognizing the noises I slowly stood fully exposed I uncovered the flashlight completely letting its beam fully illuminate the creature before me the light revealed the massive white figure my suspicions were correct standing in the middle of the woods was a huge white horse its back

turned toward me facing the opposite way I let out a sigh of relief at first but that was shortlived the longer I looked the more I questioned why it was out here its tail and man were Tangled with leaves and broken Twigs as I stood there pondering its presence the horse slowly turned its head to look at me my breath caught in my throat its eyes weren't reflecting the light they were glowing an eerie unmistakable red the horse exploded into motion rearing back onto its hind legs and letting out a piercing ning cry then with

a thunderous crash it dropped onto its front legs and broke into a full- speeed charge straight at me it barreled through the brush like a bulldozer The Stomping of hoves and snapping of branches loud and jarring I leapt to the side dodging the charge just in time as the massive animal thundered past me missing me by inches as I hit the ground landing hard on my side my flashlight slipped from my grip its beam danced wildly through the air casting strange shapes and jagged lines into the dark I rolled quickly to my feet scrambling to

retrieve the flashlight which had landed a few feet away from me snatching it up I jerked the beam from side to side searching for the horse nothing just trees and empty space the cold air was marked by the puffs of my breath everything was still everything was quiet the horse was gone where did it go it had been there just seconds before it felt as if this thing had charged straight past me and vanished into Oblivion the noise the chaos it was all gone replaced by an unsettling silence as if it had never been there

at all at first I thought it might be standing just a few feet away hidden in the brush Frozen and watching me but as I steadied myself and scanned the area more carefully there was no sign of that horse shaken anxiety churning inside me I decided I'd had enough I made my way back to Camp packed up my things and began hiking toward the forest's edge eager to put distance between me and whatever that was as I began to hike out of the depths of the forest my paranoia was overwhelming I felt eyes on me

watching me from all directions every time I turned my head I swore I caught the faintest movement but there was nothing there amid the crunching of my footsteps an unfamiliar sound caught my attention a wisping noise high above the canopy it wasn't wind there was no Breeze I raised my flashlight toward the Treetops the beam revealed something unnerving the tops of a few of the trees were swaying gently but only the ones directly above me as I stood there head tilted back my flashlights beam illuminated the Treetops and the wisping sound returned louder this time

followed by the snapping and crashing of branches the noise growing closer and closer to me something was coming fast but not from the ground it was moving through the Treetops Panic took over and I turned to run whatever it was it was too fast and in moments it was directly overhead twigs and branches rained down on me pelting my shoulders and head as the thing passed above ahead of me a deafening crash broke through the Stillness followed by a trimmer that rippled through the ground beneath my feet I skitted to a halt mid Sprint my

chest heing as I real realized something warm was streaming down my face blood probably from one of the branches that had hit me I covered my flashlight and Stood Still straining to listen running seemed like the obvious choice but I couldn't risk blindly sprinting into this thing my best chance was to figure out where it was first but there was no clue no sound the forest had fallen silent again I stood there for a while feeling cold and exposed every nerve was on edge the thought crept into my mind it could only be a few

feet away it could see me and I couldn't see it and it felt like it was closing in on me and the air around me began to feel weighted I frantically scanned the trees around me and there after my flashlight swept from trunk to trunk my heart dropped as I saw a massive familiar white shape only a few meters away and I swear as the light hit it it began to change its pristine white fur slowly darkened turning blacker than the night itself until no trace of white remained its glowing blood red eyes stared at

me blood began to trickle down from the crown of its head as small sharp Pricks pushed through its skin the points grew extending farther and farther until its head was covered with a massive grotesque set of antlers the creature's back began to shift its hide tearing open in two Jagged sheets of Flesh the skin peeled away wrenching Skyward revealing a pair of monstrous eldrich Wings my mind was a blur I had no words to describe the emotions surging through me nor the places my Consciousness spiraled to in the face of such a sight it was

otherworldly something beyond my understanding and existence I felt small insignificant and utterly irrelevant like mere fodder standing before the thing and in one swift motion it lunged everything went black the first thing I remember next was the murmur of the forest The Familiar Creeks of trees and the rustling of leaves then the light I jolted upright my body off the ground it was Daylight I looked around searching for that horse thing but there was nothing I was exactly where I'd been the night before flashlight now dead but still in my hand and all my gear

still on my back there was only me just me and the forest no signs of the thing I'd seen I stumbled weily out of the pine baren straight into town and I went right to the police station where I turned in myself for my outstanding warrants I was so terrified by what I'd seen that the only thing that had brought any sense of safety back into my life was that thought that if it wanted to get me it would have to come through a cell door first I served my time got clean off drugs and

put myself through college eventually I earned a degree in library science and became a librarian but not in Jersey I've shared my encounter in the Pion erance with others and I always say I have no idea if what I saw was actually real or just a weird withdrawal induced hallucination all I know is that it looked real and felt real it impacted my life in real ways I'd gone through withdrawals before and never hallucinated like that but I also know it could be possible whether it was real or fake it got me clean and turned

my life around actual monster or drug induced Vision I never want to see that much darkness and strangeness again when you walk down evil and dark paths in life you will always encounter evil and dark things and I'd like to pose the question whether these Horrors are grounded in reality or just figments of our imagination is there really a difference between them and beware the devil of the pine thank you for tuning in to unexplained encounters if you're not already follow and listen to unexplained encounters on Spotify Apple podcasts or your favorite podcast app leave

us a rating while you're at it get some cool creepy merch at Eerie cast. store check out my other show where I narrate scary work stories it's called Tales from the breakroom for more terrifyingly entertaining shows from Eerie cast go to east.com and if you want to listen to unexplained encounters and all the other eercast shows without pesy ads sign up for eercast Plus at east.com plusus you'll also get exclusive access to horror audiobooks only available to eercast Plus members and you'll get 20% off our east. store merch through our members only monthly discount code

finally if you have a scary story of The Unexplained send it to me at dark stories.org I think that's about it thank you so much for joining us stay safe out there and stay creepy because this world is a strange one [Music]