7 True Scary Hiking Horror Stories | VOL 6

College projects are supposed to be straightforward right you choose a topic you do the research put it all together and maybe learn something along the way when my friend Carlos and I signed up for a class we thought it would be fun a break from the usual grind the assignment was simple create a short documentary but being the overachievers that we were we decided to tackle something bigger something that would set our project apart from the rest and most importantly something that was interesting to us and that's how we ended up in the middle of

this supposedly cursed Forest not far from where we live our goal was to debunk the local legends that had kept people out of those trees for decades the forest was beautiful in its own way it had tall Lush trees and a special kind of quiet that was almost therapeutic but that silence had a weight to it it was like the forest was holding its breath waiting for something to happen the stories about the forest go back Generations I've heard Native American tribes used to live there and the forest was supposedly sacred ground you know the

same typical setup as every other cursed story in the United States but then came the stories of ghosts demons and dark rituals in my opinion I believe it was just old folklore and myths that people people said happen deep in those woods and those myths got blown out of proportion and spread through the generations most people avoid the place and those who didn't usually came back talking about negative energy and all that garbage in case you can't tell yet I'm not a believer in the Paranormal or really energies or anything like that and neither was

Carlos we didn't just by that the woods were cursed we thought it was all just superstitions and campfire stories and that's why we thought that this was the perfect subject for a documentary a chance to peel back the layers of folklore and show the world or at least our class that these Woods were just another patch of trees we spent the first few hours filming the scenery capturing shots of the sunlight filtering through the trees the dense foliage and even some of the caves we found scattered throughout the area it really was objectively a beautiful

Forest there was one cave in particular that caught our attention it wasn't deep but the way the light plate off the rocks made it perfect for the Eerie vibe that we were going for in our film as we set up the camera inside it felt like something had changed the sun started to shift behind the clouds and it almost felt like the sounds of nature started to quiet down right at that moment Carlos stopped and freezing mid shot he whispered something in a very scared voice asking if I heard that I hadn't heard anything but

the look on his face face was enough to make me feel somewhat uncomfortable we stood there in the dim light of the cave straining our ears then I heard it too a sort of sound coming from outside we had been hearing the wind blow all day but this was definitely no wind it was clearly the sound of someone or something approaching the cave these footsteps would close in slowly and then they just fade into the distance as if they were running away when they got close to the cave we exchanged these very nervous glances at

each other and we spent the whole day laughing off the stories but at that moment I was not afraid to admit that I had felt the twinge of fear my mind raced with a bunch of different scenarios maybe it was just another hiker or some animal passing by but the longer we stood there the more I started to doubt those rational explanations trying to keep a steady voice I told him that we should wrap things up as we got enough footage he didn't argue we quickly packed up the camera and gear we both tried to

play it off as if though we were cool but it was obvious we were both moving pretty frantically as we stepped out of the Cave the forest seemed darker than it should have been since the sun had started dipping in and out behind the clouds the feeling of dread was overwhelming and with every step we took back toward the car the sense of dread grew we hadn't gone far when the sound came again this time louder and much closer we stopped and tried to assess the sounds we were listening as the rustling morphed into the

unmistakable sound of footsteps we turned and that's when I saw them two dark figures moving swiftly through the trees their shapes blurred by the shadows and we both started to run I turned back several times and it was impossible to tell what was chasing us I was refusing to believe that it was some dark entity but I truly just couldn't tell in that moment as my heart was Raising in Carlos and I were running awkwardly through the forest trying not to run into trees or trip on the roots and it seemed almost like these people

were gliding through the trees the faster we ran the louder the footsteps grew until it felt like they were right on top of us I risked a final glance over my shoulder and got my clearest view of these people not only were they still chasing us but they were closing in very fast they were clearly human shaped but there was something just off about them something in the way they moved I couldn't make out any details other than that they were shaped like people they clearly were dressed and all black and they move so effortlessly

through the trees Carlos could see that I was slowing down since I was looking back at these people and he shouted for me to hurry up and we made our final push to the car we practically dove into the car slamming the doors shut behind us Carlos fumbling for his keys his hand shaking and when he finally turned that ignition on the engine roared to life and relief flooded through me until I looked down and saw the Dashboard Light up with some warning saying tire pressure low Carlos looked confused but didn't think too much about

it he just threw the car into gear but the moment we tried to move the vehicle lurched awkwardly our tires were flat all of them I stuck my head out the window and saw that the tires looked as if though they been slashed and before we could fully process what was happening movement caught my eye I looked up and there they were it was three people not just two emerging from the Tree Line Walking slowly towards us my stomach dropped as I realized that they were the same blurred shapes that I was seeing before and

these weren't some ghostly apparitions but actual humans dressed in solid black from head to toe their faces hidden behind feet featureless mass and these masks look very similar to ski masks maybe a shyy if you're familiar with those just complete Black though the car was locked but that did little to calm the rising Panic inside me as they drew closer Carlos frantically tried to dial for help but the signal was very weak and the call continued failing to connect finally Carlos got through to someone he was screaming for help giving his location and then we

lost the call again as it dropped I could see the figures now more clearly than ever one of them had a more slender build and smaller hands that had glittering nail polish a detail that should have been insignificant but somehow made the situation even more strange I almost wish that it was some dark entity instead of a person one of the people started to bang on the window while the other two started to kick the doors and bang on the hood the fist continued to Slam against the doors rattling the car with every shot my

heart pounded in my chest as I tried to think and come up with some kind of plan but the situation was paralyzing one of them the smaller one with that nail polish started pounding harder on the window the glass beginning to crack with the force I could hear them laughing which was just more of a reminder of how horrible the situation truly was the glass felt like it was going to give I knew it and there was nothing we could do but then through all this chaos we saw lights appear sirens in the rearview mirror

were were welcoming sight for once in my lifetime these MK figures froze their laughter stopped as they turned to look and as the vehicle was approaching I was able to make out that it was a park ranger and without a word these people bolted back into the woods disappearing as quickly as they appeared the ranger pulled up beside us his face sort of a mixture of concern and confusion as he got out of the car and approached us he asked if we were okay and we nodded still too rattled to speak the ranger led us

to his vehicle His Radio crackling into life as he called for backup and we left the car behind the relief of being away from those woods almost Indescribable now back at that station a bunch of cops showed up and we gave our statements detailing everything that had happened while we were still there the police finally caught up with one of those people it turned out to be a large dude with a goatee and a tattoo of a rose on each side of his Temple the stems curling down his cheek and down his neck perhaps the

worst part of the story is when the officers asked him during questioning why he was doing what he was doing and apparently he just smiled and said because I could and I wanted to his voice contained no remorse or empathy and he seemed almost happy about it from what they were saying we never found out who the other two weirdos were never found out if they were part of some gang or just a bunch of sios and honestly I'm not sure I want to the thought of them still out there just lurking in those woods

waiting for their next victims as enough to keep me awake at night after all of this Carlos and I proed that the woods are not haunted but that doesn't mean that monsters don't inhabit them [Music] it was the last week before I had to head back to college and my friends Jess and Katie decided that we needed one more Adventure before the summer officially ended we planned a light hike through the woods and an overnight camp out but nothing too intense no pun intended for those who just got my intense joke anyways we just wanted

enough of a getaway to feel like we'd done something for our summer besides working and binge watching Netflix and the day started out exactly how we hoped we packed up the car with our gear grabbed some snacks and hit the road with music blasting in the windows down I think we played Wreckingball by Miley Cyrus at least seven times and the hike we chose was about an hour away and a spot Jesse's older brother had told us about it's pretty secluded he said but it's beautiful and you'll practically have the place to yourselves and that

sounded perfect to us on the way we decided it wouldn't be a real camping trip without some beers so we pulled into a gas station to try our luck now none of us were 21 yet but Katie with her usual confidence stroe into the store to give it a shot Jess and I waited in the car laughing and chatting but when Katie came back out empty-handed and shaking her head we knew that it was a nogo in an annoyed voice she said the stupid guy wouldn't even entertain the idea and Katie sighed as she slid

back into the driver's seat I could tell that she was slightly embarrassed Katie wasn't used to hearing no I guess and just as we were about to give up on the beer idea a guy who had been filling up his tank walked over to our car and he looked normal enough he was of average height and a little scruffy maybe in his mid 20s he was wearing this nice purple flannel that didn't look ragged or gross most noticeable though was that he had this friendly smile but something about the way he was so quick to

approach us set off a tiny alarm Bell in my head in a deep and almost bellowing voice he says hey and then he started leaning down to Jess's window saw you had some trouble in there need help getting something his tone seemed casual but his eyes were all over each of us lingering just a bit too long for Comfort Katie always the Bold one jumped at the chance yeah could could you grab us some beers we got cash she handed him a 20 and he nodded smiling sure thing what do you want still something about

his handsome smile was just off to me Katie continued talking to him and I tried silently communicating my unease with Jesse and Katie but it was just too late now the guy was already walking into the store when he came back out he had a case of beer in one hand and the change in the other here you go he said handing it all over with that same smile but then he hesitated like he was waiting for something thanks man Katie said quickly grabbing the beer and giving him a sort of little wave and Jess

started the car and before the guy could say anything else we drove off as we pulled out of the parking lot I glanced back and saw the that he was just still standing there seemingly watching us that was weird I muttered but Katie brushed it off by saying something like I relax he just being nice we got our beard didn't we and the drive to the trail head was uneventful and soon we were out in the woods surrounded by tall trees and the sound of birds the hike was gorgeous just like Jess's brother had said

the path wound through the trees with sunlight flittering through the leaves and we were laughing taking pictures and enjoying the peace that came with being away from civilization but as the day wore on I started to feel a little uneasy every now and then I thought that I heard something simple things like a twig snapping the leaves rustling or the sound of a sudden shifting in the distance but whenever I turned around there was nothing there I told myself it was just the usual sounds of the forest because honestly they were no matter what I

told myself I just couldn't shake a certain feeling and by the time we set up camp the sun was finally setting and our little corner of the forest started to get dark very fast we built a small fire roasted some marshmallows and cracked open a few of those beers that we almost didn't end up with Jess and Katie were having a blast and on the surface I appeared to be having a blast as well as I continued trying to ignore the creepy Darkness around us while we were sitting around the C campire it was Jess

who first mentioned the sounds out loud do you guys hear that she asked in a low voice almost a whisper it sounds like I don't know like someone walking around out there Katie was quick with a response saying come on it's probably just animals but even she didn't sound entirely convinced we all sat there listening intently but after a while the noise stopped and we tried to shake off the uncomfortable vibe that was surrounding the fire now eventually we crawled into the tent snuggled into our sleeping bags and try to get some sleep but sleep

didn't come easily The Sounds outside started up again it was faint but at least to me the sounds appeared unmistakable all those Twigs snapping and the leaves rustling sounded a lot like bip pedal footsteps and my heart was pounding and I could tell tell by the way Jess and Katie were shifting in their bags that they clearly were awake and hearing it too after what felt like hours of just lying there eyes wide open in the dark I decided I couldn't take it anymore the fire had died down before we got into the tent and

I wanted to make sure that it was completely out by now I whispered to the girls that I was stepping outside for a minute and they seemed to agree silently I unzipped the tent and stepped out into the cool night the woods were pitch black except for a little glow of the Embers from our fire I grabbed a bottle of water and was about to pour it over the coals when I heard those rustling sounds again except this time it sounded like footsteps and it sounded like it was directly behind me I froze and I

remember being unable to catch my breath slowly I turned and there standing just a few feet away was what I could only describe instantly me as recognizing the guy from the gas station his face was barely visible in the dim light but in that instant my mind knew that was him I recognized the purple flannel from earlier and I wanted to scream and run but I was rooted to the spot I was so scared that it felt like I had forgotten how to breathe the guy just stood there staring at me not moving a muscle

which somehow made this entire interaction even worse it felt like an eternity but finally I found my voice get away from me I screamed and the sound seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he was in he took a step back and then another and before I knew it this guy was sprinting off into the woods I didn't wait to see where he went I ran back to the tent Jess and Katie were rolling around as they heard me scream I started to shake them and yell we need to go now and I could

feel my voice shaking my friends didn't really question what was happening I started saying about how the guy from earlier was outside the tent and apparently that was enough to get my friends panicking and packing and we packed up all in record time not even bothering to fold the tent properly we just stuffed everything into our bags and took off down the trail I remember the trail back being so nerve-wracking because we could barely see anything it was dark and our flashlights didn't do much to illuminate the path other than the trees that were directly

in front of us and every sound we heard made us erratic and just caused us to run faster we got to the car and it still wasn't even dawn yet we didn't say much on the drive home as all of us were just still too freaked out the process what had just happened and in hindsight we should have just called the police right then and there but getting away was the only thing on our minds at that time when we finally pulled into Jess's Drive driveway we just sat there for a moment staring straight ahead

and that's when I finally called the police and reported what had happened I told them about the guy from the gas station I told them about the approximate time that we had encountered him I remember Katie begging me to get off the phone with the police because she was scared that she was going to get in trouble for the alcohol but if this guy was some sort of creep I wanted to make sure the cops knew now it's been years now and we never did figure figure out what that guy wanted or if it even

truly was him from that place following us and after that night we decided our summer Adventures were over I can still imagine the sight of him standing there in the dark staring at me and I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gone out to check the fire not that it's the most reassuring thought but I also hope that this man was just a Peeping creep and not something way way [Music] worse back in 2015 my wife and I along with our friends Jake and Tabby had been planning this hike trip for many

weeks we all worked together and it was rare for us to get a long weekend off at the same time given that we all have such drastically different jobs so when the opportunity finally came we jumped at it and the plan was to head out early Saturday morning and spend the entire day exploring the Wilderness we' mapped out a trail that promised stunning views and we were all eager to disconnect from the world for a while the drive to the trail head was peaceful the sun was just starting to rise so the entire Drive had

this very amazing orange color and we were laughing swapping stories and enjoying the early start but as soon as we arrived at the trail head our excitement took a hit the sky darkened almost instantly and within minutes it started to downpour it was raining so hard that you couldn't even see anything in front of you we hoped it was just a passing shower and decided to wait it out in the car we'd already made the drive there we weren't about to turn around and drive home already the rain pounded against the roof and the windows

fogged up with our breath it wasn't the start that we'd imagined but we were determined to make the best of it and after about 20 minutes the rain led up leaving behind a very Misty and overcast day we debated whether that we should continue the hike but the trail was calling us and we didn't want to waste any time so we grabbed our gear and headed out we didn't get very far before the rain started again this time even harder it was like someone had turned on a faucet and we were drenched within seconds we

ran back to the car laughing and cursing at the same time trying to Shield ourselves from the the downpour but as we reached the car we saw something that made us all stop in our tracks standing next to the SUV was a young woman she was soaked to the bone and her clothes clinging to her thin frame were like Rags she looked like she had been through hell and her hair was matted and her face was covered with seemingly dirt and at first I thought maybe I was seeing things because of the rain but no

she was definitely real and standing directly next to my car even more creepy was that she appeared to be looking into the windows now without even thinking I shouted something out like hey get away from my car that was more out of fear than anything else it was instinctive and i' just felt like I had this Rush of adrenaline that was telling me something wasn't quite right she didn't move though she stood there staring at us with these very Hollow eyes she had that look like a deer gives you in the middle of the woods

when they're just sort of standing there like statues before I could let out another angry scream my wife held me back and said to me in a very concerned voice to wait and hold on she even said that she looked kind of hurt now Jake and Tabby were silent unsure of what to do I didn't want to let this stranger into our car but I couldn't ignore the fact that she might be in serious trouble and so against my better judgment we all piled into the SUV with a woman sitting behind the front passenger seat

seat and my wife in the middle seat in the back trying to comfort this woman the car was cramped the windows fogged up again from the sudden influx of bodies and you could just feel the tension in the car it went from a fun hiking trip to now dealing with a strange and potentially hurt woman in the middle of nowhere the woman didn't say much in fact she didn't say anything at all and she just sat there shivering and staring Straight Ahead my wife thought that she looked like she was maybe in shock and she

started to assume the worst the woman had makeup running all down her cheeks and was impossible to tell if that was from the rain or crying and we tried to ask her where she was from and what had happened to her but she didn't respond I kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror trying to read her Expressions but there was nothing there just a sort of vacant look the lights were on but clearly nobody was home Jake suggested that we should get her to the nearest gas station and call for help and we all

agreed there was no cell service out here so that was our best option I started the car and we headed down this muddy Road the windshield wipers were working overtime to keep the rain at Bay now I know it's easy to say this now but something just still wasn't sitting right with me I know this was a tense situation but that's not what bothered me the way she just sort of appeared out of nowhere her Silence with the way she didn't seem to be phased by the cold or The rain that's what bothered me it

was clear to me that this woman had issues and it was impossible to tell if she was dangerous or just truly shaken up about something I could tell my wife and friends were trying to stay calm but I could feel the discomfort they all felt especially Tabby we were about 2 minutes from the gas station when the woman suddenly started to scream and not just a little scream but it was a loud high-pitched guttural sound that startled me so badly that I started to lose control of the car she thrashed around in the back seat

hitting the windows in the seats making it impossible for me to regain control of the vehicle I tried my best to at least keep the SUV on the road but the road was slick and before I knew it the car veered off the road and into a ditch the car now having come to a sudden stop and for a moment everything was silent except for the pounding of the rain we were all trying to catch our breath trying to make sense of what just happened but then the woman just starts cackling it was this cold

empty laugh that was kind of bringing us back to reality she was howling in laughter I had a minor scrape on my forehead from hitting my head on the steering wheel but everyone else appeared to be physically okay and before anyone else could say anything Jake just shouted at her what the hell is wrong with you you and This Woman's insane laughter came to some abrupt end she pulled out a small blade from the inside of her shirt it looked like a box cutter from where I was sitting she put her left elbow into my

wife's neck and then held the blade with her right hand to Tabby's neck she said give me all your money now it was one of the most unsettling Parts about this nightmare that was unfolding it was that there was no trace of fear in her voice only a sick sort of satisfaction and we didn't argue we just threw down whatever cash or whatever else we had as we were all too scared to do anything else my wife started crying Jake was cursing under his breath and I was just trying to keep it together for everyone

the woman grabbed the money opened the car door and just started sprinting into the rain without looking back we sat there in Silence with only the back seat door open and after a few seconds I started the car again and my wife closed the door and we drove the rest of the way to the gas station we reported this incident but by then obviously this crazy woman was long gone the police took our statements but it was clear that they didn't expect to find her to this day I have no idea who that woman was

or where she came from I thought maybe she was a meth addict or or something and I remember for a while after that I was looking up crimes in the area but I never found anything that even remotely fit that description all I know is that we were lucky to get out of that situation alive this was one of the worst experiences of my life and even though I was happy to get out physically unharmed I still think about it and it makes me sick knowing that somewhere out there that wild woman is most likely

terrorizing someone else [Music] this story took place approximately 8 years ago I'm going to change the names for anonymity and this is also a burner account and will be the only post that I send to you under this account you see I was with my girlfriend we'll call her Casey for four years at the time of the story we both love the outdoors from hiking fishing picnics You Name It We love taking a drive to a random Park and just exploring one Saturday morning we decided to take a hike it was a decent drive for

us so I brought our camping gear just in case we decided to Camp or sleep in the car instead of driving home also depending on the weather we might just suck it up and drive home because neither of us wanted to sleep in the rain even if it was in the car the hike started out peaceful and enjoyable with the melody of the running water the birds bugs and other woodland animals it's what Drew us outdoors in the first place that escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life it was an escape for both

of us to have peace of mind and clear our heads we usually spent most of the time talking about our future and what we wanted a wedding what type of neighborhood we wanted to live in the house and all the other things that go on in the next chapter of life we would go on about our Dream scenarios such as where we want to establish a HomeTown but also somewhere to go and escape the winners and how not having kids would hopefully free us up financially to accomplish that someday it's hard to explain but I

felt like we had our best conversations when we were hiking now as we sunk deeper into the woods I got a weird feeling of paranoia I felt like the peaceful sounds that surrounded us had changed somehow the animals had a different tune or vibration and the water that had passed up a long time ago turned into sounds that resembled Whispers and I felt like I was being followed and that someone was trying to get my attention at the same time I quickly snapped out of it and went on with whatever conversation we were having at

the time I started getting tired and asked if we could take a break I was surprised that I needed a break and figured that I just didn't have enough water that day being dehydrated after the break I noticed a shift in Casey's mood and mannerisms she seems way more quiet than usual and grumpy I br rushed it off and assumed that she was probably just tired as well and I tried to continue a positive topic of conversation to cheer her up not long after she turned grumpy she then turned into an outright jerk every comment

I make is met with a rude or sarcastic comment which at first made me think that she was kidding but I quickly learned that she wasn't I asked her if she wanted to turn around or take a break or just continue quietly anything to try and get a gauge of how I could make the situation better but then we had a very silent face she wouldn't communicate with me at all I started trying to recall if I did or said anything that would have made her upset but I honestly couldn't think of anything then as

we get about as deep as we wanted to go on her hike Casey has an absolute manic breakdown and begins screaming and crying at the same time as I try to approach her to ask what's going on she becomes violent starts flailing her arms one of which actually makes direct contact with my temple and knocks my glasses off now I'm pretty much legally blind without my glasses so needless to say that I need to quickly find them or I can't see anything I also want to mention here that this is completely out of character for

Casey she wasn't that type of erratic person I'm panicking on the ground trying to find my glasses like Velma while Casey is still flailing her arms and now running and screaming in the opposite direction thankfully I quickly find my glasses and get up and chase after her I catch up to her and she seems completely out of it her eyes don't seem glazed over but they seem different like she's there but she isn't there I know that may sound weird but that's the best way I can explain it at this point she has stopped screaming

and acting violently towards me I sat her down and made her drink some water she still isn't talking much but seems a little more settled down once I determine that she can walk we start making our way down the trail back to the car it seems as though the more we move and the further we get from her manic breakdown the more back to normal she gets she's now starting to talk to me and asks if she remembers what happened she's telling me that she has no recollection and becomes embarrassed and apologetic for her episode

as we get about half a mile from the car she seems completely back to normal I'm still struggling to rationalize what happened I have never ever seen her act like that in the four years we had been together at that point and we have been through happy times and also the most sad and stressful times of Our Lives she was a big believer in the Supernatural so she was convinced that something dark had taken over her body I didn't buy that though I knew that there had to be some kind of rational explanation I did

some research and found out that in those woods there are actually some some plants that can really mess you up I'm thinking that she must have just come in contact with something somehow and maybe that's what caused the episode some of these plants can actually cause mania fever and even hallucinations and it got me thinking maybe I came into contact with them as well and that's what made me feel anxious earlier that day and without having an answer to that question I've just chosen The Simple Solution and that's to Simply never hike there again has

anyone else ever experienced something similar and would you mind sharing your thoughts if you have some of my Fondest Memories as a child are my mother taking me to Girl Scouts it's funny how certain things stick out over others I don't remember the cookies but I remember my mom putting the badges on my uniform I'm not sure if specific things stick in my memories more than others because I lost my mother and this was one of the main activities we did together or if it was my passion and eagerness for learning as a young girl

either way the Girl Scouts has always been a big part of my life into adulthood I have been a consistent volunteer even though I have not yet been blessed with children of my own to share these experiences with the story I'm sharing with you all today is one that I haven't ever put down on paper and so please bear with me while I do my best to tell you it it was one of the annual camping trips for the troop where we would have food activities hiking and a number of other things to keep the

girls occupied I always helped with food and some of the arts and craft type of activities I would use my own money to purchase snacks and approved food items and try to research something fun for the kids to do if they didn't want to participate in some of the more woodsy options when I was younger I always felt out of place and would have preferred something more art Centric to make me feel more comfortable and ease into the trip this trip started just like any other the leaders of the Excursion were mostly comprised of mothers

of the children and other volunteers like myself one of the first things we did with the morning daylight was a hike we always started off these trips with a hike and one because the kids were super excited and this would allow them to see their surroundings and two we knew that it would most likely make them tired for later which would hopefully amount to a good night's sleep the start of this hike was no different from any of the others it was standard and safe which is exactly what you would want for a trip like

this that was buzzing from the children's excitement but suddenly I felt everything go really quiet I felt like my sinuses and ears were plugged and all I could hear was buzzing after a few seconds I came to and looked around to take an inventory of the girls and that's when I noticed that Cindy was missing I walked briskly to to the line of children looking for Cindy but don't see her anywhere trying not to cause too much Panic or concern I start calling her name and walking even further forward to see if she had wandered

up with another group I bumped into one of the mothers and asked if she had seen Cindy she must have seen the fear in my eyes because as she said no she immediately walked back with me and began calling Cindy's name it had been a few minutes now and we had alerted everyone walking to stay still as we did in inventory to find Cindy and see if anyone else was missing I estimate about 5 minutes had elapsed and real genuine Terror was beginning to set in we were considering contacting the authorities to say that a

child was missing and just as we were getting ready to call we found Cindy nonchalantly walking a little bit off the trail in the woods I ran over to her to see if she was okay and she seemed completely fine I took inventory of her and she looked okay and didn't seem scared startled or even a bit out of place I held her hand and a few people yelled to all the girls to stay in a single file line and not wander off as we proceeded back to camp now Cindy was normally the shy quiet

type she was humming and making a lot of conversation with me which was completely out of character for her I playfully asked her what put her in such a good mood and she said the friend I made in the woods they warned me about the man in that red cave I paused really confused I asked what do you mean who did you meet in the woods did anyone touch you did they hurt you she just kept looking at me with this really strange smile saying that she had made a new friend and that they were

nice and wouldn't hurt her everything always went back to staying away from that man in the red cave at this point I was getting Goosebumps prickles on my neck I don't remember what else I asked or her exact responses I was just making sure that she was okay and hadn't really encountered someone in the woods that would put her or others in danger I started to think to myself had she really seen something or was her imagination just running wild with the Intrigue of the Limitless woods around us I had trouble getting comfortable that night

falling in and out of restless sleep thinking about some man in a red cave nothing a further incident happened that weekend thankfully and everyone went home safe and happy I had eventually put the experience deep out of my mind to where it had been years since I had thought about it and that was until we returned to that same Forest to do another camping retreat initially I didn't remember until a night when I was sitting outside again having trouble sleeping and I saw a little girl getting up I asked if she was okay and if

she needed to go to the bathroom or needed help with anything she said she was fine and was just having trouble sleeping I told her that I too had trouble sleeping and sometimes it's difficult to get rest when we aren't at home in our own beds she said that that wasn't the problem she said she was having bad dreams she said her friend kept waking her up to tell her that she needed to go see the man in the red cave and my heart sank I actually temporarily lost Hearing in that moment and I asked

her who was the friend asking you to go to the red cave and she couldn't articulate so it was hard to discern if it was someone in the tent waking her up and telling her or if she was really just having a bad dream but hearing about the man in the red cave again after all these years that couldn't have been coincidence I put the girl to bed and told her to let me know if she was woken up again I didn't hear from her for the rest of the night I also didn't sleep at

all that night not even 5 minutes I went home the next day and I have never returned to that spot [Music] again a few years ago I spent that summer working as a lifeguard at a resort nestled deep in the mountains the place wasn't exactly a tourist hot spot but it had had a steady stream of visitors a lot of people are just looking to get away from the noise of City Life hike a few trails and soak in the peace and quiet of the Mountain Area the resort was spread out with a main Hotel

some cabins scattered around the property and a pool that on most days was more about lounging than swimming a few years ago I was working on a Lazy Afternoon the kind where the sun hangs High and the most exciting thing to do is sip on an ice cold drink while you drift in and out out of a half nap I was on lifeguard duty at the pool making sure no one did anything stupid the usual crowd was there it was mostly married couples and young adults celebrating events specifically a bachelorette party but then I noticed

a guy hanging around the fence that separated the pool area from the rest of the resort he was dressed for swimming and he was just standing there watching that group of young women celebrating that bachelorette party the women were sunbathing and standing around the shallow end of the pool at first I really didn't think much of it people get curious and it wasn't uncommon for someone to come over and ask about pool hours or how to get a guest pass but this guy wasn't asking questions he just stood there watching the women and he started

talking to them but they seemed to be doing their best to ignore him I couldn't hear what he was saying but I could tell from the way that they were avoiding eye contact and shifting uncomfortably that they weren't interested in whatever he was saying after a few minutes of this I decided to step in I walked over to the edge of the pool trying to keep things casual and I just called out in this sort of calm voice asking him if he had a pool key and the guy turned to look at me and his

face was just sort of expressionless for a moment I thought he was going to argue with me but instead he just Shrugged and mumbled something under his breath before walking away the women gave me these sort of relieved Smiles in one of them this brunette with one of the most beautiful smiles I've ever seen actually waved me over and she seemed really chipper in a very sincere voice she said thank you for that he was really starting to creep us out I was trying to keep it cool and be confident so I told him it

was no problem I was just doing my job I felt like an idiot saying that like I'm some sort of Captain America type superhero but thankfully they didn't think that I sounded dumb because right after that they actually introduced themselves the woman talking called herself Abby and then pointed to the rest of the girls and there was Rachel Claire Dany and Bri I remember all of them and they were celebrating Bri's bachelorette party and we chatted for a bit they were staying in one of the cabins for the weekend and as it turned out they

were planning a little get together that night they invited me to join them and being a single guy with not much else to do I figured why not and later that evening I headed over to their cabin the sun was setting and the temperature was drastically cooling down the cabin was cozy with a small porch and view that overlooked the woods inside the girls had set up drinks and snacks and music was playing softly in the background it was just the six of us and the vibe was relaxing and very easygoing I guess they did

invite a few more guys that they had met early in the afternoon but I was the only one who actually showed up now we talked a bit and laughed and after a couple of drinks some of the girls started to get a bit adventurous Bri the one friend suggested a nigh hikee I wasn't really thrilled about that idea but I didn't want to be a kill Joy so I just went along with it not because I was scared but because I worked there I know what kind of animals lurk in those woods at night and

I'm not a huge fan but we grabbed some flashlights and headed out into the woods sticking to a trail that looped around the resort as we walked the usual nighttime sounds surrounded us there were loud crickets the occasional rustling of leaves you know typical forest sounds but after a while I started hearing something else too it was quiet at first like someone was walking at a distance behind us but every time I turned around I saw nothing but Darkness eventually Abby looked visibly scared and very nervously she asked if we had heard anything now we

all stopped listening intently and there it was again it was like erratic and Rapid movements somewhere nearby in the darkness this wasn't just the typical sounds of wind blowing through the trees but something that sounded more deliberate we all looked at each other and that's when Rachel said that she had had enough she and Bri decided to head back to the cabin and I didn't blame them the rest of us followed keeping the pace quick and by the time we made it back the mood had shifted the fun Carefree energy from earlier was gone and

it was replaced by a very nervous tension we locked the doors and tried to shake off the feeling of being watched but it was not easy we sat around for a while trying to just laugh it all off but there was just something different about the entire evening at least speaking for myself I couldn't shake that feeling of someone or something out in the woods with us and in a moment of monumental stupidity Dany and breed decided to go back outside several minutes later we heard footsteps outside the cabin we turned down the music and

started to intently listen it sounded like footsteps circling the place each step was very slow we could hear the Wood Creek with each step and it didn't sound like footsteps of Dany and Bri these were heavy and methodical footsteps Rachel who had been the most rattled by the hike froze in that moment and asked did you guys lock the back door I shot up from my seat and ran towards the back door I was so scared but I was trying to appear braver than I felt I grabbed a flashlight for some reason and headed to

that back back door checking the lock it was Secure but I just knew someone was out there I could only see a little bit outside that door window and it was completely possible that someone was standing just outside my view as I turned back toward the group I heard a loud crash from the front of the cabin before I could react Dany and Brie came barring into the living room screaming that someone had been chasing them in the woods I moved toward the door hoping to calm them down I was standing in the doorway and

before I closed the door I looked out to the front of the cabin and that's where I saw him this guy was running straight at me a hood pulled over his face he takes me to the ground in a moment and I felt the air rush out of my lungs as he knocked me to the floor he was strong stronger than I'd expected and he was reaching for something from his waistband I couldn't tell what it was but I assumed reaching back there for something wasn't good for me all I knew was that I had

to fight back but I was struggling to get him off of me and just as I thought I was done I heard a loud thud and the weight on top of me had just shifted looking up I see Abby standing over the both of us holding a golf club and her face was pale but determined she hit him hard on the side of the head and he was completely out cold instantly we called the police who surprisingly showed up quickly given the Resort's pretty remote location as it turns out this guy was the new maintenance

man someone who' started working at the resort just a few days earlier you see he'd been using his position to scope out the place and God knows what he had planned for that night obviously we pressed charges and he was arrested on the spot if that girl didn't act quickly I may not be sitting here writing this with all that going down it still blows my mind that some people out there in the world are just that evil this man appeared to have no other motives than just bringing harm to me and those [Music] girls

my now ex-boyfriend current boyfriend during the story who I'll just call Roger and I tried to travel and take trips as much as possible we loved exploring new places and getting away even if it was for just a few days and now with that said we are pretty big introverts and like doing our own thing when we hike or camp we like to do so in secluded areas and not be in crowded camping sites or Trails where you are literally shoulder-to-shoulder with other people we decided to visit a new hiking trail that was decently steep

that Roger heard about from a friend at work we figured it would test our limits and be a nice little getaway for a few days we have a h huge tent and some other amenities to make ourselves comfortable and I was actually pretty excited to get away we got there and set up an impromptu campsite on a flat piece of ground where we would be sheltered from wind during the night and we started this massive hike and I was excited and nervous but my excitement turned to annoyance when we stumbled upon another couple hiking at

the same place that we were I say that I was annoyed but I really wasn't everyone has the right to public place as we did as I am just very anxious and a very socially awkward person the couple came up to us and introduced themselves and we were polite and sparked up a little conversation the couple was actually quite charming and the questions they asked us and the information they shared with us had both Roger and I pretty disarmed they asked if we wanted to continue the hike together and since it's such a long trip

we agreed and figured that we could just turn around if we no longer want company as I said the couple is as sweet as can be they're super informative about the area and I found them very easy to talk to even though I usually am terrible at keeping conversation with new people we've been going for about 45 minutes and I started falling a little behind the guy that I'll refer to as Matthew I won't be sharing the names that they actually gave us falls behind me and starts up a conversation and this is where things

start to get a little creepy he starts mentioning my physique and asked what type of workouts I do stating that his partner is trying to tighten her buns and stay fit he put his hand on my arm and hand and said look at that definition you must devote a lot of time to arm days and I pulled back kind of in shock and also wanting to get the hell out of there now 5 minutes ago I found him charming and endearing and now I feel like his eyes are all over me and I'm getting some

very creepy vibes I catch up to Roger and try and Whisper the gist of it to him and he lets me know that the girl has also started being really weird and made a comment about his package and made sure to say that she wasn't talking about the backpack thoroughly creeped down at this point we decide to just head back and thank them for their great conversation thankfully they wanted to finish the hike and we could just get out of there and back to our campsite after having a bite to eat I realized both my

braak braet and ring were gone and I was racking my brain on how the hell I lost them I never take them off but it wasn't likely at all that they would just fall off and then after 15 minutes of looking in my bags I stopped dead in my tracks I leaned over to Roger and said Matthew touched my arm and hand on the hike when he was complimenting my definition do you think he could have swiped it without me noticing and we weren't sure and Roger told me that he would head back up in

the morning and see if he saw anything on the ground we went to bed early knowing that we were going to get up early and try to find the lost jewelry and head home in the middle of the night I awoke to the loud sound of a snapping branch and would felt like Whispering or something in that moment I finally came to and shook Roger and woke him up and must have heard it as well at that moment he put a finger over his lips to tell me to keep quiet as he quietly unzipped the

tent to take a look the next thing I know he's yelling hey what are you doing over there it was the couple from earlier they said that they had stumbled across our area and wanted to wake up whoever was there because they saw a bear and were fearful that it might attack the site Roger said that he appreciates that info but that we're all set and then Roger came back to the tent and put his finger over his mouth again he kept his eyes directly on the window of the tent and didn't speak for about

5 minutes he then looked at me and said grab everything you can and get in the car I went to speak and he just repeated the same phrase we got out and grabbed as much stuff as we could he even grabbed the tent and began stuffing it still half together into the truck and we just peeled off once we had the essentials and I finally got an answer out of him as to what was going on he goes on to say that the Matthew the guy from earlier seemed to have a knife in his hand

and another one holstered when he got out of that tent and he said he didn't feel safe with us staying there and wanted to leave as soon as possible once we got home and began to shake that terrible nightmare from our minds I decided to actually look up those couples's names on Facebook now the only thing I could find was that those same two names were the names of the couple who died on a camping trip a few years prior and no this isn't some ghost story there was a photo of the couple who had

tragically passed and they were not the two people that we saw for what malicious reasons were they using these fake names though was it just to steal people's stuff or something worse I'm glad that we got up and left right away or we may have found out what their true intentions were hey friends thanks for listening click that notification Bell to be alerted of all future narrations I release new videos every Monday and Thursday at 9900 p.m. EST and there are super fun live streams every Sunday and Wednesday nights if you got a story be

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