Living Off the Grid Was My Biggest Mistake—Here's Why Vol. 1

I live off the grid no phone no Internet no neighbors for miles it's just me in the woods a cabin I built with my own hands and the river that winds through the valley below people say I'm running from something but I'm not I just prefer it this way I used to be a cop worked the streets for 20 years in Detroit I've seen enough bad people to know that society's rules are more fragile than they look so I left it all behind most days are quiet out here just the sounds of nature the kind

of quiet that lets a man think it was late October when things started happening the leaves were already on the ground crunching under my boots as I walked through the forest the air was cold biting but the kind of cold that felt alive the animals were getting ready for winter I'd spotted a few deer the occasional Bear Tracks nothing unusual the first sign something was wrong was the smell it hit me when I was splitting wood behind the cabin rotten like something had crawled into the Earth Earth and died but couldn't quite finish the job

I've smelled dead bodies before more than I care to remember and this was close but it was different it wasn't fresh death and it wasn't old it hung in the air clung to everything made my skin itch I Shrugged it off at first the forest has its own way of decaying things die all the time out here but the smell didn't go away it followed me growing stronger as the days passed at night when the wind howled through the trees I could swear I heard something else mixed in I tried telling myself it was the

wind but deep down I knew it wasn't then people started disappearing the nearest town Waverly was about 30 Mi away small place population maybe a few hundred the kind of place where everybody knows every body and strangers stand out I didn't get into town much but I'd heard some folks talking at the General Store a couple of hikers had gone missing up near the ridg line not too far from my cabin Rangers had been through local cops too but they hadn't found anything now I'm not one to believe in local Legends but Waverly had it

share old stories about the rich Phantom a man who went mad during the Gold Rush day days and still haunted the mountains I'd heard enough stories like that in my ears as a cop to know they were just that stories but as the smell grew stronger and the night stretched longer I started to wonder if there was more to it one morning I found tracks outside the cabin human tracks Barefoot which was strange considering how cold it was they circled the cabin paused at the windows and then then disappeared into the trees I followed them

for a while rifles slung over my shoulder but they stopped suddenly about a half mile in like whoever it was had vanished Into Thin Air that night I stayed up listening the wind was strong but underneath it there was something else footsteps they were slow at first methodical like someone was circling the cabin again I grabbed my rifle threw on my coat and stepped outside the cold hit me like a punch but the smell hit harder it was Stronger now almost unbearable I circled the cabin flashlight cutting through the dark but there was nothing I

didn't sleep that night the next day I headed into Waverly the oldtimers at the General Store were talking about another missing person a kid from the city who' been camping with some friends they found his tent but no sign of him the sheriff was there too saying the same thing he'd said for the last month we're doing everything we can I didn't say anything but when the sheriff left I asked around some folks said they'd heard things strange noises coming from the mountains at night others said it was wolves but the one that stuck with

me was old Jake hallaway he was sitting by the wood stove staring into his coffee when I asked him if he'd seen anything he didn't answer at first then without looking up he said it's him the ridge Phantom I didn't laugh Jake was a vet had seen things most people couldn't handle and he wasn't one to scare easily when I asked him what he meant he just shook his head and said you'll see I left town unsettled something was happening and I couldn't shake the feeling that it was heading my way that night it happened

I was sitting by the fire trying to read when I heard it footsteps but not outside inside slow deliberate I froze listening my cabin is small just two rooms and I knew every Creek in the floorboards whoever it was they were in the kitchen I grabbed my rifle heart pounding and crept toward the door when I swung it open the smell hit me like a wall and there he was a man or what used to be a man standing by the table staring at me his skin was pale almost translucent and he was covered in

dirt and blood his eyes were Hollow lifeless but I could feel him watching me he didn't say anything didn't move he just stood there I raised the rifle but my hands were shaking he smiled then a slow cruel smile that sent a chill down my spine I pulled the trigger but nothing happened the gun jammed I swore fumbling with it but by the time I looked up he was gone just gone I don't know how long I stood there staring at the empty space where he'd been eventually I forced myself to move I checked every

inch of the cabin but he was gone no tracks no sign of forced entry just that smell lingering in the air the next day I found more tracks They led into the woods again but this time I didn't follow instead I boarded up the windows locked the doors and sat by the fire with my rifle I didn't sleep I couldn't for 3 days I waited the smell never left the wind never stopped and every night I heard the footsteps always just outside circling waiting on the fourth night I'd had enough I grabbed my rifle threw

on my coat and stepped outside the air was colder than it had ever been and the smell was overpowering I followed the tracks again deeper into the woods this time until I reached the ridge that's where I found them the missing people or what was left of them bodies torn apart scattered like they'd been dropped from the sky blood everywhere and standing in the middle of it all was him the Phantom the man whatever he was he didn't move didn't even look at me he just stood there smiling I raised the rifle again hands steady

this time and fired the shot hit him Square in the chest but he didn't fall he just kept smiling I fired again and again but it didn't matter he wasn't going down in the end I ran I don't remember how far or how long but I ran until the cabin was behind me until I couldn't smell the rod anymore when I finally stopped the sun was coming up and I was alone the Phantom never followed maybe he didn't need to the sheriff found me the next morning sitting by the river rifle still in hand he

didn't ask any questions didn't need to it's been a long time since I made my way into civilization but now sitting in this cabin I think maybe I should have stayed away you ever have one of those feelings deep down where your instincts tell you something's wrong like you're not alone that's what I've been dealing with for the past few hours the unsettle and quiet is not the peaceful kind I used to enjoy no birds no wind just the low hum of tension that makes every muscle in my body tight I didn't always live this

way away from people in fact I used to be a city guy worked as a mechanic down in Greensboro for years but something about the constant hum of the city started gnawing at me I had a good setup there but when my wife left me it all came crashing down I thought maybe it was time for a change a big one so I sold off what little I had packed up and found this place deep in the appalachin no neighbors no noise just me in the wilderness the first few years were fine I had a

routine I'd hunt for food fish when the rivers were flowing strong and trade furs with a guy who lived a couple of miles out for things I couldn't make myself it wasn't glamorous but it was a hell of a lot better than staring at the walls of my old apartment the only only thing I missed was real human contact but even that over time seemed like a distant need I was content or so I thought but today something changed it started this morning when I went down to check my traps I'd set a few up

near the ridge about half a mile from the cabin I figured I'd get a couple of rabbits maybe a fox if I was lucky but what I found wasn't an animal it was a man he was half buried in the snow his body stiff Frozen and twisted in a way that looked unnatural like he had fallen from the sky or something had dropped him his face was covered in Frost Eyes Wide Open staring into the gray sky there was no sign of struggle no tracks leading to or from the body just him laid out like

a warning now you've got to understand out here you don't come across people too often so when you do you either help them or you get the hell away from them because chances are they've got nothing good in mind I didn't recognize this guy he wasn't from around here and his clothes didn't make sense it wasn't hiking gear or even the usual kind of stuff you'd see on a hunter he was wearing a suit a damn suit out here in the middle of nowhere who the hell wears a suit in the woods I didn't touch

him there was no point he was long gone and I wasn't about to mess with that but as I started heading back to the cabin I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched every step I took it felt like someone was following keeping Pace with me I stopped a few times listening waiting nothing just the Silence of the forest when I got back to the cabin I locked the door something I hadn't done in years it didn't make me feel safer if anything it made me more aware of how isolated I was it's

funny how living alone in the woods feels secure until something out of the ordinary happens then all that space between you and other people starts to feel like a death sentence hours passed and the day grew darker I tried to keep busy chopping wood fixing some things around the place but my mind kept going back to the body who was he how did he get out here and why did he look like he had been dropped from the sky by dusk the tension had ratcheted up the forest was still quiet too quiet I thought about

heading out making my way to Tom's Place the guy I trade with but something kept me here maybe it was stupidity or maybe it was that same Instinct that had kept me alive all these years whatever it was I stayed put that's when I heard it a knock at first I thought it was a branch hitting the side of the cabin but no it was deliberate slow and spaced out three knocks then silence I stood Frozen by the stove ax still in my hand my first thought was that it was Tom maybe coming by to

trade early but Tom never came this late hell no one came this late the knock came again this time louder more insistent I grabbed the rifle from the wall and cocked it heart pounding in my chest it wasn't just fear it was the realization that whoever was out there it wasn't good and in my gut I knew it had something to do with that body I'd found I moved to the door keeping my steps quiet whoever it was I didn't want them to know I was home I peered through the small crack between the door

and the frame just enough to catch a glimpse outside nothing no one was there that didn't make sense I could still hear the knocking but there was no one standing at the door my hand was shaking now the rifle heavy in my grip the knocking came again louder this time like whoever or whatever it was wanted to come in I wasn't waiting around to find out I threw open the door ready to fire at whatever was out there but there was nothing just the cold night air and then I saw it lying on the porch

another body this one fresh still warm steam Rising from the open gash across its throat the man was dressed the same as the one I'd found earlier another suit same vacant lifeless eyes staring into nothing I don't know how long I stood there staring at the body but it was long enough for me to realize something was very very wrong my cabin my refuge had turned into a trap something was hunting me toying with me I dragged the body off the POR torch and tossed it into the snow no way was I letting it sit

there I didn't have time to think I needed to leave whatever was out there it wasn't stopping and I wasn't about to wait for it to come knocking again I packed what little I could grabbed the rifle and headed out my only plan was to make it to Tom's if I could get there I could figure something out maybe he'd seen something maybe could help but deep down I knew I was on my own as I treed through the woods I could feel it something was following me I couldn't see it but I knew it

was there every snap of a twig every crunch of snow underfoot s my heart racing I kept my Pace steady trying not to let the fear take over but the truth was I was scared out of my mind by the time I reached Tom's Place it was too late his cabin was dark the windows shattered the door hanging off its hinges I called out for him but there was no answer I stepped inside and the smell hit me first Blood thick and metallic Tom was there or what was left of him scattered across the floor

whatever had done this wasn't human no man could tear someone apart like that but as I stood there staring at the Carnage I realized something even worse I was next I don't remember much after that I ran faster than I've ever run in my life I didn't stop not until I collapsed on the ground miles away from the cabin from Tom's Place from everything when I finally caught my breath I looked around there was no sign of anyone or anything following me maybe it had got and what it wanted maybe it was satisfied I don't

know what I found out there in the woods that day but I know one thing for sure I'm not going back I never thought I'd be telling this story but here I am trying to make sense of it all living off the grid has its perks Peace Quiet no nosy neighbors or city stress but it also has its downsides you become a little too comfortable with the isolation a little too sure nothing can disturb your quiet World well I learned the hard way that things can change in an instant I'm Jack Lander 39 living on

a patch of land tucked deep in the alany mountains it's not much just a small cabin I built with my own hands running water from a nearby Creek in a decent solar panel setup to keep the essentials running I'm not some paranoid recluse or anything I just got tired of the 9-to-5 grind people wore me out you know everyone's rushing everyone's stressed and no one seems to care about anything beyond their own noses out here it's just me nature and my old dog Copper the world's problems don't reach me or at least they didn't it

was early October the day still warm enough to work outside without freezing but the kns were creeping toward the cold end of the spectrum I was chopping W near the tree line for the winter doing the usual prep before things got too chilly I hadn't seen anyone in a few weeks not even the rare hiker or the ranger who occasionally checked in to make sure I hadn't dropped off the face of the Earth fine by me that morning started normal enough coffee stretching chopping wood copper was doing his usual rounds sniffing at everything like he

hadn't smelled the same trees a thousand times before but as the sun started to dip behind the ridge something felt off Copper got real tense ears perked up and he kept looking toward the dense part of the woods now this dog wasn't a pup anymore he'd seen his fair share of deer bears and whatever else lurks out there but this time it was different he started growling low pacing back and forth between me and the tree line I brushed it off at first probably just some animal passing through but copper didn't settle down and the

air had this Stillness to it no birds chirping no wind rustling the trees just an oppressive silence that crawled under my skin I grabbed my rifle from inside not that I was expecting trouble but it's better to be safe when your only backup is a 10-year-old dog with arthritis the rifle gave me some comfort a false sense of control maybe but it didn't make that tight feeling in my chest go away I whistled for copper and we both headed toward the woods his growl constant now we didn't get far before I smelled it something rank

like rotting meat but mixed with something else something earthy and metallic copper froze ears pinned back his teeth bared I swear I've never seen him like that before he's not a cowardly dog but whatever it was spooked him bad then I heard it a snap of Twigs something heavy moving through the underbrush but not fast deliberate like it was moving toward us with a purpose my grip on the rifle tightened I aimed in the direction of the sound squinting through the thick trees and then then I saw it just for a second a shape darting

between the trees human-shaped but wrong somehow Too Tall too thin I called out who's there no answer just that oppressive silence and the stench that seemed to cling to the air I started backing up Copper Still growling beside me but I kept my eyes on the tree line I wasn't about to turn my back on whatever the hell that was we made it back to the cabin and I bolted the door behind us my hands were shaking I tried to tell myself it was nothing maybe some weird deer or elk or Hell a hunter lost

in the woods but I knew better night came fast too fast I kept the lights off rifle in hand sitting in the corner where I could watch the door and the window at the same time copper wouldn't settle down pacing in front of the door like he was on guard Duty around midnight the scratching started soft at first barely audible but then louder more insistent it was coming from the back of the cabin where there wasn't any light my heart was racing but I stayed still gripping the rifle my eyes glued to the window then

the scratching moved it was at the door now slow and deliberate like whatever was out there knew I was inside died I stood up trying to steady my breathing I've got a gun I yelled voice cracking a bit but the scratching stopped I strained to listen waiting for something anything and then there was again footsteps but not like any humans it was too heavy too slow like whatever was out there was taking its time playing with me I don't know how long I stood there rifle aimed at the door waiting for it to break in

but it never did eventually the sound stopped but I didn't sleep that night I just sat there wide-eyed the rifle across my lap when the Sun finally Rose the silence lifted and copper exhausted had finally Lain down I ventured outside keeping the rifle close the ground around the cabin was Disturbed bid prints in the dirt almost like a man's but elongated distorted and there was something else too a pile of bones near the edge of the clearing not animal bones human my stomach dropped I approached cautiously rifle raised and there amidst the pile of bones

was a scrap of clothing faded torn but recognizable it belonged to the Ranger who last checked in on me a few weeks ago I hadn't thought much of it when he didn't show up for his regular visit people get busy but now I called the sheriff's office trying to keep my voice steady they sent A team out and I told them everything they searched the woods ComEd the area for any signs of what might have killed the ranger they didn't find much just the bones and those strange tracks that led deeper into the forest only

to disappear as if whatever it was had vanished Into Thin Air they told me it was probably a bear I didn't argue but I knew better copper knew better too it's been a few days now and I haven't heard or seen anything else but I've been keeping the rifle close and copper stays by my side more alert than ever I'm not leaving this place this is my home and I've put too much into it to run now but I'm not stupid either whatever's out there it's still waiting I don't know what it wants but I

know it's not done yet my cabin sat nestled deep in the woods of West Virginia where the dirt roads ended and the trees began to rise tall like Sentinels guarding the Forgotten parts of the world I had built it myself myself a few years back after the city had become too loud too crowded I wanted quiet I wanted to be away from people away from the constant hum of human life the mountains provided that they were good for my head for my soul I'd always been a Solitary Man life on the grid wasn't for me

I worked odd jobs here and there carpentry mostly enough to buy the tools I needed to keep myself afloat my days were spent in the rhythm of chopping wood fixing leaks and tending to the land it wasn't glamorous but it was mine it gave me peace until last week last Tuesday started like any other the morning was crisp the fog still clinging to the trees as I split firewood outside I was halfway through the pile when I noticed something strange it was subtle at first Birds they weren't singing the woods were too quiet usually you'd

hear the rustling of squirrels the distant calls of birds but not that day it was dead still I stood for a moment listening trying to shake off the ones creeping into my bones I Shrugged it off thinking maybe it was the weather maybe the storm the radio mentioned was coming in sooner than expected I went inside made some coffee and tried to focus on a book I'd been reading but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong I looked out the window every few minutes expecting what I didn't know later that afternoon I decided

to hike up the trail near the cabin it wasn't a marked path just something I'd carved out over the years to reach a ridge that offered a hell of a view of the valley below the walk usually clear my head I grabbed my coat a knife and my old Winchester out of habit more than necessity the animals out here didn't bother me much but you never knew as I started up the trail the air felt heavier the silence followed me no crunch of leaves underfoot no wind through the branches just the sound of my boots

on the pack dirt about halfway up I found some something strange bootprints fresh ones too they were leading off the trail deeper into the trees now this wasn't unusual for hunters to be out here but I hadn't seen anyone in weeks and these prints weren't following the trail they were cutting through it heading in a Direction no One usually bothered to go I stopped and crouched down to examine them closer something wasn't right about the space faing too wide like whoever made them was either running or stumbling there was a broken Branch nearby too snapped

clean in half I stood my gut tightening I had a choice to make I could ignore it turn around and go back to my cabin or I could follow the prince you'd think I'd know better at my age I was pushing 50 and I'd had my fair share of run-ins with things that didn't concern me but something in me curiosity maybe pushed me to follow the trail led me deeper into the woods off the beaten path where the trees grew denser and the light barely broke through the canopy the air was colder here my breath

came out in short Puffs as I moved quietly carefully the prince veered left suddenly like whoever made them had changed Direction in a hurry I followed and that's when I saw it a clearing in the center there was a small weathered cabin more like a shack really half collapsed barely standing I had been in these Woods for years and never seen it before I stepped closer feeling the tension in my chest tighten the place looked abandoned but something about it felt wrong the door was slightly a jar and there were scratch marks around the frame

long deep deep grooves that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up I gried the Winchester Tighter and approached slowly the prince I had been following ended at the door whoever it was had gone inside against my better judgment I pushed the door open with the barrel of my gun the hinges creaked and the smell hit me first rotting meat my stomach turned inside the shack was small just one room there was a table in the corner old and covered in dust but what caught my eye was the floor the dirt had

been Disturbed and something had been dug up recently there was a shallow pit and beside it a mound of Earth I heard a sound then soft at first but unmistakable the faintest shuffle of movement from behind the table my heart pounded as I raised the rifle stepping around to get a better View and then I saw him a man crouched in the corner covered in dirt his clothes torn his face pale and gaunt his eyes were wide wild like an animals he didn't move at first just stared at me unblinking what the hell are you

doing out here I asked my voice steady though my mind raised he didn't answer just stared there was something in his hand something dark and wet and when I looked closer I realized it was a knife dripping with blood I should have turned and walked away but I couldn't there was something in the way he held it something in his eyes that told me he wasn't right not in the head I didn't know if he'd hurt someone or if he'd been hurt himself but I wasn't sticking around to find out put it down I said

inching backward the rifle aim at his chest he blinked slowly and for a moment I thought he might listen then He lunged everything happened fast after that my finger squeezed the trigger and the shot rang out echoing through the trees the man dropped his body hitting the dirt with a sickening thud I stood there for a moment Frozen staring at the blood pooling around him I should have felt something relief fear guilt but all I felt was numb I lowered the gun my hand shaking now and backed out of the shack I wasn't sticking around

whatever had happened here wasn't my problem anymore I made my way back to the cabin in a days The Silence of the woods pressing in on me again when I reached home I locked the door sat down at the kitchen table and poured myself a drink I didn't sleep that night the sheriff came out the next day I told him everything led him to the shack they found the man's body the knife still clutched in his hand and something else a shallow grave behind the cabin with more bones than I cared to think about I

never went back up that trail I've always lived a quiet life far away from The Madness of the Cities maybe that's why what happened to me still feels so surreal it was just me my cabin and the vast Wilderness that stretched endlessly in every direction some folks think living off the grid is crazy but it suited me after a messy divorce and too many years grinding away in some office that felt like a prison I decided to disappear my name is John Darnell and the world didn't care if I vanished at least that's what I

thought I built my cabin in a remote part of West Virginia near the old coal mines the place was cheap nestled between steep ridges and thick forests hardly anyone came out this way except the occasional hiker or someone lost on one of those barely their dirt roads for the most part it was just me and the land the first time I heard about the disappearances it didn't seem real some people talked about it in town said hikers would come out to explore the old mining tunnels and never come back but that stuff happens right people

get lost in the wilderness all the time but these were locals folks who knew the land better than most like Tim bradoock who'd grown up near the ridges one day he was out hunting and by Nightfall nothing but his rifle and a torn flannel Shir were found both stained with w looked like blood but life goes on and so did I it was late fall when things started getting strange around my cabin nights were getting colder longer you'd hear odd sounds in the forest sometimes I chocked it up to animals Bears maybe I'd hear cracking

branches heavy footfalls like something large was moving close by but every time I grabbed my flashlight and and stepped outside the woods were dead silent one night I woke up to what sounded like a scream not a human scream more like a mix between an animal and something I couldn't quite place it echoed through the hills Bouncing Off The Ridges I grabbed my shotgun loaded it and stood on my porch for a while but nothing happened the air felt heavy too quiet like the whole forest was holding its breath the next next morning I found

tracks huge prints too big for any bear or animal I'd ever seen out here and they weren't just prints either deep grooves in the dirt like claws had dragged through the earth I tried to shake it off maybe someone's screwing around I told myself you hear enough weird stories in a place like this it's easy to let your mind wander but then a few days later I saw something it was near dusk I'd been chopping firewood and out of the corner of my eye I caught movement along the tree line at first I thought it

was a person maybe some lost hiker trying to find their way back to the road but this this thing was hunched over its arms longer than they should have been and it was fast too fast for a man darting from tree to tree like it knew I was watching I froze my axe halfway down on a log just staring at it when I finally snapped out of it I grabbed the shotgun and moved toward the cabin the thing had disappeared by then melting into the forest that night I didn't sleep much a few days passed

and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched the woods which had always been a kind of sanctuary for me suddenly felt hostile I locked the cabin tight every night double checked the windows and kept my shotgun close still those noises continued sometimes I'd hear a thuing like something heavy was dragging itself through the underbrush other times it was the quiet that unnerved me the most then it happened the day that would change everything it was early afternoon just after lunch I'd been working on a new shed hammering away at some old planks

I'd found near one of the mining sites I wasn't expecting anyone but I heard someone coming up the trail you could hear the crunch of boots on the Dead Leaves slow and deliberate I turned expecting maybe a lost hiker but what stepped out of the woods wasn't human it was tall lanky with arms that hung too low and its skin was this ash in color almost like it was rotting the face if you could call it that was a mess of Twisted features like someone had tried to carve a human face out of stone and

failed miserably the eyes were Hollow black pits and the smell it was rancid like death itself had rolled out of the woods I didn't think Instinct took over I grabbed the shotgun from the porch and fired the thing moved faster than anything I'd ever seen the shot went wide sh shattering into the trees behind it I ran for the cabin bolting the door behind me the thing screeched a high-pitched sound that pierced through the walls it ran the door shaking the entire cabin I grabbed shells from the drawer and reloaded my hand shaking for what

felt like hours the thing pounded on the walls circling the cabin its claws scratching at the wood every time I fired Through the Windows it darted away but it always came back it was playing with me wearing me down I'm not sure how long the attack lasted but at some point everything went quiet no more screeches no more clawing just silence I didn't move for what felt like an eternity just sitting there on the floor with the shotgun aimed at the door when I finally worked up the courage to step outside the sun was setting

the trees were still but the air felt wrong thick with an unnatural chill I checked the perimeter of the cabin but there was no sign of the creature just deep gouches in the wood blood splatters on the ground where I must have nicked it that night I didn't sleep I kept the Shotgun by my side my eyes glued to the door but the creature never came back I don't know what that thing was and honestly I don't want to know I packed up what I could and left that place the next morning drove to the

nearest town and I've never been back since a couple weeks later I heard about another missing person some hiker had gone out near the old mining tunnels and no one ever saw them again the locals said it was just the mountains claiming another life but I know better there's something out there in those Hills waiting and I hope to hell I never see it again I've been living off the grid in the Deep Woods of Montana for about 10 years now my cabin is a modest one room structure built with my own hands from felt

Pines no electricity no running water just me my dog Max and the vast expanse of wilderness I chose this life for its Simplicity and the peace at offered but peace is a fragile thing yesterday started like any other day the sun broke through the canopy casting dappled light on the forest floor I set out early with Max to check the traps I'd laid a few miles out the morning air was crisp carrying the scent of Pine and Earth Birds chattered overhead and the world felt alive about an hour into our Trek Max grew Restless his

ears perked up and he let out a low line what's wrong boy I asked scanning the surroundings the forest seemed normal but animals have instincts we often Overlook I decided to keep moving chalking it up to a distant Predator that spooked him we reached the first trap it was empty so was the second and the third unusual but not impossible Wildlife patterns can be unpredictable as we headed to the fourth Max stopped dead in his tracks this time he growled the fur on his back standing up I followed his gaze and saw it a crude

symbol carved into a tree one I didn't recognize it looked ancient perhaps Native American but distorted curiosity peaked I reached out to touch the carving the wood around it was darker almost burnt a sudden chill ran through the air and the forest fell silent no birds no rustling leaves nothing it was as if the woods were holding their breath letun head back I said to Max un settling in my stomach we retraced our steps but the path seemed unfamiliar trees appeared twisted and the underbrush thicker than before I pride myself on my navigation skills but

something was off after what felt like hours we stumbled upon a clearing I didn't recognize in the center stood a massive Oak its branches Barren despite the season at its base lay objects arranged in a circle animal bones feathers and Stones stacked in Peculiar formations this wasn't natural someone or something had arranged them deliberately a rust Ling sound came from behind I spun around rifle at the ready but saw nothing Max snarled his eyes fixed on the tree line then a figure emerged a man or so it seemed he was tall and gaunt wearing tattered

clothing that looked outdated by a century his eyes were Hollow and his skin had a grayish Hue can I help you I called out trying to keep my voice steady he didn't respond just stared the silence was suffocating without warning he turned and walked back into the woods against all better judgment I followed maybe he was lost or injured Max stayed close still growling we entered another clearing this one littered with Old Camp equipment rusted pots torn tents and backpacks it looked like a c campsite abandoned in a hurry then I saw them more carvings

on the surrounding trees the same as before a metallic smell hit me blood I moved closer to one of the tents and pulled back the flap inside lay a decomposed body clothes shredded and Bones Exposed my heart pounded in my chest this was no animal attack a twig snapped behind me I whipped around to see the gaun man standing mere feet away his mouth Twisted into a grin that didn't reach his empty eyes before I could react he lunged at me with unnatural speed we grappled falling to the ground his strength was overwhelming far beyond

what his frail appearance suggested Max leaped Into The Fray biting the man's arm he let out a scream that sounded like a mix of human and something else entire using the distraction I pushed him off and scrambled to my feet I grabbed my rifle and fired the shot echoed but the man didn't fall instead he stood up slowly the bullet wound closing before my eyes we need to go I shouted to Max we sprinted through the woods branches whipping against my face the forest had become a maze paths looping back onto themselves no matter which

direction we took we couldn't escape we burst into another clearing this one dominated by an old wooden cabin I had never seen before smoke curled from the chimney and the door stood a jar with no other options I decided to take shelter inside the interior was dimly lit by a flickering fire strange artifacts line the walls masks talismans and jars filled with unidentifiable substances an old woman sat in a rocking chair near the Hearth she looked up as we entered her eyes milky with ag you shouldn't be here she said in a raspy voice I'm

just trying to find my way back I replied catching my breath he won't let you she murmured who is he the wendigo she answered her gaze drifting to the window a spirit of insatiable hunger once a man now a creature that feeds on the lost my mind raced folklore wasn't something I put much stock in but today's events had shattered my skepticism is there a way to stop him I asked she stood slowly moving to a shelf cluttered with files selecting one filled with a dark liquid she handed it to me Mark your path with

this it will hide you from his sight but only until sunrise a HL echoed outside closer this time time was running out thank you I said taking the vial beware the hunger she warned we stepped back into the night I opened the vial and began splashing the liquid on trees as we ran the forest seemed to react the sh Shadows receding slightly ahead I saw faint glow my cabin's Lantern relief washed over me but as we approached the ground gave way beneath me I fell into a pit sharp Stakes at the bottom I twisted midair

narrowly avoiding impalement but crashing hard onto the dirt pain shot through my leg broken most likely Max barked frantically above footsteps approached the edge of the pit the gaun man peered down that Eerie grin returning he began to climb down with unnatural movements limbs bending in ways they shouldn't desperate I searched my pockets and found a flare with trembling hands I struck it against the wall the bright light startled him and he recoiled using the momentary distraction I grabbed a loose steak and thrust it toward him it pierced his shoulder and he let out another

inhuman scream climbing out was impossible with my leg but I wasn't out of options Max fetch I shouted pointing to a rope tied to a nearby tree we'd used it for hauling supplies understanding Max grabbed the rope in his teeth and dropped the end down to me I tied it around my waist pull boy Max strained muscles Rippling as he pulled me upward the man recovered and started clawing at me but I kicked him away as I reached the top the first light of dawn broke through the trees the man's skin began to blister he

hissed and retreated into the Shadows I dragged myself toward the cabin every movement Agony once inside I barricaded the door and collapsed on the floor Max lay beside me exhausted but unharmed the morning sun bathed the room in a warm glow the terror of the night seemed almost unreal but the Searing pain in my leg was a stark reminder I managed to Fashion a splint and took stock of my supplies I needed medical attention but the nearest town was miles away leaving now was impossible as I pondered my next move a sound caught my attention

a helicopter op in the distance hope surged perhaps someone was searching for the missing campers I stumbled outside waving a brightly colored tarp the helicopter changed course heading in my direction as it approached I saw the emblem of the local search and rescue team they landed in the clearing nearby two men jumped out rushing toward me are you all right one asked there's injured people out there I said pointing toward the woods campsite a few miles east they exchanged glances we've been looking for a missing group of hikers reported last week can you show us

I can guide you but my legs busted we'll get you to a hospital first the other man said firmly as they helped me into the helicopter I caught a glimpse of the tree line for a moment moment I thought I saw the gaunt figure watching us but then he was gone if he was ever there at all I live in a small cabin tucked away in the hills of Northern Montana no electricity no running water just me in the woods I'm not trying to be a Hermit or anything it's just easier this way when you've

had enough of people and their noise the silence is not nice out here it's just the Wind Through the Trees the sound of animals moving in the underbrush and the occasional Creek of wood as the cabin settles I like to think I'm good at reading the land good at knowing when something isn't quite right that's what keeps you alive out here but a few days ago something changed the air felt different heavier it wasn't the weather though I've seen enough wiers come and go to know when a stone's rolling in no this was something else

there's a dirt road that runs past my cabin rarely used except by me when I head down to town for supplies last week though I noticed fresh tire tracks deep ones too like from an old truck that wasn't unusual in itself but the fact that the tracks led up toward an old hunting cabin a couple miles deeper into the woods that was strange the place had been abandoned for years the old man who owned it died long ago and no one ever came up there anymore at least no one should have been I told myself

it was probably nothing maybe some out of town or trying to get away for a weekend but a gut feeling told me something was wrong still I stayed out of it I had my own life and poking around in other people's business rarely ends well a couple days passed and I heard a noise one night loud enough to wake me from a dead sleep it wasn't the wind or the trees or anything else you'd expect out here it was a scream high-pitched like an animal in pain but it wasn't an animal and I knew that

as soon as the sound cut through the cold air I grabbed my shotgun loaded it with two shells and stood by the window waiting nothing just the wind picking up again I didn't sleep the rest of that night the next morning I decided to head over to the old hunting cabin my curiosity got the better of me maybe it was just a coyote or a bear but something in my gut told me otherwise I packed a small bag just some water my knife and a bit of food and set out early following the tracks from

a few days ago the trail was muddy and the Deep grooves from the tires were easy to follow it took me a couple hours to reach the cabin as I got closer I could see smoke coming from the chimney whoever was here wasn't just passing through the place looked even more rundown than I remembered boards hanging off the side windows cracked the door hanging crooked on its hinges but it wasn't empty there was an old truck parked out front rusted and beat to hell but still running I didn't see anyone outside so I crept up

closer as I rounded the corner of the cabin I heard voices low hushed like they were trying not to be overheard I crouched low hiding behind some brush I couldn't make out what they were saying but there were at least two of them a man and a woman by the sound of it I stayed there for what felt like hours waiting for them to leave or show themselves but they didn't eventually I decided to get closer maybe see through one of the windows I crept up to the side of the cabin shotgun in hand and

peeed through a crack in the window inside it was dark but I could see them the man was older maybe in his 50s with a long scraggly beard and dirty clothes the woman looked younger early 20 but she didn't look right her hands were tied and she was slumped in the corner barely moving that's when it hit me this wasn't some couple hiding away from the world this was something else something bad I didn't know what to do part of me wanted to turn around and go back to my cabin pretend I hadn't seen anything

but I couldn't not with her tied up like that so I did the only thing I could think of I went around to the front of the cabin stood by the door and cocked my shotgun the sound echoed through the trees come out I yelled I've got a gun for a moment nothing happened then I heard footsteps inside slow and deliberate the door creaked open and the man stepped out he had a knife in one hand bloodied and sharp he smiled at me like I was some kind of idiot you don't know what you're getting

into boy he said let her go I replied leveling the shotgun at his chest my heart was pounding but I kept my hands steady he looked me up and down then glanced back inside the cabin she's already dead son ain't no saving her I didn't believe him I couldn't believe him I took a step forward finger on the trigger but before I could react he lunged at me knife aimed right at my gut I pulled the trigger the sound of the blast was deafening and he dropped to the ground the knife clattering from his hand

he didn't get back up I stepped over his body and went inside the cabin the woman was still there but she wasn't moving her skin was pale Lips blue she was gone I checked the rest of the cabin looking for anyone else but it was empty just her him and the blood that stained the wooden floors I didn't stay long after that I called the sheriff when I got back to town told them everything they came out took statements but I didn't stick around to find out what happened next they never found out who the

woman was no missing person reported matched her description and as for the man he was just some Drifter no ID no name just another ghost in the woods I went back to my cabin that night poured myself a drink and sat by the fire I didn't feel scared or shaken or even relieved just tired it was like the whole thing had been a bad dream something I'd wake up from eventually but the fire burned on in the night passed and I was still there that was it nothing else to do I'd been living off the

grid for nearly a decade when it happened nothing crazy just a small cabin I built myself on a patch of land deep in the woods of West Virginia a stream nearby provided fresh water and I'd planted a modest Garden to grow my own vegetables hunting for meat was easy enough with plenty of deer rabbits and wild turkey it wasn't that I hated people or Society but after working in construction for years I needed peace something simpler the last straw for me was when a buddy of mine got into trouble with the law he owed some

guys money got mixed up with the wrong crowd and just like that he vanished it wasn't just him though over the years I'd heard of more folks disappearing in these mountains some hikers others were locals most people wrote it off as them getting lost or just running off for some reason maybe they owed money like my friend did hell I even thought about disappearing a couple of times myself before I actually did it but here's the thing people don't just vanish in the middle of nowhere without leaving some kind of Trace right so that particular

day started off like any other it was early September just before the leaves began to turn I'd been up since Dawn checking the traps I set along the creek got a couple of rabbits nothing to brag about but enough to feed me for a few days I was just finishing skinning them when I heard a branch snap somewhere behind the cabin could have been anything maybe a deer or the wind but living out here for as long as I had you get to know the sounds around you this one felt off I grabbed the old

shotgun that I kept near the door I hadn't had to use it much mostly for scaring off the occasional bear or mountain lion that got too close to the cabin but this time something in my gut told me to be ready I circled around the back of the cabin trying to stay quiet the forest was dense and it swallowed most sounds quickly there were thick Shadows between the trees the kind that play tricks on your eyes if you stare too long nothing seemed out of place at first just the same towering trees and underbrush I'd

seen a thousand times but then there was again another snap this time closer I crouched low behind a fallen log and scan the Treeline that's when I saw him or at least I thought it was a person at first he or it was standing about 30 yards away just beyond the clearing tall maybe 6 and 1/2 ft and thin too thin his limbs looked too long for his body like they didn't quite fit together right he wore what looked like old tattered clothes covered in dirt and grime but it was his face that made my

skin crawl pale almost Gray with eyes that seemed far too large and his mouth it was twisted into a kind of grin but not like any smile I'd ever seen before I felt my breath catch in my throat my heart pounded hard against my ribs but I didn't move I didn't want to make a sound I'd heard stories growing up tall tales about creatures that roam the Appalachian Wilderness taking people when they wandered too far from home I always laughed them off as nonsense but standing there looking at that thing I wasn't laughing my mind

raced trying to figure out if I was seeing things or if this was real the creature or whatever it was took a slow step forward still grinning my finger twitched on the shotgun trigger but something told me not to shoot I don't know why Instinct maybe it was like staring at a rattlesnake one wrong move and you're done for it started making a low rumbling noise almost like a hum but the sound fell wrong it wasn't just a noise it crawled into my head shaking me from the inside I could feel it in my teeth

in my bones it made me nauseous and I thought for a second I might throw up I don't know how long I stood there Frozen but at some point it stopped moving the the grin faded and its eyes narrowed locking onto me like it was sizing me up then it turned and slipped back into the woods without a sound disappearing as quickly as it had come I didn't move for a long time just crouched there gripping the shotgun until my Knuckles went white eventually I got the nerve to stand up and head back to the

cabin my mind was racing trying to make sense of what I'd just seen I didn't sleep that night I sat by the fire shotgun across my lap listening to the sounds of the woods every Creek and rustle making my heart jump the next morning I went out to check the area where the thing had been standing there were Footprints not like any I'd seen before they were human-shaped but too big with long spinley toes that dug deep into the soft dirt I followed them for a while but they just stopped at the of a ridge

no signs of a struggle no broken branches or anything they just ended I thought about heading into town telling someone but what was I supposed to say that I saw something lurking in the woods that made my blood run cold they'd think I was crazy so I kept quiet a week went by then one afternoon I heard on the radio that a couple of hikers had gone missing a search party was outcoming the area I didn't go near the place where I'd seen the tracks something told me it wasn't a good idea I figured they'd

find the hikers soon enough they usually do but they didn't days passed then weeks no sign of the hikers not a single trace that's when I started noticing more people disappearing not just tourists but locals too one evening an old friend of mine Ronnie Tanner came by the cabin he was a hunter knew these Woods better than anyone he'd heard about the disappearances and figured I might have seen something I debated telling him about the thing in the woods but I held back instead we talked about old times had a few drinks and he left

saying he'd check out the ridge in the morning I never saw him again they found Ronnie's truck parked along a dirt road about 10 miles from my cabin his hunting gear was still inside but there was no sign of him no Footprints no broken branches nothing just like the others I stayed inside after that kept my doors locked shotgun always nearby the disappearances slowed down after a while but people still whispered about what was happening in the woods some said it was a mountain lion others blamed the bears but I knew better it's been years

now and I still live out here though I don't go too far from the cabin anymore the woods don't feel the same as they used to sometimes late at night I hear things not just the usual sounds of the forest but something else something that doesn't belong but I stay there's nowhere else to go I live off the grid always have grew up in a cabin my grandfather built out in the woods deep enough into the Apple achin that nobody came looking for me unless they had a Reason by now I'm used to the quiet

the noise of the world doesn't reach me here and that's exactly how I like it but one thing's for sure nothing stays peaceful forever it was early fall maybe late September I remember the leaves had just started turning the nights were cool but still comfortable that's when it all started I was out chopping with behind the cabin when I first noticed something was off the birds they stopped singing at first I thought maybe it was just a hawk or something spooking them out of their nests but no Haw came the silence lingered longer than it

should have I figured it was nothing probably just me being paranoid so I finished splitting the logs stacked them by the cabin and went inside to make dinner I don't remember exactly what I cooked that night might have been stew it's always something simple when you're living off the land later as I was cleaning up I heard it footsteps not an animal not some deer rustling through the leaves but deliberate heavy steps like someone was walking through the woods toward the cabin now I've had my fair share of folks wander up here by accident usually

hikers who've lost their way but something about these footsteps was different too slow too measured I grabbed the shotgun from behind the door you can't be too careful living out here I'm not afraid to say it saved me more than once from a bear or mountain lion looking for an easy meal but this time I wasn't sure what I was dealing with the footsteps stopped right at the edge of the clearing I stood by the window peering out into the dark but I couldn't see anything the moon was barely a sliver that night and the

tree swallowed most of the light before it hit the ground I waited thinking maybe it was just a deer or some other animal but the feeling in my gut told me otherwise then just as suddenly as it had stopped the footsteps started again closer this time whoever or whatever was out there was now right up to the cabin and they weren't trying to hide it my pulse quickened I raised the shotgun and stepped to the door threw it open and aimed into the dark who's there I called out my voice louder than I expected nothing

not a sound just the creek of the trees swaying in the breeze I stood there for what felt like an eternity The Gun Barrel steady in my grip heart pounding in my ears I thought about firing a shot just to scare them off but something held me back if there really was someone out there they were smart enough to stay hidden I wasn't about to waste my my only warning shot into the dark finally after what seemed like hours I shut the door locked it and sat back down by the fire the footsteps had stopped

again but I couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching me from the Shadows I didn't sleep that night every little noise had me jumping out of my chair gun in hand staring out the windows like a madman but morning came and with it a sense of relief whatever had been out there was gone or so I hoped the next day was quiet almost too quiet I went about my usual chores but the unease from the night before lingered around midday I decided to head into town for supplies it wasn't a long drive

maybe an hour or so but it always felt longer with the winding roads and thick forests on either side I needed to clear my head get away from the cabin for a bit when I got to town I stopped by the General Store Old Mr Connelly ran the place and he'd been around longer than anyone I knew if there was anything strange going on he'd have heard about it morning Al I said as I walked in trying to keep my voice steady he looked up from behind the counter squinting at me morning Sam you look

like you've seen a ghost I chuckled though it felt forced you could say that as I grabbed a few things from the shelves I told him about the footsteps the silence in the woods and the strange feeling I couldn't shake you been up there too long Sam Al said scratching his chin that kind of isolation can play tricks on a man's mind I know what I heard I replied feeling the frustration ation rise in my chest it wasn't just in my head Al Shrugged well there ain't been any trouble around here that I know of

but you keep that shotgun handy just in case I paid for my supplies and headed back to the cabin the sun was setting by the time I got home and I was already on edge as I unloaded the truck I noticed something there were Fresh Tracks in the dirt large boot oted Footprints leading from the tree to the cabin's front door my heart sank I hadn't been gone more than a few hours whoever had been watching me last night had come back this time I wasn't going to wait for them to make the first move

I grabbed the shotgun checked to make sure it was loaded and followed the tracks into the woods it didn't take long to realize I wasn't alone the further I walked the more I noticed the broken branches the Disturbed ground the unmistakable signs of someone moving through the forest but the thing that chilled me to my core was the fact that the tracks stopped abruptly right in the middle of a clearing no sign of where they went no Trail leading off into the woods just gone I stood there for a while trying to make sense of

it but before I could figure it out I heard it again those same heavy footsteps coming from behind me I spun around gun raised but there was nothing there just trees and shadows then out of the corner of my eye I saw movement a man or at least something that looked like one was standing just beyond the clearing half hidden by the trees he was tall lanky dressed and dirty torn clothes and his face his face was wrong pale twisted like someone had tried tried to mold it out of clay but gave up halfway through

his eyes locked onto mine and I felt a chill run down my spine I fired the shot echoed through the trees but when the smoke cleared the man was still standing there untouched he tilted his head almost as if he was mocking me then took a step forward I didn't wait I turned and ran faster than I've ever run in my life I could hear the footsteps behind me keeping Pace growing close closer with every second I burst out of the woods and sprinted toward the cabin slamming the door shut behind me and barricading it

with whatever I could find for the next few hours I sat there in the dark shotgun in hand waiting for him to come through the door but he never did eventually exhaustion took over and I fell asleep in the chair by the fire when I woke up it was morning the Sun was shining the birds were singing and everything seemed normal but I knew better I knew that whatever had been out there was still watching waiting for me to let my guard down I left the cabin later that day packed up whatever I could carry

and headed into town not looking back I don't know who or what that man was but I wasn't sticking around to find out I was 38 when I moved out to the middle of nowhere far from people and Society the world never made much sense to me cities were loud crowded and full of noise that drowned out any kind of piece I was looking for so I packed up bought a bit of land in the woods out in northern Idaho and Built My Life there no one bothered me no neighbors no mailman and definitely no

visitors it was just the way I liked it I built the cabin myself it wasn't fancy just logs nails and whatever scrap I could find a solar panel gave me enough power to run a fridge and a couple of lights and the stream nearby kept me stocked with water hunting wasn't hard deer were everywhere and every now and then I'd get a couple of rabbits for dinner life was simple it was good at least until last fall there was a man missing in according to the radio but I didn't pay much attention at first happens

all the time up here some hiker gets lost they'll send in a search party or maybe it's some Hunter who got drunk wandered off too far and they'll find him in a week if not well Nature's got its way of dealing with people who don't respect it I didn't think much about it didn't really care to be honest missing folks were none of my concern that night though I started noticing some weird things it began with a feeling like being watched I brushed it off as paranoia a man living alone tends to get jumpy sometimes

then I noticed the footprints human Footprints near the cabin Barefoot the dirt was soft enough from the rain the night before to make it obvious now people don't usually wander this far out without shoes it was odd but I Shrugged it off maybe a camper got lost 2 days passed and I found more Prince this time closer to the house whoever it was they were circling my cabin at night watching I wasn't about to take any chances I grabbed the shotgun Off the Wall loaded it and set it by the door if someone was sneaking

around I'd be ready the following evening as the sun dipped low and the light faded I heard something outside it wasn't an animal it was the sound of footsteps slow deliberate they moved around the cabin stopping just by the windows the floorboards creaked under my weight as I moved to the front door gun in hand I wasn't scared I didn't scare easy but I was pissed whoever this was they needed to understand that you don't mess with a man's home I flung the door open gun ready but there was nothing just the Dark Forest staring

back at me the wind rustled through the trees and for a moment I thought I heard a whisper it could have been the wind could have been something else I stood there for a while staring into the woods waiting for movement nothing came the next morning I found blood not much just a smear on the porch like someone had caught themselves the footprints were back but this time they LED deeper into the forest heading toward the hills it was like they wanted me to follow them I'm not stupid I knew better than to play along

I didn't have a clue what kind of game this was but I wasn't going to be part of it I stayed close to the cabin for the rest of the day keeping the shotgun within Arms Reach the quiet was what got to me normally you'd hear the birds the rustling of squirrels maybe the occasional crack of a branch as some deer wandered by but that day it was silent too silent even the air felt heavier like something was hanging over the woods waiting that night the footsteps came again closer this time I could hear the

person's breath slow and ragged just outside the window they didn't knock didn't try to break in just stood there breathing I waited by the door heart pounding I'm a patient man I've waited in blinds for hours on end rifle in hand not moving not even blinking waiting for the perfect shot but this was different this wasn't prey this was something else the handle of the front door jiggled once twice I raised the shotgun aiming at the door my finger hovering over the trigger then silence the breathing stopped I waited gun raised for what felt like

hours nothing I didn't sleep that night couldn't when the Sun finally Rose I went out outside to check for any signs the footprints were gone wiped Away by the wind or the morning dew it was as if no one had been there but I knew better I wasn't losing my mind I headed into town that afternoon took the old truck down the dirt roads until I reached the General Store the owner Bill had lived up here his whole life if something weird was going on he'd know about it you heard about the missing guy I

asked him grabbing a kin of beans off the shelf Bill nodded his face Grim yeah they found his body yesterday Maul Bears they say not many bears around around this part I replied Bill Shrugged that's what the sheriff saying but it wasn't no bear that did it if you ask me I raised an eyebrow what do you mean Bill leaned in lowering his voice saw the body myself been hunting bears all my life this this wasn't a bear more like a person but the sheriff he don't want to stir things up tourists you know easier

to blame a bear I didn't need to hear more I grabbed my stuff and left that night I stayed awake shotgun in my lap waiting the wind picked up around midnight howling through the trees but the footsteps didn't come by 3: in the morning I was drifting off exhaustion winning over my nerves then the scream it was distant maybe a mile off but I knew the sound of a man in pain when I heard it I grabbed the gun and bolted out the door running toward the sound the trees closed and around me the underbrush

clawing at my legs as I pushed deeper into the woods the screen came again closer this time I found him in a clearing a man barely alive his body torn up like he'd been dragged Through the Woods by something vicious blood pulled around him soaking into the Earth his eyes were wide full of fear it wasn't a bear he gasped his voice weak it was him I didn't ask who I didn't need to I knew the man died in my arms his body going limp as the last bit of Life drained from him I looked

around but whoever or whatever had done this was gone I buried the body the next day didn't call the sheriff didn't see the point I didn't want them poking around my land asking questions I couldn't answer whoever was out there they'd come back and I'd be ready I sat on the porch that evening the shotgun resting across my knees the wind had died down the woods quiet again peaceful almost but I knew better somewhere out there in the trees something was watching waiting but not for me not anymore I made sure of that I lived

in the woods just outside of sagona Michigan nothing fancy an old A-frame cabin with a roof that leaked every winter I guess some people would call it Off the Grid but really it was just me not wanting to deal with people after serving four tours in the Middle East the quiet was all I needed there was something comforting about knowing the nearest town was 20 M away and even if you screamed nobody would hear you I had a simple life out here Hunting Fishing fixing things up when they broke I kept to myself didn't ask

for much and in return the forest gave me peace but peace is fragile like a thin layer of ice over a deep dark Lake it all started on a Wednesday in early November the air was crisp the kind that cuts through your clothes and settles deep in your bones I'd been out collecting firewood when I first noticed something was off the woods usually filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and birds were dead silent even the wind felt like it was holding its breath the Stillness got to me gnawing at the edges of my nerves

but I brushed it off in the woods you learn to expect weird things a deer could be close by maybe even a bear though I hadn't seen one in years I told myself that but deep down I knew it wasn't an animal it was something else something watching by the time I got back to the cabin the sun was setting I lit a fire and settled into my old recliner with a beer the quiet had followed me home though and that uneasy feeling hadn't shaken it was n fear exactly more like that instinct you get

when you know something isn't right I heard the knock just after dark at first I thought it was the wind maybe a branch brushing against the window but then it came again harder this time for deliberate knocks I stood up grabbed my rifle from above the mantle and moved toward the door who's there I called voice steady below no answer I opened the door just to crack the hair on my neck stood up before I even saw anything a man was standing there hands hanging loose at his sides he wasn't dressed for the cold just

a thin flannel shirt and jeans he looked wrong too like something was missing or out of place but I couldn't put my finger on it can I help you I asked keeping the rifle out of sight his eyes flickered up to meet mine I'm lost he said his voice was flat no emotion behind it can you help me something about him sent alarms ringing in my head there's no Road out here I said how'd you get lost he didn't answer just stood there staring at me like he was waiting for something you need to leave

I said a little louder this time time there's nothing here for you he didn't move that's when I noticed the blood a small line of it trailing from his sleeve down to his hand my heart started hammering in my chest you need help I asked more cautious now I'm lost he repeated like a broken record before I could react he launched at the door slamming his body against it I barely got it shut in time throwing my weight against it as he banged on the other side I heard him laughing a sound that echoed through

the empty Woods he kept pounding harder and harder but the door held I scrambled for my phone cursing under my breath when I realized there was no signal there never was not out here I could hear him outside pacing muttering to himself but I couldn't make out the words it wasn't until I heard the distinct sound of shattering glass that I realized he'd broken one of the windows I muttered grabbing the rifle the sound of footsteps inside the cabin told me he was in I crept into the living room moving as quietly as I could

the only light came from the fire casting Long Shadows across the floor I could hear him breathing but I couldn't see him then out of the Cor corner of my eye I caught a glimpse a dark figure darting between the furniture I know you're in here I said more for my own sake than is you don't want to do this silence then from the shadows I'm lost the sound of his voice sent a chill down my spine I raised the rifle ready to shoot when he lunged out from behind the couch I fired once hitting

him in the shoulder he didn't scream didn't even Flinch he just kept coming I shot again this time hitting him Square in the chest he stumbled back but it wasn't enough he was still on his feet still coming toward me with that same Airy calm I could see the blood pouring from his wounds but it didn't seem to slow him down I backed up until I hit the wall out of room he was almost on me now so close I could smell the metallic Tang of his blood in a last Stitch effort I swung the

butt of the rifle at his head it connected with a sickening crack and he went down hard crumpling to the floor his body twitched for a moment then went still I stood over him heart racing waiting for him to move again but he didn't I nudged him with the rifle just to be sure he was dead for a long time I just stood there staring at his body trying to make sense of it all who was he why was he out here and how the hell did he take two bullets and keep going I never

got answers to those questions I dragged his body outside and buried him in the woods deep enough that no one would ever find him the next morning I packed my things and left the cabin maybe I'll never go back sometimes you just know when a place isn't yours anymore I had been living off the grid in the Backwoods of Oregon for 6 years my cabin nestled among towering Pines and moss covered rocks was miles away from the nearest town no electricity no running water just me my dog Rusty and the wild the isolation suited me

for fine after a decade in a corporate grind I'd traded fluorescent lights for Starlight one crisp morning in late Autumn I set out to check the snares I'd laid along a familiar game Trail the air was sharp with the scent of Pine and damp Earth Rusty trotted ahead nose to the ground his Auburn coat blending with the fallen leaves the forest was alive with the rustle of small creatures preparing for winter about a mile from the cabin I noticed the first snare was empty which wasn't unusual but the wire was twisted almost mangled as if

something strong had wrenched it apart Rusty sniffed around it whining softly find something boy I asked he looked up at me ears perked then stared intently into the trees I followed his gaze but saw nothing unusual shrugging It Off we moved on the second snare was the same destroyed this time toughs of course dark hair were caught in the wire I examined them closely too thick for deer too long for a bear a chill ran down my spine but I shook it off maybe a moose had wandered farther south than usual as we proceeded to

the third snare Rusty grew agitated he stayed close to my died ears flat a low whine escaping his throat what's wrong buddy I whispered the third snare was gone entirely the small tree had been attached to snapped in half deep gouges scored the bark of nearby trees for parallel lines like giant claw marks I touched one of the marks the wood was fresh sap boozing slowly this was no moose bears were hibernating by now now and even the biggest black bear wouldn't snap a tree like that my instincts told me something was off the forest

had gone unnaturally quiet no birds no chattering squirrels just the faint rustle of leaves letun head back I said my voice barely above a whisper we retraced our steps but the feeling of being watched was undeniable Rusty kept glancing behind us his hackles raised I gripped my rifle tighter scanning the Shadows halfway home we came across Footprints crossing the trail massive and humanlike but with elongated toes ending in points they pressed deep into the soft Earth suggesting significant weight what in the world I muttered Rusty growl blow a sound I'd never heard from him before

the prince LED off into a Thicket and against all better judgment I decided to follow them for a short distance we pushed through the dense underbrush the footprints becoming more erratic sometimes disappearing only to reappear yards away broken branches and Disturbed foliage marked the path then we stumbled upon a small clearing in the center stood a crude structure made of branches and animal Heights adorned with bones and Feathers it looked like some kind of shrine or to room the hairs on my arms stood up we shouldn't be here I said a sudden rustling came from

behind I spun around rifle raced nothing the forest remained still let's go Rusty we backed away slowly returning to the main trail as we neared the cabin the sun dipped low casting Long Shadows I decided to double check the perimeter before settling in for the night the cabin door was a jar I was certain I'd closed it when we left I motioned for Rusty to stay close pushing the door open with the barrel of my rifle I scanned the interior the place was a wreck Furniture overturned cupboards emptied supplies strown across the floor who's there

I called out silence I moved cautiously from room to room in the bedroom the window was shattered shards of glass glittering on the bed something had been searching for what a sound from the roof a soft thump then scraping I backed into the living room eyes fixed upward the ceiling creaked as if bearing weight Rusty growled staring at the ceiling I grabbed a lantern and stepped out side to get a better look climbing onto a nearby stump I angled the light toward the roof for a split second I saw it a massive figure leaping from

the rooftop into the trees it moved impossibly fast disappearing into the darkness it wasn't human but it walked on two legs heart pounding I bolted back inside and locked the door I secured the windows as best I could and loaded my rifle with shaking hands Rusty whimpered beside me it's okay boy I lied the night was long every Creek in groan of the cabin set my nerves on edge around midnight A Chorus of hows echoed through the forest not wolves something else they Rose and fell in unsettling harmonies chilling me to the Bone at first

light I decided to head into town I I needed supplies and perhaps I'd report the Breakin though I doubted the sheriff would take me seriously leaving the cabin I noticed new footprints around the perimeter those same elongated prints they circled the cabin several times before leading back into the woods the journey to town was uneventful the normaly almost comforting at the General Store I chatted with Carl the owner an Oldtimer who knew every local Legend you're looking a bit pale there Carl remarked as I paid for my goods just not sleeping well I said strange

things happen in those woods he said eying me you heard about the logging crew that went missing up near Blackwater Creek no when was this couple days ago five men just vanished found their Camp tent shredded tools left behind a Sinking Feeling settled in my stomach any idea what happened I asked authorities think they got lost in a storm but weather's been clear Carl said lowering his voice locals say it's the wendigo the what wendigo an old Legend a creature that was once human but became a monster through dark Deeds it wanders the forests consumed

by insatiable hunger I forced a laugh sounds like a ghost story maybe but you be careful out there I left the store unsettled loading the supplies into my pack I noticed Rusty was fixated on something across the street a tall man in a tattered coat stood staring at us his face was obscured by Shadow but his eyes his eyes seemed to Glow faintly when a truck passed between us he was gone the hike back to the cabin was tense the forest seemed darker the trees closing in about a mile from home Rusty darted off the

path barking furiously Rusty get back here I chased after him branches whipping against my face I found him in another clearing standing over something partially buried underneath leaves as I approached the stench hit me rot and Decay I pulled back the leaves to reveal a human arm the flesh nod to the Bone stumbling backward I fought the urge to vomit we have to go I whispered a rustling from the bushes made me freeze then emerging from the Shadows was the creature tall and gaunt with sow skin stretched tight over protruding bones antlers sprouted from its

skull-like head and its eyes burned with a malevolent light it let out a chilling shriek that pierced the silence Rusty growled positioning himself between me and the monstrosity I raised my rifle and fired the shot echoed and the creature recoiled but didn't fall it Advanced slowly each step deliberate I fired again and again until the rifle clicked empty run Rusty we bolted through the trees adrenaline fueling our Sprint behind us the creatures footsteps pounded the Earth gaining speed the cabin was our only hope bursting through the door I slammed it shut and barricaded it with

a heavy table Rusty barked furiously the creature crashed against the walls the would groaning under the impact I searched frantically for more ammunition but found none my eyes landed on a flare gun hanging by the door a last resort the creature began tearing at the window frames its clawed hands reaching inside I grabbed the flare gun and fired at its face the flare struck igniting its flesh it let out an unearthly scream staggering backward seizing the moment I grabbed a can of kerosene and doused the front of the C striking a match I set the

fuel Ablaze Flames roared to life forming a barrier between us and the creature through the fiery Haze I saw it retreating into the forest shrieking in pain the fire spread quickly consuming the drywood of the cabin smoke filled the air come on Rusty we fled into the woods the cabin and Inferno behind us I didn't stop running until we reached the Old Logging Road collapsing on the gravel I gasped for breath a truck approached its headlights cutting through the smoke it was the sheriff what intarnation happened here he shouted jumping out of the vehicle I

struggled to find the words something attacked us the cabin's burning he radioed for backup and helped me into the truck as we drove drove away I glanced back to see the Flames sliding up the night the creature nowhere in sight at the station I recounted everything the sheriff listened skepticism evident but tempered by the sight of my burned hands and Rusty singed fur we'll send a team out to investigate he said days later the official report stated the fire was caused by a gas leak no mention of creatures missing Waters or strange Footprints I've always

liked living away from people not that I've got anything against them but after years of working a job that ran me ragged in the city I craved peace 5 years ago I found myself up here in Montana where the mountains touch the sky and the nearest neighbor is 5 miles away exactly how I wanted it my name's Dee Warren grew up in Cleveland worked on cars my whole life and for the longest time I thought I'd die in a garage wrench in hand but life has a way of surprising you after my old man passed

I used a little money he left me to buy a cabin up here in the Flathead National Forest I fixed it up made it livable the place ain't fancy but it's mine surrounded by trees with a river cutting through the property living off the Grid's a challenge but it ain't impossible you get used to doing without certain things like running to the store for every little thing or hopping online whenever you feel like it most days I fish chop wood and Tinker with my old truck an 85 F-150 that I've kept running through sheer will

I've got solar panels for power a well for water and I hunt enough to keep the freezer stock now that's not to say strange things don't happen out here the woods have a way of keeping secrets and I've seen my fair share of weird missing people for one the forest swallows them up and most times they don't come back and the ones who do well they're never the same about a year ago something changed it started with rumors which isn't unusual in a place like this the locals talk about creatures things that lurk in the

Deep Woods and I've heard my share of those stories but one stood out a tale about a creature called the wendigo it's an old Native American Legend a thing that said to hunt in these parts normally I wouldn't pay any attention to that kind of talk but something felt off this time it started slow just small things the sounds for one I'm used to the noises of the forest the rustle of leaves the crack of branches the distant howl of wolves but this was different I'd be out chopping wood or cleaning a fish by the

river and I'd hear it a whisper low and steady like the wind but wrong it wasn't natural then the animals started acting strange the deer normally skittish but predictable would freeze mid-step staring into the woods like they saw something I couldn't my dog Samson a big mud I'd rescued from a shelter years ago would growl at nothing hackles raised staring into the dark with those yellow eyes of his and then one night Samson disappeared I woke up to find his chain snapped the ground around his post torn up like there had been a struggle I

searched the woods for hours calling his name but nothing not a tra no blood no tracks he was just gone after that things escalated about 2 weeks later I started noticing tracks around the cabin at first I thought they were just wolves maybe a bear but they weren't right too big for a wolf too narrow for a bear they circled the cabin like something had been watching waiting I tried setting up traps but whatever it was it was smart IT avoided them every time one night I woke up to a noise outside my window it

was a scratching sound like something sharp dragging across the wood I grabbed my shotgun and crept to the window but when I looked out there was nothing just darkness I spent the rest of that night sitting in a chair by the front door shotgun in my lap heart racing waiting that was when I realized I wasn't alone out here something was hunting me I went into town the next morning needed supplies anyway and I figured I'd ask around the General Store is run by an old guy named Hank lived here his whole life he's one

of those people who hears everything I asked him if he'd heard anything strange maybe seen some odd tracks around his property Hank looked at me for a long time for answering you should leave it alone deck he said quietly glancing around like someone might over here this place it's old older than you know there's things in these Woods that ain't meant to be messed with and if you're smart you'll stay inside at night that didn't exactly fill me with confidence I spent the next week trying to go about my business but it was hard to

ignore the feeling that something was watching me every time I stepped outside I felt it that crawling sensation on the back of my neck I'd look around but there was never anything there but the tracks kept appearing getting closer to the cabin and the noises at night were growing louder more persistent scratching shuffling like something was dragging itself through the dirt outside my door then one night I heard a scream it was late maybe 2: in the morning and I'd been dozing in my chair again shotgun within reach the scream cut through the silence Like

a Knife it wasn't human but it wasn't an animal either it was something in between a sound that made my blood run cold I grabbed the shotgun and ran outside heart pounding but again there was nothing just the wind and the trees swaying in the dark I follow follow the tracks the next morning they led me deep into the forest further than I'd ever gone before the trees grew thicker the air colder and then I found it a clearing hidden in the dense Woods in the center was a large flat Rock and on that rock

blood a lot of it too much for an animal I stared at it my stomach turning but I couldn't look away that that's when I heard the branches snap behind me I spun around shotgun raised and there it was tall gaunt its skin pale and stretched tight over its bones its eyes were Hollow empty and its mouth hung open wide enough that it looked like it could swallow me whole it didn't move just stood there watching me its head cocked to one side like it was curious I fired the shotgun roared and the thing let

out a horrible high-pitched whale it moved fast too fast and disappeared into the trees before I could even reload my hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped the shells I turned and ran back through the forest not stopping until I burst out into the clearing by my cabin I locked myself inside that night didn't sleep didn't even blink the next morning I packed up what I could carry and left I didn't care about the cabin the land any of it I just wanted to get the hell out I drove to Hank's place and told

him what happened every detail he didn't say anything just nodded slowly like he'd been expecting it I've never gone back to that cabin sold it a few months later to some guy from out of state I didn't tell him what happened not sure he would have believed me me anyway I've lived alone in the Backwoods of Maine for the better part of 20 years my cabin sits miles away from the nearest town a modest structure built from handh logs and a tin roof that rattles when the wind picks up the Solitude suits me I prefer

the company of the trees and the whisper of the leaves over the clamor of civilization my name is Silas McAn and I've carved out a life that keeps the world at arms length yesterday started like any other day I woke Before Dawn the chill of the morning seeping through the cracks in the walls I threw on a flannel shirt laced up my worn boots and stepped outside to fetch water from the well the forest was wrapped in a fog that clung low to the ground muffling the sounds of waking Birds I filled my bucket and

headed back inside to boil some coffee coffee as the sun began to rise I decided to check the snares I'd set along the northern edge of my property the game had been scarce lately and I was hoping for a rabbit or two to supplement the smoked venison I had left I grabbed my rifle an old Winchester passed down from my father and headed into the woods the forest was still the kind of quiet that makes you feel like you're the last person on Earth I followed the familiar Trail marked by notches I had carved into

the birch trees years ago the first few snares were empty but as I approached the last one I noticed something odd the wire was snapped torn apart as if something large had forced its way through nearby the ground was Disturbed leaves scattered and dirt kicked up damn Bears I muttered but something didn't sit right Bears usually left claw marks signs of their passing this was different the tracks were deep but undefined almost like a man's boot but larger and with a strange pattern I couldn't place I shook it off and decided to head farther north

toward a stream where i' had luck fishing in the past the fog had lifted slightly but the canopy was dense enough to keep the forest floor In Perpetual Twilight as I walked I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched it's not uncommon to feel uneasy in the Woods Nature has a way of reminding you that you're not in charge out here around midday I reached the stream the water was clear and I could see trout darting between the Rocks I set down my rifle and pulled out a small line and Hook from my

pack as I was baiting the hook a foul stench wafted through the air like a mix of rotten meat and wet dog I wrinkled my nose and looked around dead animals weren't unusual but this smell was potent fresh I stood up and scanned the tree line about 30 yards Upstream something caught my eye a mount of something pale lying near the water's edge I grabbed my rifle and approached cautiously as I got closer the shape took form and my stomach turned it was a deer or what was left of one the body was torn open

ribs splade out like the fingers of a broken hand the head was missing and the legs were Twisted at unnatural angles flies buzzed around the carcass already feasting this wasn't the work of any predator I knew wolves and bears killed to eat but this seemed excessive malicious even I backed away senses on high alert the forest was silent no Birds no rustling leaves just the sound of my own breathing I decided it was time to head back as I retraced my steps I noticed that the woods seemed different unfamiliar trees that I didn't recognize paths

that seemed to Fork where they shouldn't I'm not one to get lost but I felt a creeping doubt settle in the sun was dipping low casting Long Shadows that twisted and moved with the sway of the branches I picked up the Pace scanning for familiar markers that's when I heard it a crunch of leaves behind me I spun around rifle raced nothing just the Silhouettes of trees and the fading light who's there I called out my voice sounded small swallowed by the vastness of the woods silence I turned back and continued walking every nerve on

edge a few minutes later the sound came again this time closer footsteps deliberate and heavy I wasn't alone show yourself I demanded trying to mask the unease in my voice from behind a thick Oak a figure emerged at first glance it looked like a man tall and Broad shouldered but as it stepped into a shaft of light I realized it was anything but human its skin was a modeled gray stretched tight over protruding Bones the face was gaunt eyes deep set and reflecting the Dying Light with an Airy glow its mouth was a thin line

that curved upward into a grotesque grin revealing teeth that were sharp and Jagged I raised the rifle stay back it tilted its head as if curious but didn't stop it moved with a strange gate legs bending in ways that made my skin crawl I didn't wait to see what it wanted I fired a shot the sound echoing through the trees the bullet struck its shoulder causing it to stagger but not fall no blood No Cry of pain just that unending grin hell I cursed pumping another round and firing again this time it dodged with unnatural

speed closing the distance between us I turned and ran branches whipped at my face underbrush snagged my clothes but I pushed forward the heavy footsteps pursued me sometimes to my left sometimes to my right it was toying with me my boot caught on a rout and I went down hard the rifle slipping from my grasp as I scrambled to retrieve it a hand if you could call it that clamped around my ankle the touch was icy sending a jolt up my leg I kicked wildly connecting with what felt like brittle sticks the grip loosened and

I seized the rifle swinging it around as a makeshift Club I struck its arm and it snapped with a sickening crack hanging limply at its side the creature didn't react as a person would instead it leaned in closer its eyes locking onto mine and in that moment a flood of images washed over me visions of barren Landscapes endless hunger and a void that could never be filled summoning every ounce of strength I swung again this time aiming for the head the butt of the rifle connected with its skull and the creature recoiled I didn't wait

for a second chance I got to my feet and ran toward what I hoped was the direction of my cabin the forest seemed to closeing around me the trees like towering Sentinels watching my desperate Escape bursting through the tree line I saw the smoke from my chimney relief washed over me I sprinted the last stretch and barreled through the door slamming it shut behind me I locked the dead bolt and pushed a heavy bookshelf against it for good measure my heart hammered in my chest I went to the window peering out from behind the curtain

the yard was empty Shadows stretching across the clearing as night fell just when I thought I might have lost it movement caught my eye at the edge of the tree line the creature stood its broken arm hanging at an odd angle it stared directly at me that Sinister grin never wavering I grabbed the shotgun from above the fireplace and loaded it with shaking hands I wasn't about to be cornered like some helpless prey a loud thud came from the back back of the cabin then another it was trying to find a way in come on

you bastard I growled under my breath the windows were shut the doors locked but I knew that wouldn't hold it for long I needed a plan then I remembered the old Root Cellar beneath the kitchen A Relic from when the cabin was first built it had a heavy oak door and only one entrance I moved quickly pulling back the rug and yanking open the trapo I climbed down the ladder and pulled the door shut above me the darkness was complete the air thick with the scent of Earth and old wood above I heard the sound

of splintering wood it was inside slow deliberate footsteps creaked across the floorboards it was searching for me I held the shotgun tightly positioning myself behind a stack of crates the Cellar Door creaked open faint light spilling down the silhouette of the creature blocked the doorway its form even more distorted from below it began to descend the ladder each rung groaning under its weight I steady the shotgun aiming upward when it was halfway down I pulled the trigger the blast was deafening in the enclosed space the creature was thrown back Landing in a heap at the

bottom of the ladder smoke filled the air and my ears rang I approached cautiously the creature lay motionless the grin finally gone its eyes stared blankly at the ceiling I didn't wait to see if it would get up again I climbed the ladder slammed the Cellar Door shut and dragged the heaviest Furniture I had on top of it I stood there catching my breath silence the first light of dawn was creeping Through the Windows the night was over I went outside the forest was still Birds beginning to chirp as if nothing had happened I knew

better than to believe that walking around to the back of the cabin I noticed deep scratches on the walls marks that hadn't been there before whatever that thing was it wasn't a nightmare it was real and it had found me I needed to leave living off the grid wasn't worth facing that again I packed what I could carry and headed toward the nearest town leaving the cabin and the creature behind I was living in the mountains of Montana back in 95 far removed from the clamor of City Life my cabin stood alone among the pines

A Modest structure I built with my own hands I traded the bustle for The Whisper Of The Wind and The rustle of leaves my only companion was Rufus a m with a keen nose and a loyal heart most days passed quietly I'd fish in the creek hunt when necessary and tend to a small garden out back evenings were for sitting by the fire reading worn out books or simply listening to the sounds of the Wilderness it wasn't much but it was enough one crisp morning as the sun edged over the Peaks I noticed a thin

plume of smoke rising from Beyond the Eastern Ridge it was unusual no one ventured this deep into the woods curiosity got the better of me I packed a canteen slipped my knife into its sheath and grabbed my old Winchester just in case Rufus trotted ahead as we made our way through the forest the air was fresh filled with with the scent of Pine and Earth Birds flitted between branches and the distant trickle of the creek provided a soothing backdrop after about an hour We Came Upon a clearing I didn't recognize in the center stood a

tattered tent its canvas faded and frayed a fire pit smoldered nearby the coal still glowing scattered around were empty cans a rusted Lantern and a worn backpack something felt off hello I called out anyone here silence Rufus sniffed around his ears perked I approached the campsite cautiously inside the tent I found a mess of blankets in a stained jacket the stains were dark dried blood by the look of it a knot formed in my stomach I backed out of the tent scanning the tree line that's when I saw him a man standing at the edge

of the clearing watching me he was tall and lean with tangled hair and clothes that hung off him like Rags can I help you I asked keeping my voice steady he stepped forward a faint smile tugging at his lips didn't expect to find anyone out here same could say for you I replied this your Camp he nodded slowly passing through mind if I ask about the jacket in there his eyes flickered just an old thing Rufus growled low positioning himself between us your dog doesn't seem friendly the man said he's usually a good judge of

character the smile vanished from his face maybe you ought to be on your way maybe I should I started to to back away when I noticed something in his hand a glint of metal a knife looking for something he asked his tone mocking just leaving he luned at me without warning I Sid stepped grabbing his wrist as the blad sliced the air we struggled feet tangling over roots and rocks he was stronger than he looked his grip like iron Rufus barked fiercely snapping at the Man's legs he shoved me hard sending me sprawling backward my

rifle slipped from my grasp as he Advanced knife raised a shot rang out the man stumbled a red stain blooming on his shoulder drop it a voice shouted a woman emerged from the trees a pistol steady in her hands she was rugged with sharp features and eyes that didn't waver the man glared at her then bolted into the woods clutching his shoulder thanks I said catching my breath you all right she asked keeping her Gaze on the trees I'll live name's Hank Sophia she replied what are you doing out here live nearby saw the smoke

thought I'd check it out she nodded holstering her pistol that man is dangerous we've been tracking him we as if on Q another figure stepped into the clearing a Burly man carrying a shotgun this is Carl Sophia said we're part of a search party search party she sighed there's been a string of disappearances lately hikers campers people have gone missing we think he's responsible I glanced back at the campsite found a Blood Stained jacket in there then we're on the right track Carl grunted mind if I tag along I asked he attacked me I'd like

to see this through Sophia considered for a moment all right but stay close we set off in the direction the man had fled the forest grew dens Shadow stretching as the sun dipped lower Rufus stayed alert at my side as we walked sopia filled me in his name's Victor used to be a guide around these parts something happened no one knows what but he changed locals say he went mad why hasn't anyone caught him Carl spat on the ground he's slippery knows these Woods better than anyone an uneasy feeling settled over me what's your connection

to this Sophia's jaw tightened my brother is one of the missing I'm sorry we pushed on following broken branches and Footprints pressed into the soft Earth night was approaching and with it a creeping sense of dread we should make Camp Carl suggested can't track in the dark reluctantly we agreed we found a small clearing and set up a modest campsite a fire crackled casting flickering light on our faces why live out here alone Sophia asked me as we sat by the Flames needed a change I replied world's gotten too complicated she nodded I can understand

that Rufus rested his head on my lap eyes half closed the night was quiet only the sounds of the forest humming around us later as I lay staring up at the canopy of stars a scream tore through the silence I jolted upright Sophia and Carl were already on their feet weapons drawn that came from the East Carl said we grabbed our gear and rushed toward the sound the trees closed and around us branches clawing at our clothes ahead a dim light flickered we burst into another clearing in the center stood Victor holding a torch at

his feet lay a body you're too late he sneered Sophia raised her pistol hands where I can see them Victor laughed a hollow sound that echoed in the night you think you can stop this he dropped the torch and Flames licked at the dry grass the fire spread rapidly cutting us off circle around Carl shouted we split up Rufus stayed with me as we navigated the perimeter of the blaze smoke choked the air stinging my eyes suddenly Victor appeared beside me Swinging his knife I blocked with my forearm the blade slicing into flesh pain seared

through me why are you doing this I yelled to cleanse he whispered he launched again but this time I was ready I dodged and struck him with the butt of my rifle he stumbled back Rufus attacked teeth sinking into Victor's leg he howled kicking the dog away Fury burned in me I charged tackling him to the ground we we grappled trading blows Sophia emerged through the smoke move I rolled aside as she fired the shot hit Victor in the chest he gasped eyes wide then collapsed it was over we stood there catching our breaths as

the fire died down Carl joined us surveying the scene is he I began dead Sophia confirmed we approached cautiously Victor lay motionless the Menace gone from his features we need to report this Carl said agreed Sophia replied we carried Victor's body back toward Town it was a grueling Trek but none of us spoke there was nothing to say at the sheriff's office we recounted everything they took our statements Expressions Grim he's been a menace for years the sheriff said you did this town a service as Dawn broke we parted ways Sophia thanked me a weary

smile on her face take care of yourself I said you too Hank I headed back to my cabin Rufus by my side the forest was quiet again the weight lifted the days that follow followed were uneventful I returned to my routines the Simplicity of Life Off the Grid I live a quiet life for the past 15 years I've been living off the grid in a cabin deep in the forests of Northern Michigan far from the chaos of cities no power lines no running water no internet just me in the woods I don't mind the Solitude

in fact I prefer it after years of working construction in Chicago watching my marriage fall apart and my health go to hell from the stress this life saved me here there's no one to answer to but myself my days are simple hunt fish chop wood fix what needs fixing it's not glamorous but it's mine I had a dog for a while bear a big black mud I picked up off the street in Flint he'd follow me everywhere his nose always sniffing at something but about 6 months ago bear disappeared just vanished one morning I searched

the woods called for him for days but there was no sign of him I figured he'd wandered off and either got caught by a coyote or found a pack of wolves I didn't dwell on it too long life in the wild is brutal sometimes the the strangest thing about that day was that I found something i' had never seen before tracks not bears and not from any animal I could identify they were too large for a coyote too narrow for a bear long Almost Human but with clawed tips I chocked it up to some large

Predator I wasn't familiar with and moved on after all there's plenty of Critters in these Woods that I haven't seen and most of them stay out of sight but last week things started getting weird it began with the noises at first I thought it was just the wind the groan of old trees creaking maybe a deer crashing through the underbrush but this was different a kind of low rasping sound that I'd hear in the early evening just as the light started to fade it sounded like something or someone was out there pacing through the woods

just beyond my sight line I'd be sitting on my porch with my rifle leaning against the wall next to me the woods stretching out in front of me like a dark sea and there it would be a shuffle a snap of a twig but when I'd look there was nothing I started keeping my rifle closer then 3 days ago I found something outside my cabin door it was a deer or what was left of one torn open with its guts spilling out into the dirt now I've hunted my whole life and seen my fair share

of kills but this was different this wasn't a clean takedown the thing's throat was ripped out its legs broken at odd angles like something had grabbed it and tossed it around for fun before leaving it there I didn't want to touch it but I didn't have much of a choice after I buried it I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever did that was wasn't far off that night I barely slept every Creek of the cabin every rustle of the wind sent me reaching for my rifle at one point I swore I heard breathing right outside

my window low and deep but when I looked there was nothing just the empty Woods the next morning I made up my mind to head into town for supplies if I was going to have a predator on my hands I needed to be ready I grabbed my shotgun and a few boxes of shell from the cabin then headed to my truck that's when I noticed them again the tracks the same claw narrow prints I'd seen after bear disappeared but this time they were closer to the cabin much closer I followed them for a while deep

into the woods but they led me nowhere after a couple of hours I turned back I didn't want to be be out there unarmed if whatever made those tracks was nearby back at the cabin I loaded my shotgun and double checked the locks on the doors something felt off I don't spook easily but the air was heavy and the forest felt wrong too still too quiet like it was waiting for something that night I built a fire in the wood stove and settled in trying to push the unease to the back of my mind but

by midnight the noises started again this time louder footsteps heavy ones circling the cabin I grabbed the shotgun and sat in the chair near the door waiting it felt like hours passed before something finally happened a thud hard enough to Rattle the windows then another something was banging on the side of the cabin just beyond the walls I got up my hands slick with sweat the shotgun clutched tight I wasn't about to open the door but I needed to see what was out there so I crept to the window keeping low and peaked outside there

was something standing just beyond the Fire Light tall thin Almost Human but Twisted its arms were too long its head hunched forward and its skin looked pale like it had never seen sunlight I couldn't make out its face but it was watching the cabin shifting its weight from foot to foot like it was deciding what to do next I froze my mind raced was this some kind of trick a man in a mask but no one knew where I lived and this thing it didn't move like a man it was too fast too jerky it

let out a sound a raspy breath that sent a chill down my spine and I backed away from the window that's when it lunged at the door the wood groaned as it slammed against the frame the whole cabin shuttering with the impact I raised the shotgun and fired through the door the blast ringing in my ears there was a screech and the thing stumbled back into the dark for a moment everything went quiet then it came again this time it hit harder the door creaking under the weight of the blows I fired again through the

window this time and I saw it stagger but it didn't fall whatever it was it was tough I wasn't about to wait for it to break through I grabbed my pack threw on my boots and bolted out the back door the cold night air hit me like a slap but I didn't stop I ran crashing through the underbrush the shotgun clutched in one hand I didn't know where I was going just away behind me I could hear it crashing through the trees following me it was fast too fast for something that size I could hear

its ragged breathing getting closer and I knew I couldn't outrun it I duck behind a Fallen Tree my breath coming in ragged gasps the shotgun still in my hands the thing was close now so close I could hear its footsteps the snap of Twigs under its feet I raised the shotgun aimed at the sound and waited it burst into the clearing its Twisted body illuminated by the Moonlight and I fired the blast hit it Square in the chest and it let out a sound like nothing I've ever heard a mix of a scream and a

howl it staggered but didn't fall its eyes locking on mine for just a moment before it turned and disappeared into the trees I didn't stick around to see if it would come back I ran I don't know how long I ran but by the time I stopped the sun was starting to rise and I was miles from the cabin I made it to the Highway by noon flagged down a trucker and got a ride into town I haven't been back to the cabin since whatever that thing was it's still out there somewhere in those woods

I'm not going back to find out what it wants