apparently some of y'all were hankering for some stories about unexplained Encounters in the Deep Woods so I put together a little treat full of stories of Terror from folks who went camping a little too deep in them their Woods welcome back to unexplained encounters I'm your host Darkness prevails and you should subscribe to my other channel Darkness plays where I play horror games with my friends and you can hear me say naughty words Link in the description enjoy these terrifying out sty tales and be sure to send me your scary paranormal and Supernatural stories at
dark stories.org and check out my book Phantom phenomena on Amazon or Barnes & Noble where you can read a handpicked collection of the scariest stories I've ever received with cool factoids and Atmospheric illustrations and finally you should be listening to unexplained encounters on Spotify apple or your favorite podcast platform just search for Eerie cast leave us a r and review when you get there thank you now let's begin never go camping in the forests on reservations from torrential downpour back when I was 13 my family lived in the city but every summer I visited my
relatives on the reservation it was a tradition that's been going on since I was little on this occasion I was especially excited because I would get to spend more time with my cousins Daniel who was 14 Mia who was my age and little Jonah who was 11 their home was nestled deep within the woods surrounded by towering Pines and the sounds of nature it's a world away from the city life I was used to the air was fresh the nights were quiet and there was a sense of Peace that's hard to find anywhere else one
evening after dinner the four of us were sitting on the porch watching the sunset the adults were back inside chatting and laughing about whatever Daniel turned to us with a mischievous grin guys what if we went camping tonight Mia raised an eyebrow you know Grandma and Grandpa wouldn't let us do that they've told us a million times by now don't go into the woods after dark exactly ly Daniel smirked that's why we won't tell them a thing I could tell Jonah didn't like the sound of that I don't know what if we get caught I
was torn the idea of a nighttime adventur sounded great but disobeying our family didn't sit right with me you know we could just ask first I added Daniel shook his head they'll just say no come on it'll be fun we'll set up a tent tell stories and we'll be back before Sunrise before they can even know Mia glanced at me what do you think Alex I was hesitant but then I thought about how memorable it could be and at the time the kids my age were all saying YOLO all right I'm in but we have
to be careful Jonah sigh fine but if we get in trouble it's on you Daniel we waited until everyone had gone to bed around midnight the house was quiet except for the soft sounds of our grandparents snoring we grabbed what we would need and went our way sneaking out the back door we made our way into the woods the night was clear and the moon cast a nice glow through the branches the paths we were used to during the day were now a bit creepy which was exciting to us after about 20 minutes we found
a small clearing near a creek it was a spot we'd been to many times before but now after dark it was like a whole new place we worked together setting up a tent which to be honest was a bit of a struggle in the dark but we made it work once everything was ready we sat around a small batterypowered Lantern the soft light was enough to illuminate our faces and the sounds of the forest added to the atmosphere we could hear crickets and the occasional owl hooting in the distance all right who's got a good
story Daniel asked rubbing his hands together I do mia exclaimed have you guys heard about the Raven mocker Jonah shuddered oh I don't like that one too bad she teased so the Raven mocker it's this evil spirit that steals the hearts of the sick and dying to add years to its own life it said it can appear as a raven or take on human form but only medicine men can see it that's creepy I admitted Daniel leaned in well how about this one it's even scarier have you ever heard of the dear woman Mia rolled
her eyes Daniel you know that's just a story to keep kids from wandering off whatever they say she appears as a beautiful woman to lure people into the woods but once you're deep enough she reveals her true form hooves for feet and the face of a stag Jonah looked genuinely frightened can we talk about something else I decided to lighten the mood how about the uh oh the legend of star people they're benevolent beings they say they came from the sky to teach our ancestors wisdom and knowledge that's not scary Daniel objected exactly I smiled
maybe we've already had enough of these spooky stories but Daniel wasn't done he glanced around and lowered his voice you know Grandpa told me something once something he said was true Mia gave him a wary look what are you talking about he paused for effect he said that when he was our age he encountered a skin walker instantly the atmosphere changed we all knew about skinwalkers witches who could transform into animals using dark magic for evil purposes it's a subject the elders rarely discuss and when they do it's with a sense of dread Daniel I
don't think we should talk about that Mia whispered come on it's just a story Jonah hugged his knees maybe we should listen to Mia but now I was curious what did Grandpa say Daniel took a deep breath he said that one night he was out late helping his father gather wood they got separated somehow at one point and as he was searching he saw a coyote standing on two two legs and it was staring at him at first Grandpa thought his eyes were playing tricks on him but then it began to walk towards him its
body twisting and contorting stop it Mia pleaded but Daniel ignored her continuing on he froze too scared to move the coyoty had the face of a man stretched over its skull it whispered his name in a voice that was not human Grandpa ran as fast as he could back home and when he told his father they performed a ceremony to protect him silence fell over us even the forest seemed to have gone more quiet like it was listening with baited breath to his story I felt a chill why would you tell that story Mia snapped
clearly upset it's just a tale d Daniel said though he looked a bit uneasy himself Jonah's eyes were wide do you think they're real I didn't know what to say part of me wanted to dismiss it as Superstition but another part remembered the warnings from our elders I think we should just go to sleep I finally said we agreed and crawled into the tent it was a tight fit but we didn't mind being close felt safer somehow at that moment I lay there staring up at the tense fabric Shadows from the trees outside started to
creep me out it was hard to go to sleep every little Sound Outside startled me hours seemed to pass I glanced at my watch 3:15 a.m. still dark I was starting to drift off at last when I heard it a sof soft shuffling noise like someone dragging their feet through the underbrush I held my breath straining to listen there it was again closer this time did you guys hear that I whispered Mia turned over and looked at me he what sh Daniel hissed listen the shuffling grew louder accompanied by a faint wheezing like labored breathing
then Jonah sat up his eyes wide with Terror what is that he mouthed Daniel reached for his flashlight hands shaking he gestured for us to stay quiet slowly he unzipped a small part of the tent flap just enough to peek outside we crowded around each of us trying to see without making any noise the flashlight beam cut through the dark bringing light to the trees at first we saw nothing but then there was a movement emerging from behind a tree was a figure unlike anything I'd ever seen it had the body of a coyote but
grotesquely distorted limbs stretched too long patches of fur missing skin pulled tightly over the bones but the head was the worst the most horrifying part it was like the Flesh of a human face had been yanked over a coyote skull and left there eyes sunken deep with a faint glow mouth hanging open and a Silent Scream the creature moved in a jerky unnatural way circling our camp its wheezing breaths echoed in the Stillness it didn't seem aware of us thankfully but it was searching for something head twitching about from side to side Mia covered her
mouth to stop a scream Jonah gripped my arm so tight even he hurt me Daniel slowly lowered the flap and turned off the light we retreated to the back of the tent Hearts pounding what do we do I whispered stay quiet Daniel replied maybe it'll go away we sat there huddled closely together listening as the creature continued to Circle us we waited for the longest time the wheezing breaths drawing closer and closer right outside the tent help me a raspy voice whispered from outside I felt a surge of Terror it was mimicking human speech but
the speech was distorted and unnatural please help me Jonah began to cry softly Mia held his hand her own eyes brimming with tears don't respond Daniel mouthed the creature Pressed Against The Tint fabric so close we could could see its shadow looming over us its smell was overwhelming Decay mixed with something like sulfur why won't you help me it whispered the voice barely more than a breath I closed my eyes hard silently praying for it to leave the wheezing continued for what felt like ages then suddenly The Sounds began to fade the shuffling moved away
the wheezing grew distant and eventually the forest returned to its natural Symphony of nocturnal creatures and yet we didn't move none of us dared to speak or even breathe too loudly Dawn was still a couple of hours away but the thought of stepping outside was terrifying do you think it's gone Mia finally whispered I don't know Daniel swallowed we should wait until sunrise we sat there backs against the wall fighting exhaustion sleep was impossible every so often we'd hear a distant sound and ense right back up but the creature didn't return as the first light
of dawn broke through the trees we felt a Collective relief the darkness had been our enemy but daylight brought safety or at the very least the illusion of it let's pack up and go I suggested quickly we stuffed our sleeping bags into our backpacks not bothering to fold anything properly exiting the tent we looked around slowly and cautiously the clearing looked innocent enough in the morning light but the memory of the night night's Terror lingered should we take the tent down Jonah asked leave it Daniel said we can come back for it later we then
made our way back home the Journey Back felt way longer than before when we finally exited the woods and approached the house we saw our grandparents and parents waiting on the porch for us their faces had a mix of anger and worry on them where have you been Grandma demanded her hands were on her hips Daniel looked down and replied we uh we went camping after we explicitly told you not to Grandpa's voice was Stern Mia stepped forward we're sorry we just thought it would be an adventure our parents ushered us inside once we were
seated around the kitchen table Grandpa looked at each of us intently did anything happen out there he asked we looked at each other and finally I spoke up yes sir uh we well we saw something that we can't really explain Grandma sighed we warned you for a reason what did you see Grandpa pressed sounded like he already knew what we were going to say Daniel began to describe the creature we saw in detail the distorted Body humanlike Face the wheezing and the voice eventually Grandpa nodded it's as I feared was that a skinwalker Jonah asked
timidly Grandpa shot him a look so quick Jonah winced do not speak of it yes and I'll say this once it is what our people call Yi they are witches who have chosen to embrace Darkness capable of taking the form of animals to harm others why didn't you tell us before Mia asked her voice shaking because speaking of them can draw their attention grandma said softly we did not want to scare you but we also hoped you would respect our warnings our parents performed a cleansing ceremony that afternoon Sage smoke filled the house as they
chanted prayers for protection the atmosphere was solemn but I felt a weight finally lifting off my shoulders we were grounded for the rest of the stay which was fine by me none of us had any desire or plans to venture into those woods again at Le at least not for a long time that night I found myself staring out the window scared but also wondering if I would see those eyes again peering back at me on my last day Grandpa sat with me on the porch you've learned a hard lesson he said gently I'm sorry
we disobeyed I apologized he placed a hand on my shoulder the spirits of these lands are power powerful some are good others are not so it's important to respect them and the wisdom pass down through generations do you think it'll come back he gazed out at the tree line I believe the ceremony has offered protection but remember curiosity can be dangerous always trust the guidance of your elders as I returned to the city The Experience stayed with me it's something I still think about often especially at night when the Shadows seem a little deeper I've
become more interested in our traditions and stories realizing they're not just Tales they're lessons I haven't told too many people about that night most don't believe me when I do but I wanted to share it here not to scare you per se just to remind you to respect the unknown and to listen to the people that came before us they figured some things out long before we did so we didn't have to figure things out ourselves funny how we naturally don't want to listen some things in this world can't easily be explained and perhaps they
shouldn't be all I know is that I'll never forget those haunting whispers in the dark and the lessons we learned the hard way blackeyed kids in the woods from Big Red I've been debating whether or not to share this but it's been weighing on my mind and maybe putting it out there will help me process what happened this isn't some spooky campfire tale it's something that actually occurred only a few months ago I'm from Columbus Ohio my two best friends are Tyler and Greg we've been tight since high school played football together went to the
same College the whole deal back in April Greg's dad passed away suddenly it was a heart attack came out of nowhere no warning nothing Greg was devastated his dad was his Rock and losing him hit Greg Harder than anything I'd ever seen after the funeral he was in a dark place Tyler and I tried to everything to help him out but nothing seemed to lift his spirits one evening out of the blue Greg called us up he suggested we all go on a camping trip like we used to he said he needed to get out
of the city and clear his head Tyler and I were all for it sometime in nature might be just what he needed we decided to head to Wayne National Forest in Southeastern Ohio it's a massive area with dense woods and not too many people it's a perfect spot to get away to Tyler had recently bought this small RV camper it wasn't luxurious but it had the basics a couple of bunks a tiny kitchen area and Best Yet a heater for those chilly nights we packed up on a Friday afternoon sleeping bags hiking gear a cooler
full of food and drinks then we hit the road the drive was filled with our usual joking around though Greg was quieter than usual we didn't push him we just let him be when we got to the forest we decided to find a spot off the main Trails we wanted some seclusion a place where we could just relax without other campers nearby after navigating some narrow dirt roads we found a clearing surrounded by Tall Pines it felt right so we set up camp started a fire and spent the evening grilling burgers and reminiscing the sky
was clear and the Stars s were out in full force Tyler who's always been into astronomy was thrilled look at that Sky he said lying back on a log you don't get views like that in the city yeah it's pretty amazing I agreed Greg seemed to relax a bit sipping his beer and even cracking a smile now and then it was good to see him loosen up around midnight Tyler had an idea I'm going to sleep on the roof of the camper tonight he announced I don't want to miss any of this Greg chuckled you're
nuts man maybe Tyler grinned but I'll have the best view I laughed just don't roll off in your sleep he grabbed a sleeping bag and climbed on up settling in on the flat roof Greg and I decided to turn in and headed inside the camper it was cozy two small bunks and just enough room to stand up I climbed into my bunk and pulled out my phone scrolling through social media Greg was lying across from me staring at the ceiling you doing okay I asked he sighed yeah just thinking about your dad yeah he would
have loved this I nodded he was a good man thanks Greg said softly we fell into silence and eventually eventually I started to drift off sometime later I woke up to a soft knocking sound at first I thought I was dreaming but then it came again a gentle tap at the camper door Greg Greg you hear that I whispered he stirred hear what someone's knocking we both listened there it was a faint deliberate knock maybe it's Tyler messing with us Greg suggested just then my phone buzzed it was a text from Tyler are you guys
awake it read yes I replied are you knocking on the door nope but I see someone outside my heart skipped a beat who looks like two kids standing near the fire pit I showed the texts to Greg he looked as puzzled as I felt what are kids doing out here at this hour he asked no idea I said should we check it out he nodded well we can't just ignore them I called out through the door uh hello can we help you a small voice replied please we need to use your phone something about the
voice felt off to me it was flat almost mechanical uh where are your parents Greg asked please let us in the voice said again I felt a creeping sensation in my gut uh we can call someone for you uh just tell us the number silent then we need to come in let us in my phone buzzed again Tyler had sent another message don't let them in something isn't right what's going on I typed back their eyes they look completely black I felt a chill run down my spine I showed the message to Greg what does
that even mean he whispered I don't know but Tyler seems serious the knocking grew louder let us in the voices demanded they sounded more forceful than before look we can get you some help I said trying to keep my voice steady no you need to invite us in the voice insisted why do you need an invitation Greg asked please we just want to come in the voice said almost pleading now my phone buzzed again Tyler wrote they're acting weird they keep looking up here but I don't think they can see me should we call the
police I texted back maybe but we're pretty far out he replied Greg was starting to look uneasy what do we do I think we should just keep the door locked I said firmly the knocking stopped for a moment everything went silent then we heard footsteps circling the camper slow and deliberate they're walking around Greg whispered we stayed quiet listening to the soft crunching of leaves underfoot the footsteps stopped near one of the windows please let us in the voice said again right outside I peered through the curtain but couldn't see much just a small figure
standing close to the window why won't you let us in the voice asked sounding desperate I didn't know what to reply my mind was reeling then from above we heard a soft thump Tyler texted oh my God they're trying to climb up here be careful I typed back he responded one of them said something weird I swear it sounded like your friends won't help you I showed the message to Greg this is getting creepy agreed he said maybe we need to regroup good idea we decided to bring Tyler inside I mustered up some courage and
opened the door just enough to stick my head out Tyler I whispered loudly get down here he carefully climbed down the ladder on the side of the camper as he reached the ground we heard one of the voices now you've made a mistake we quickly got inside and locked the door behind us what the heck is going on Greg asked I don't know Tyler said catching his breath but those kids their eyes are pitch black no whites no Iris nothing that's impossible I said well I saw it he insisted we sat there the three of
us trying to make sense of the situation maybe they're wearing contact Greg suggested at this hour in the middle of nowhere Tyler replied just for some prank my phone buzzed again an unknown number the message read you cannot hide from us I showed it to the others did you guys give your numbers out our numbers out they shook their heads how did they get your number Greg asked I have no idea the footsteps started again this time more rapidly circling the camper this is messed up Tyler said we should call the police right Greg asked
I tried to dial 911 but somehow the call would not connect it didn't make sense no signal I I guess I stared at my phone same here Tyler said checking his great Greg muttered the voices came again sounding more irritated this time this is your last chance let us in ignore them I whispered we huddled together hoping they would just go away minutes felt like hours as we sat there in silence then everything went quiet the footsteps the voices they were gone do you think they left Greg wondered maybe Tyler said skeptically I peered out
the window but didn't see anybody let's just wait a bit to be sure I suggested we stayed put for another half hour and when there were no further sounds we started to relax slightly maybe it was just some kind of prank Greg said though he didn't sound convinced who would go to that length Tyler asked kids from town I don't know well I'm not staying to find out I said let's pack it up get out of here we quickly gathered our things trying to make as little noise as possible as we stepped outside the forest
was eerily still the fire had died down to glowing Embers we loaded up the camper and just as we were about to get in I heard it do you think you're leaving one of those voices calling out from somewhere in the dark I SP run around but I didn't see anyone who's out here I shouted my voice betraying my nerves silence let's go Tyler urged we jumped into the camper and Greg started the engine as we pulled away the headlights briefly illuminated two figures standing at the edge of the clearing they looked like kids but
their faces were obscured by Shadows did you see that Greg gped his knuckles white on the steering wheel just drive I said we didn't stop until we reached a gas station about 30 m away it was brightly lit and felt like a sanctuary compared to the darkness we just left inside we grabbed coffees and sat down at a booth what the heck just happened to us guys Greg asked his hands were shaking no idea Ty replied but those kids whatever they actually were were not normal I pulled out my phone and did some searching for
anything that might explain it I then stumbled upon loads of stories about blackeyed children accounts eerily similar to ours guys look at this I said showing them my phone we read through several stories together stories of people encountering children with completely black eyes children who insisted on being led inside homes or Vehicles this can't be a real thing Greg said I know what you're feeling but like we just experienced this Tyler said we sat there for a while processing everything eventually we decided to head back home over the next few days we kept in close
contact sharing any strange occurrences fortunately nothing out of the ordinary happen happened Greg started to attend grief counseling and seemed to be coping better sounds crazy he told me one day but maybe facing something unexplainable made me realize I can't control everything I'm glad you're doing better I told him me too but let's avoid any more camping trips for a while agreed I laughed life started to return to nor normal I haven't received any more strange texts and neither have Greg or Tyler I'm praying this was only one time thing and maybe you will'll never
fully understand what happened that night but if you ever find yourself alone somewhere and someone knocks at the door begging to be let in be doubly sure about what you do next stay safe out there the Beast is still here from Alice K last summer my friend Lily and I decided to take a little trip to France we'd both just graduated from college and wanted to do something a bit more adventurous before diving into the whole career thing we'd saved up some cash from our part-time jobs and planned a two-e backpacking trip through the French
Countryside we started in Paris of course soaking in all the touristy stuff the Eiffel Tower the loua you know the drill but both of us were more interested in the Less Traveled paths so we headed south to the rural areas wanting to experience what we called the real France one place that caught our attention was the region of jodon Lily had read about it in some historical Thriller novel and was intrigued by the Legends of the Beast of jodon a creature that supposedly terrorized the area in the 18th century I'm a bit of a history
buff myself so I was all in we arrived in a small village called maruis nestled in the mountains it was picturesque with cobblestone streets and Old Stone houses the locals were friendly enough but seemed a bit reserved when we mentioned our interest in the beasts Legend one elderly woman even crossed herself and muttered something under her breath when we brought it up undeterred we found a quite little Inn to stay in and planned a hike through the nearby forests the next day the inkeeper a middle-aged man I'll call Jacks warned us to stick to the
marked Trails people can get lost easily he said in his thick accent Andy wolves have been more active lately wolves Lily asked her eyes lighting up yes but they usually avoid humans he replied it just be cautious the next morning our backpacks loaded with snacks and all the goods we set off the forest was breathtaking tall trees forming a canopy overhead and the smell of pine in the air the birds chirping were a nice cherry on top it was everything we'd hoped for the very reason we planned this trip in the first place about 2
hours into the hike we came across this old overgrown path which wasn't on our map Lily ever The Adventurous type thought that we should take it come on Emma she said tugging at my arm this is exactly the kind of off-the-beaten path experience we both want I hesitated I don't know jacqu said to stay on the marked trails she rolled her eyes playfully are you afraid of the beast from a few hundred years ago think it's going to come back and get us I laughed fine but if we get lost I'm blaming you we ventured
down the path which wound deeper into the woods the trees were denser here and the light filtering through the leaves gave everything a greenish Hue it was eerie but beautiful after about an hour we stumbled upon a clearing with the ruins of what looked like an Old Stone Cottage moss covered the walls and nature had begun to reclaim the place intrigued we decided to explore imagine who might have lived here Lily mused running her hand over the rough Stone as we looked around I noticed strange markings etched into one of the remaining walls they did
not look like any writing I'd seen more like symbols or sigils hey check this out I called to Lily she walked over squinting at the markings weird maybe it's some kind of old language that moment a strange rustling sound came from the trees behind us we both froze eventually I whispered maybe just an animal maybe we should head back Lily suggested her earlier bravado now dating yeah good idea as we turned to leave I caught a glimpse of something moving between the trees a large dark shape that seemed to be too big to be a
deer did you see that I asked my heart beginning to race see what I don't know I saw something move over there we stood still together scanning the forest the woods had gone unnervingly quiet no birds no insects nothing come on let's go Lily said her voice barely above a whisper we started back the way we came walking quickly but trying not to panic every so often I'd hear the crack of a twig or the rustle of leaves and I would glance back to see nothing after what felt like ages we realized we weren't on
the same path that we' taken ear earlier are we lost I asked trying to keep the fear out of my voice the path should be right here Lily insisted looking around frantically we pulled out the map but it was useless we had no idea where we were and better yet our phones had no signal and the GPS wasn't working well under the thick canopy okay let's stay calm I said we can retrace our steps just then a low growl came through the trees this time we both heard it I remember Lily joking asking if that
was my stomach but she sounded terrified we started to move faster the growling growing louder and closer suddenly Lily screamed and I spun around to see this massive animal emerge from the Shadows it looked like a wolf but far too large with matted fur and glowing yellow eyes it snout was longer than a wolves too and saliva dripped from its bared fangs run I shouted we sprinted through the trees branches whipping against our faces I could hear it behind us crashing through the underbrush my lungs burned but adrenaline pushed me forward out of nowhere Lily
tripped over route and went sprawling I skitted to a halt and rushed back to help her up come on I urged pulling her to her feet that thing was closing in on us snarling in a blind panic we veered off to the left spotting a rocky incline ahead we scrambled up the Rocks hoping that the creature couldn't follow us reaching the top we found ourselves on another Trail a real one that time with signs and markers relief washed over me look I pointed to a sign indicating the way back to the Village but before we
could celebrate the Beast appeared at the bottom of the inine staring up at us with those malevolent eyes it leted out a howl that echoed through the mountains go Lily yelled we raced down the trail the creature now out of sight sight but the fear propelling us forward after running nonstop for what felt like miles we burst out of the forest and fell onto a road where a small van was parked an older man was loading crates into the back he looked up startled to see two disheveled girls sprinting towards him please help us I
gasped he took one look at us and gestured for us to get into the van without hesitation we jumped in and he sped off toward the village what happened he asked in broken English something some kind of animal chased us Lily explained between breaths he nodded grimly Lait the Beast you know about it I asked he didn't answer me but that alone was answer enough back in Maro we went straight to the Inn Jack took one look at us and shook his head you went off the trails didn't you he said not unkindly we're sorry
I apologized but we saw something out there something that shouldn't exist jacqu side zond is not just a story many here have seen it why doesn't anyone do something about it Lily demanded he sh drugged what can we do it's a curse that has plagued this region for centuries that night we stayed in our room doors locked and windows shuttered neither of us slept much the next morning we decided to cut our trip short and head back to Paris as we were leaving Jack handed us a small pendant with an intricate design what's this A
detective charm for your safety we thanked him and left eager to put distance between us and whatever lurked in those Woods back in Paris amidst the bustle of the city the whole experience felt surreal but the nightmares that followed reminded me that it was in fact real I still have dreams on occasion of those yellow eyes and that haunting growl Lily and I don't talk about it much when people do ask about our trip we stick to the highlights the Eiffel Tower the cafes the art museums no one would believe our encounter anyway but I
do Wonder now what else is out there in the hidden corners of the world what other things exist that people simply are too afraid to talk about and I still can't shake the feeling that we were lucky enough to make it out of jodon alive hide behind encounter from pucks wuy growing up on a farm with over 250 acres of land had its perks endless space to explore the freedom to roam and a sense of solitude that's hard to find anywhere else at 17 years old I was no stranger to hard work my Dad ran
the place with a firm but fair hand and I was more than willing to help out out wherever I could one summer evening dad mentioned needing trees cleared in the deepest part of our Woods he offered to pay me well for the job more than he usually would the extra cash sounded good at that age at the time I had my eye on this used dirt bike that a friend of mine was selling so I jumped at the opportunity the next morning I loaded up the truck with all the necessary gear packing everything up in
the sturdy trailer that my dad let me borrow the area he wanted me to clear was a good drive through rough terrain parts of the property we didn't frequent often as I said off the sun hadn't set yet but was well on its way making our Fields look golden the drive took about half an hour the path getting narrower and more overgrown as I went deeper when I made it to the spot I took a moment to appreciate the serenity there were tall trees all around and the wind sounded nice I got to work then
my chainsaw roaring to life the first few trees came down without a hitch as I was moving on to the next I had the odd sensation of being watched I paused cutting the engine and listening closely there was nothing unusual just the typical forest sounds so for the time being I Shrugged it off and continued my work a couple of hours later while taking a break I noticed something strange one of the trees I'd felt earlier was missing that couldn't be right or possible trees don't get up and walk away I headed over to where
it should have been scratching my head there was the stop cleanly cut but the tree itself was now gone I looked around thinking maybe I dragged it off and forgotten about it but no it was nowhere in sight a bit unsettled I decided to chalk it up to me being forgetful and moved on As the day wore on little things started to nag at me Shadows seemed to shift just beyond my line of sight once I thought I heard faint laughter but I assumed it was the wind because I should have been alone out here
completely the feeling of being watched grew stronger but every time I looked around I was still alone well after dark I sat down for a late dinner while eating I felt that prickling sensation again the hairs on the back of my neck standing up I scanned the perimeter but again I saw nothing out of the ordinary but then a sudden rustling sound caught my attention about 20 yards away bushes shook violently as if something big was moving through them I stood up in an instant ready to go hello I called out getting no response Wildlife
was common out here deer foxes sometimes a bear but this felt different deciding it was best to keep working and finish up I got back to it by the time I loaded up the last of the logs onto the trailer I was deep into the night the woods were quiet the daytime creatures settling down as the nocturnal ones began to stir I checked my watch 1 p.m. time had really gotten away from me I pulled out my cell phone and called home mom answered on the second ring hey Mom just uh letting you know I'm
going to camp out here for the night it's a nice evening and I'd rather not drive back in the dark all right hun be safe and call us the moment you need anything we'll do good night after hanging up I set about making a simple Camp I always kept a small tent and sleeping bag in the truck for occasion just like this with the tent pitched near the truck I started a small fire to cook some dinner just canned beans and hot dogs but that really hit the spot sitting by the fire I pulled out
a book my dad had lent me a non-fiction book about the Civil War my dad was a bit of a history and folklore buff after for a while I closed the book tossing Another Log on the Fire the night was calm the fire crackling softly but the quiet was soon interrupted by a faint sound like someone stepping on dry leaves I looked up peering into the dark beyond the fire's glow just some animal I thought to myself still the feeling of being watched returned a bit stronger than before I decided to turn in thinking after
all that hard work it'd be easy to sleep I doused the fire leaving just a few Embers glowing then crawled into my tent lying there I couldn't shake the feeling that something was out there I told myself I was being paranoid that these strange occurrences throughout the day were just adding up and getting to me sometime later I drifted off only to be jolted awake by a loud thump I sat bolt upright the sound had come from near my truck listening closely I heard what sounded like heavy breathing but it was irregular I unzipped the
tent just to crack enough to peer out the Moonlight made everything look extra creepy with how it cast the Shadows but I didn't see anything weird just yet the truck and trailer were sitting there just as they should but then I saw something a shadow slipping behind a tree too big to be any animal I knew I froze my breath caught in my throat then I saw the shadow move again darting from that tree to the next always just out of full view it was like it knew exactly where my gaze would land and avoided
it perfectly there was something familiar about it now but I wasn't sure why I tried to call myself surely was nothing just my eyes playing tricks I gathered my courage and grabbed the flashlight shining it towards the trees everything was silent until I began to hear the breathing again it was closer now I swung the flashlight around frantically for a split second I thought I saw a figure a tall gaunt shape slipping behind a tree my hand shook the light wobbling I I knew deep down that I should not be staying out here slowly I
backed into the tent and packed up what little I had inside emerging cautiously I made my way toward the truck keys in hand the trailer was loaded down with logs I climbed into the driver's seat and locked the doors the engine roared to life and I felt relieved I put the truck in gear and tried to pull forward but the vehicle struggled the weight of the loaded trailer was too much on the uneven terrain I was starting to panic with that trailer attached maneuvering quickly would be nearly impossible if I could get this thing moving
at all I needed to unhook it Gathering every ounce of courage I had I stepped back outside into the dark I was terrified I could feel eyes on me and my hair was standing on end I worked quickly un last ing the trailer causing metal to Clank loudly in the forest but then there was a sound behind me a low growl I was way too scared to even try glancing in that direction with the trailer unhitched I jumped back into the truck and floored it the tires spun for a moment before gaining traction and I
sped down the rough path branches scraping the sides in the rear view mirror I thought I saw movement a dark shape standing in the middle of the path but it quickly vanished as I rounded a bend the drive back was a blur I didn't slow down until I saw the lights of the farmhouse in the distance pulling into the yard I shut off the engine and just sat there hands gripping the wheel tightly I didn't tell my parents the full story just that I decided to come back early they noticed the trailer was missing and
I explained I'd left it there planning to retrieve it the next day that night sleep eluded me I kept thinking about what I'd seen the next morning Dad and I drove back to get the trailer the area looked normal enough in the daylight the trailer was right there where I left it still loaded with logs why'd you unhook it out here dad asked had some trouble maneuvering last night I replied we hitched it back up without incident as we were about to leave I glanced back toward the trees and I swear for a brief moment
I saw a dark shape slip behind a trunk but it could have been a trick of the light back at home I went straight to the bookshelf in my dad's study this whole time there was something familiar about what I had experienced but I couldn't put my finger on why I searched through the volumes and I found one I remembered reading several years ago a book on folklore in the forest s specifically in North America for that entire evening I read about the monsters there until I came to one the hide behind I read it
thoroughly a creature known as the hide behind was said to pray on those alone in the woods especially after dark it could contort its body to hide behind the narrowest of trees always staying just out of sight victims often reported feelings of dread and The Sensation of being watched before disappearing without a trace a shiver ran through me I was never one to believe in all this kind of folklore just thought it was a fun read but the parallels were too strong to ignore I decided to share a bit with my dad in a non-obvious
way I asked him have you ever uh heard any stories about strange things in the woods he looked at me your great grandpa used to tell tales about creatures out there some old Lumberjack Legends um like the hide behind he raised an eyebrow you've been reading that book huh yeah just curious those are just stories son but honestly I've always thought every Legend had a kernel of truth always good to be cautious out there especially if you're alone I nodded not entirely reassured from there on out I believed that there was something out there so
I avoided going deep into the woods alone and I stuck to the more familiar areas near the farm one evening I met up with a friend who lived nearby I mentioned my experience and to my surprise he didn't just laugh me off well you're not the first to feel that way out there he said I've heard Old-Timers around here talk about strange Happ happenings I've heard stories about missing livestock and Eerie sounds some of them won't even go into the woods after dark anymore this was both comforting and unsettling to know that I was not
alone in this to this day I tried carefully on our land the woods aren't as Serene as they used to be they're a place to be respected and feared what do you think do you think the hide behind is real have you ever encountered one let me know because I'm very very curious thank you for tuning in to unexplained encounters if you're not already follow and listen to unexplained encounters on Spotify Apple podcasts or your favorite podcast app leave us a rating while you're at it get some cool creepy merch at Eerie cast. store check
out my other show where i n at scary work stories it's called Tales from the breakroom for more terrifyingly entertaining shows from Eerie cast go to Eerie cast.com and if you want to listen to unexplained encounters and all the other eercast shows without pasky ads sign up for eercast Plus at east.com plusus you'll also get exclusive access to horror audio books only available to Eerie cast Plus members and you'll get 20% off our Eerie cast. store merch through our members only monthly discount code finally if you have a scary story of The Unexplained send it
to me at dark stories.org I think that's about it thank you so much for joining us stay safe out there and stay creepy because this world is a strange one [Music]
