4 Thanksgiving horror stories narrated by "The Keeper"
Story credits: Rosie E
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Thumbnail photoshopped by myself
No A.I was used in this production. Thank you for supporting REAL human art.
For story submissions or inquiries contact us at thekeeperofficial@proton.me (our story submission email)
@TheKeeperNarrates
#thanksgivinghorror #scarystories #horrorstories
Story credits: Rosie E
Background image from pexels.com
Thumbnail photoshopped by myself
No A.I was used in this production. Thank you for supporting REAL human art.
For story submissions or inquiries contact us at thekeeperofficial@proton.me (our story submission email)
@TheKeeperNarrates
#thanksgivinghorror #scarystories #horrorstories
Category
š¹
FunTranscript
00:00When I was growing up, I lived in a small rural community in northern Pennsylvania.
00:06It was a community that did fall time perfectly.
00:09There were big piles of orange-colored leaves surrounding each home.
00:14There was that cold crispness in the air along with that wood-smoke smell coming from your neighbor's fire pit.
00:22And all of our neighbors still waved at us from their porches, even after I left home for college.
00:30I always made a point to go back home and spend Thanksgiving there with my family.
00:35That was one tradition that I did not want to miss out on.
00:39Three years ago, I had an experience that changed the way I view Thanksgiving forever.
00:46I was home on Thanksgiving break for the long weekend, and I offered to go to the grocery store with
00:52my father
00:52to get a few last-minute ingredients for our Thanksgiving dinner the following day.
00:57My father remained home preparing the food, so I took my dad's pickup truck to my local grocery store,
01:04which has been around since before I was born.
01:08At the time, the day was still in the process of getting dark earlier than usual,
01:13and when I arrived at the store, it was very quiet.
01:17I saw only a few older people looking through canned goods.
01:22A teenager ringing people up, and an older gentleman in a dark coat,
01:28wandering from aisle to aisle without taking anything.
01:32When I walked into the store, I noticed the man immediately.
01:36I don't know why, but his movements seemed so calculating.
01:41He moved slowly, as if he was trying to figure out everything he saw.
01:48All the people, and everything around them.
01:52But there are always strange people in small towns, so I brushed it off.
01:57I slowly went through my list.
02:00Item 1 was cranberry sauce.
02:03Item 2, a bag of bread rolls.
02:06Item 3, all the spices.
02:09Item 4, a few baking items.
02:12And finally, item 5, a pie plate.
02:16After acquiring these, I headed outside to my truck.
02:21It was dark when I turned on the headlights and saw only two cars left in the parking lot.
02:27Mine, and a dark SUV that I did not recognize.
02:31I threw my bags into the passenger side, and climbed into my truck.
02:37There was no one else in sight around me.
02:41Everything was so quiet.
02:43Way too quiet.
02:46On my way home from the grocery store,
02:48I looked back in my rearview mirror and saw two bright headlights directly behind me.
02:54The car was so close to my truck, I could almost feel the dust and dirt from the pavement on
03:00my rear bumper.
03:02Since there was a long and empty road that leads from the grocery store to my neighborhood,
03:08with only a few turn-offs,
03:10I didn't get the sense that someone had any reason to follow so closely.
03:14When I realized I was being tailed,
03:17I decided to slow down slightly to see if the car would continue to follow me so closely.
03:24To my surprise, the car slowed down with me.
03:27I started to feel a knot in my stomach.
03:30One mile.
03:32Two miles.
03:33Throughout this period, the headlights stayed the same distance behind me.
03:37As I approached my neighborhood,
03:39I saw the SUV slowed before I turned.
03:43It remained in place for a few seconds,
03:46with the engine running,
03:48but then commenced to slowly drive away.
03:51I told myself it didn't mean anything.
03:54It probably was just someone who lost their way.
03:58But as I drove home,
03:59I felt something ominous about the entire situation.
04:04Once inside the house,
04:06I was asked by my father in the kitchen why it took so long to get home,
04:10to which I responded jokingly due to holiday traffic and proceeded to bring in the groceries.
04:17However, the next item I looked at bothered me.
04:21One of the bags here was not mine.
04:24The items were precisely the same as mine.
04:27They were of the same brand and same size as well.
04:31The only difference was that they were sealed in new, tighter plastic wrappings.
04:38Additionally, inside the bag was a folded piece of paper that I did not remember being in my cart.
04:44I found this entire scenario surprising and perplexing.
04:49Was it possible that the cashier accidentally mixed my food items with someone else's items?
04:55Upon consideration,
04:56I determined that my own groceries were still wrapped securely,
05:01so it could not be a replacement bag.
05:03It was indeed a duplicate.
05:06Soon after,
05:07my father entered the room and observed the additional bag,
05:11and asked if I had purchased double items.
05:14I informed him that I had not.
05:17I noticed that the handwriting was very uneven,
05:21and it looked like the person pressed the pen down very hard,
05:25creating a zigzag pattern all over the note.
05:29It said,
05:30Enjoy your dropping things.
05:32Be more cautious next time.
05:35The note did not have a signature.
05:38At first,
05:40my father laughed off the note,
05:42but once I told him
05:43about how I had been followed by that SUV,
05:46he became concerned,
05:48and urged me to call the store,
05:50to see if perhaps someone
05:52had followed me
05:53to see if I had taken their bag by accident.
05:56I called the store,
05:58and the cashier told me that nobody had reported missing anything,
06:01and that no one had followed me outside the store.
06:04But he did say that the only person that was in the store at the same time as me
06:10was an older gentleman dressed in dark clothing.
06:14The cashier said the man left around the same time that I left the store.
06:19When I heard that,
06:20I felt a shiver run down my spine.
06:23The following day was Thanksgiving.
06:26My father told me not to worry and to relax,
06:30which I tried to do.
06:31However,
06:33I continually wondered
06:34what that older gentleman was doing,
06:37wandering through the store
06:38without making any purchases.
06:41Around noon,
06:42on Thanksgiving day,
06:44I went to the store
06:45so that we could return the extra groceries we did not use.
06:49But I noticed the bag containing the extra groceries was missing.
06:53Not misplaced,
06:55moved,
06:55or anything like that,
06:57but completely missing.
06:59I searched through our kitchen,
07:02pantry,
07:03and fridge,
07:04but found nothing.
07:06Nobody,
07:07including my father,
07:09had touched it.
07:10We even checked outside
07:11to see if someone had mistakenly placed it
07:14in the back of the pickup.
07:15The one thing that remained
07:17was the folded piece of paper
07:19on the countertop
07:20exactly where I had left it.
07:23During that night,
07:24I had a tough time falling asleep.
07:26Being in an old house that's silent
07:29makes it easy for the imagination to run wild.
07:33I kept hearing what sounded like someone walking around outside,
07:37or the sound of a car motor.
07:40There were even times where I opened up my blinds
07:43to see if there was a dark SUV parked on the side of the road.
07:47But as I looked out,
07:49all I found was silence.
07:52So,
07:52the next morning,
07:54I decided to head back to where I bought the groceries
07:56to clear my thoughts.
07:58When I got into my father's truck,
08:00I immediately felt something was off.
08:03As I sat in the driver's seat,
08:06I noticed a small,
08:07white card
08:08that had been put under the windshield wiper.
08:11Before I could even touch it,
08:13I felt my heart sink to my stomach.
08:16The card was simple.
08:19It just read,
08:20You didn't drop the bag this time.
08:23That was all,
08:24it said.
08:25I showed the card to my dad,
08:27who immediately wanted to call the police.
08:30But what could we tell them?
08:32Someone bought groceries for us?
08:34Someone followed me home for a few blocks?
08:37Although we found the note very eerie and disturbing,
08:41it was not illegal.
08:42However,
08:43the feeling of being watched is a strong and persistent one.
08:47I left before I initially had planned to leave,
08:50drove back to my university,
08:52and looked in my rearview mirrors continuously along the way.
08:57For the next year,
08:58nothing else occurred.
08:59The following year,
09:02also on Thanksgiving,
09:04there was a package in my apartment mailbox.
09:07There was no return address and no markings on the package.
09:11The only thing written on the front was my name,
09:14in handwriting.
09:16But inside the package was the same groceries I purchased on that night.
09:21Every item was the exact as before.
09:25Same brand.
09:26Same quantity.
09:28And they were all packaged in plastic,
09:31and really crinkly.
09:32And there was a note.
09:34It was the same handwriting.
09:36Still being careful.
09:38My entire body shuddered as I read this.
09:42I will be moving into my new apartment at the end of next month.
09:46This year.
09:48And next year,
09:49I will not be going home for Thanksgiving.
09:55Two years back,
09:57my friends had persuaded me
09:58to go along with them
10:00on a trip to a cabin
10:01in the woods of Vermont for Thanksgiving.
10:04The trip was intended to provide us
10:06with a quiet and relaxing long weekend,
10:09consisting of delicious food,
10:11cold weather,
10:13board games,
10:14and the ability to build a fire every night.
10:17Given that I hadn't spent time with my friends because of work,
10:21this was going to be an ideal opportunity
10:23to reconnect with them.
10:26The four of us that were going,
10:28myself,
10:29Marcus,
10:30his girlfriend,
10:32and Drew,
10:32were all about the same age,
10:35in our early twenties,
10:37trying to avoid life,
10:39temporarily,
10:40by getting away for a few days.
10:43In the pictures,
10:44the cabin appeared cozy.
10:46An older,
10:47wooden building,
10:48surrounded by trees,
10:50and featuring a large stone fireplace,
10:53rocking chairs,
10:55on the front porch,
10:56etc.
10:57It seemed like a great setting
10:59for a Thanksgiving trip.
11:01After an afternoon drive,
11:03and
11:04arrival
11:05at the cabin,
11:06there was one thing
11:08that stood out
11:08that was not included
11:10in the original pictures
11:12of the cabin.
11:12When we reached the front door,
11:15we noticed a note
11:17that was taped to it,
11:18and
11:19was a bit crooked.
11:20The note
11:21only had two words on it.
11:23Keep watch.
11:25All of us believed it
11:26to be a trick of rural humor,
11:29or a Halloween decoration
11:30that had not yet been taken down.
11:33It did not register with us,
11:35at the time,
11:36as anything more than that.
11:38The first night
11:40was quiet.
11:41We took the time
11:42to unpack
11:42and make a simple meal,
11:44and played cards
11:46until we all
11:47grew tired.
11:48However,
11:49around midnight,
11:50we heard something
11:51we could not explain.
11:53We heard footsteps
11:54outside.
11:56Initially,
11:57we thought it was a person
11:58moving on the porch,
11:59but they sounded slow,
12:01deliberate,
12:02and their pace
12:03was steady
12:04and consistent.
12:05When Marcus muted the music,
12:08we were all talking
12:09at the time,
12:10and we felt silent
12:11when we heard the footsteps.
12:13The footsteps stopped.
12:15They started again,
12:16this time
12:17right outside the windows.
12:19Marcus looked
12:20through a small slit
12:21in the curtains
12:22and said he saw nothing,
12:23but we assumed
12:24it was maybe an animal
12:26of some sort,
12:27like a deer
12:28walking past the porch.
12:30But it is not possible
12:31for a deer
12:32to stomp the steps
12:33like that,
12:34and it is not
12:35at all likely
12:36for a deer
12:37to stop right
12:38by a window.
12:39After a while,
12:41the footsteps faded,
12:42and when it became
12:43quiet again,
12:44it felt safe
12:45and calm.
12:46After a while,
12:48we convinced ourselves
12:49that what we heard
12:50was caused
12:51from our nerves
12:52from the journey,
12:54travel fatigue,
12:55or perhaps
12:56because of a creaky porch,
12:58because of the
12:59temperature changing.
13:00We were all able
13:01to find humor in it.
13:03Around 2 a.m.,
13:05we all decided
13:06to head to bed.
13:07From the bedroom
13:08on the first floor,
13:10I could see
13:11into the backyard
13:12and across a view
13:13of the trees.
13:15It should have been
13:16a calming environment.
13:17However,
13:18there was a strong
13:19sensation
13:20of someone watching me
13:21from around the corner.
13:23Feeling unsettled,
13:25I closed the curtains.
13:27At approximately
13:284 a.m.,
13:29I think I must have
13:30fallen asleep,
13:31and then
13:32I woke abruptly
13:33to a sensation
13:35of something tapping
13:36against my window.
13:37I didn't think
13:38it was the wind
13:39or a tree branch
13:39against my window,
13:41but rather
13:41a hard tap.
13:43I could have sworn
13:44I heard
13:45two or three of them.
13:46I listened carefully
13:48and didn't hear
13:49anything else.
13:50I wanted to investigate,
13:52but was instinctively
13:54prevented from doing so.
13:55I would not say
13:56that I was afraid.
13:57Rather,
13:58I was following
13:59my natural survival instincts.
14:01The same kind of instincts
14:03that tell you
14:04not to walk towards
14:05a shadowed area
14:05in the woods.
14:07The next morning,
14:08I spoke with my companions.
14:10They each related to me
14:12their own thoughts
14:13of having heard noises
14:14similar to a human being
14:16walking in the woods
14:18during the early
14:19morning hours.
14:21We agreed to perform
14:22an inspection
14:23of the cabin area
14:24once we had
14:26enough sunlight.
14:28I had expected
14:29that we would find
14:30animal trail marks
14:32in the dirt
14:32and debris.
14:34What we found
14:35were foot tracks
14:36that belonged
14:37to a human being.
14:39The footprints
14:40were deeply impressed
14:42in the ground
14:42and encircled
14:44around the cabin
14:44two times or more.
14:46The human footprints
14:48were found
14:48in front of every window.
14:51What we found odd
14:52was that of these footprints,
14:54there was another trail.
14:56We couldn't necessarily
14:57identify the shoe size
14:59from the prints
15:00left behind.
15:01However,
15:02the manner
15:03of how the prints
15:04were spaced
15:04meant the individual
15:06who walked them
15:06walked slowly
15:08and purposely.
15:09We decided
15:11to not let it bother us.
15:12Perhaps the owner
15:14was coming to check
15:14out our cabin
15:15or maybe a local
15:17had walked through.
15:18Regardless,
15:19it was unsettling.
15:21Thanksgiving Day came
15:23and we decided
15:24to make the best
15:24of it with cooking,
15:26watching an old
15:27holiday movie,
15:28and relaxing.
15:29The air felt
15:30strangely cold
15:31after lunch,
15:32but the heater
15:33was working properly.
15:35However,
15:36it felt like
15:37something was out there
15:38waiting for us.
15:40At around 7pm,
15:42we heard footsteps
15:43outside the porch
15:44for the second time.
15:46We both instantly
15:47recognized
15:48that it was not
15:49the sound
15:49of the house settling.
15:51All of us
15:52quickly went still
15:53in our seats
15:54without saying a word.
15:56Marcus took out
15:57his phone
15:57to video the footsteps,
15:59but the moment
16:00it was taken
16:01out of his pocket
16:02to start recording,
16:03they instantly stopped.
16:05There was an eerie
16:06silence in the air,
16:08the type of
16:09unsettling quietness
16:11that creates
16:11an uneasy feeling
16:12in your stomach.
16:14Drew suggested
16:15that we check
16:15the front door camera.
16:16There was not one
16:18on the cabin.
16:19However,
16:20earlier that day,
16:22Marcus had set up
16:23a motion-activated
16:24camera outside
16:25for the purpose
16:27of determining
16:27whether the footprints
16:28would show up again
16:29overnight.
16:31He accessed
16:32the app on his phone.
16:33He saw that there was
16:35something recorded.
16:36There was footage
16:38from five minutes before.
16:40In the recording,
16:42everything appeared
16:43to be empty
16:43on the porch.
16:44However,
16:45there were areas
16:46of the wood
16:47that were bending down,
16:49as if someone
16:50was walking
16:50across the porch
16:51step by step.
16:53Without a body
16:54being present,
16:55the wood
16:56would descend,
16:58compress,
16:58and then rise back
17:00to its original position
17:01slowly.
17:03All of us
17:04unknowingly
17:04backed away
17:05from the door
17:06at the same time.
17:07None of us
17:08opened it.
17:09We congregated
17:11in the living room,
17:12completely at a loss
17:13as to what to do.
17:14none of us
17:16wanted to leave,
17:17but staying
17:18didn't seem
17:18to be an option.
17:20We finally reached
17:21a consensus
17:21that we would
17:22take turns sleeping,
17:23with two of us
17:24being awake
17:25at a time,
17:26and the other two
17:27being able to sleep,
17:29changing every
17:30couple of hours.
17:31It felt silly,
17:32but the camera footage
17:34provided motivation
17:35for doing this.
17:36I ended up being
17:37on the second shift
17:38with Drew,
17:39who was going
17:40to be awake
17:41with me.
17:42Around 3 a.m.,
17:44Marcus and his girlfriend
17:45woke up Drew and I
17:47by tapping our arms
17:49and whispering loudly,
17:51something was outside.
17:54We all heard it,
17:55breathing on the other
17:56side of the wall.
17:58This breath
17:59was almost continuous,
18:01as if it came
18:02from somewhere
18:03between the porch
18:04and outside
18:05at a slower rate
18:07than normal breath.
18:08The noise next
18:10was the creaking
18:11of something
18:11on the floorboards
18:12outside,
18:13then a strange,
18:15dragging noise
18:16on the side
18:17of our cabin.
18:18Drew kept
18:19watching the window.
18:20I don't think
18:21either of us
18:22did anything
18:22with the curtain.
18:24Neither of us
18:25spoke,
18:26until the noises
18:27stopped.
18:28As soon
18:29as the sun
18:30was up,
18:31the four of us
18:32packed as fast
18:33as we could.
18:34No talk,
18:35no meals,
18:36just throwing
18:37things in the trunk.
18:38Marcus checked
18:39the videos
18:40for the last time
18:41before we left.
18:42There were
18:43several new ones.
18:44In one,
18:45the boards
18:46of the porch
18:47were bent,
18:48bending continuously,
18:50as if someone
18:51had walked around
18:52on them
18:52for several hours.
18:54Then,
18:55another clip
18:56showed the boards
18:57moving toward
18:58the door
18:58and lowering down.
19:00As we left,
19:02something caused
19:02me to turn around.
19:04In an upstairs window
19:05that none of us
19:06had touched
19:07or used,
19:08the curtain
19:09was slightly moving,
19:11almost like
19:12someone had been
19:13watching us
19:13at the moment
19:14we left
19:14and stepped back
19:16quickly.
19:17We returned
19:18the keys
19:18to the rental office
19:19and the person
19:20at the desk
19:21didn't appear shocked
19:22when we brought up
19:23the fact
19:23that we had heard
19:24footsteps around
19:25the cabin.
19:26The woman
19:27didn't ask
19:28for any specifics
19:28about our experience.
19:30She simply
19:31nodded her head
19:32slowly,
19:33as if she had heard
19:34about the footstep
19:35noises before.
19:36When we asked
19:38if the piece of paper
19:38we found
19:39with the words
19:40keep watch
19:41on it
19:42was from the rental office,
19:44she said no,
19:45it was not.
19:46We did not ask her
19:48any further questions
19:49about it.
19:50The next day,
19:51when we left Vermont,
19:53on our way back home,
19:54the day after our trip,
19:56we had our last conversation
19:58about our vacation.
20:00Last week,
20:02while searching
20:02through the rental listings
20:03for another holiday trip,
20:05the exact same cabin
20:07showed up
20:08in the listing again.
20:09The same pictures
20:11of the outside porch
20:12and the same photo
20:14of the front windows
20:15of the cabin.
20:16However,
20:17there was one new picture
20:19added to the listing.
20:20A picture showing
20:22the front door
20:23of the cabin.
20:24There was a piece of paper
20:25taped to this door.
20:27This piece of paper
20:29had the same words
20:30on it as before.
20:32But instead of saying
20:33keep watch,
20:34it had the new words
20:36keep watch close.
20:39I was a trail patroller
20:41at a small nature preserve
20:43that was open
20:44for public access
20:45to see the fall foliage
20:47over the Thanksgiving holiday week.
20:50My duties were primarily
20:52to monitor the trails
20:53and ensure hikers remained
20:55on the designated paths
20:57and closing the gates
20:59to the trails
21:00each evening.
21:01It wasn't a demanding job.
21:04I received decent pay
21:05and I appreciated working
21:08in a tranquil location.
21:10The nature preserve
21:11contained long wooden walkways
21:14lined with tall pine trees
21:16and it was much colder
21:18and windier
21:19than I had anticipated.
21:22Nonetheless,
21:23it was very serene
21:24and relaxing.
21:27The first night
21:28of my employment
21:29began at approximately
21:3011 p.m.
21:32Since sunset
21:33began at 4.45 p.m.,
21:36I took my flashlight,
21:38thermos,
21:39and an emergency radio
21:41from the maintenance staff
21:42with me.
21:43After I traversed the trail
21:45the first time
21:46everything appeared normal.
21:48A scattering of leaves
21:49on the ground,
21:50branches swaying
21:52from the cooling temperature
21:53and evening winds,
21:54and the occasional sound
21:56of critters
21:57in the woods
21:58rustling about.
21:59On the second pass
22:01of my trail walking,
22:02I began to notice
22:03a subtle difference.
22:05There was a pair
22:06of footprints
22:07off the trail.
22:09The footprints
22:10weren't out of the ordinary.
22:12There are quite a few people
22:14hiking in this area,
22:15and it wouldn't be unusual
22:17for them to go
22:18off the trail.
22:20What made these footprints
22:21different
22:22was that they were
22:23incredibly deep,
22:25brand new,
22:26and heading straight
22:27toward the woods.
22:29This indicated
22:30that whoever made them
22:32had just stepped off
22:33the path
22:34moments ago.
22:35I yelled out
22:36to see if anyone
22:37heard me
22:38and might respond.
22:40Nobody answered me.
22:42I pointed my flashlight,
22:44into the trees,
22:45but the light
22:46did not reach
22:47very far.
22:48The trees absorbed
22:49all the light
22:51like a big wall,
22:52so I couldn't see
22:53any movement.
22:55To stay within
22:56the guidelines
22:57of my department,
22:58I reported
22:59what I had found
23:00to my radio room.
23:01I then marked
23:02the spot
23:03where the footprints
23:04were found,
23:05and decided
23:06I would continue
23:07my patrol
23:07until I found evidence
23:09of an injured
23:10or lost hiker.
23:11It would likely
23:12be just a hiker
23:14who had left
23:14before I arrived.
23:16Around thirty minutes
23:18later,
23:18I arrived at the
23:20outer edge
23:20of the preserve,
23:21known as
23:22the Overlook.
23:24The Overlook
23:25was a large
23:26wooden platform,
23:27with a railing
23:29that overlooks
23:30the vast views
23:31of the valley below.
23:32It was a very
23:33popular place
23:35for people
23:35to take pictures.
23:36As soon as I
23:38stepped onto
23:39the platform,
23:40I heard the wood
23:41creak,
23:41and immediately
23:42felt the hair
23:43on my arm
23:44start to rise.
23:45On the railing
23:46of the platform,
23:48someone had
23:49placed something.
23:50It was a toy
23:51stuffed turkey,
23:52like you would see
23:54given away to kids
23:55in school
23:56around Thanksgiving.
23:57It was old,
23:59dirty,
24:00and worn
24:01on the edges.
24:02It was standing
24:03upright,
24:04facing the path,
24:05not the view,
24:07of the valley.
24:08There was a
24:09small piece
24:09of paper
24:10pinned to it,
24:11with the tag
24:11attached.
24:12I thought it
24:13might have been
24:14a misplaced object,
24:15so I carefully
24:16picked it up
24:17to check its label.
24:18It read,
24:20Trail Marker 1,
24:217.12 PM.
24:24I looked down
24:25at my watch.
24:26The current time
24:27was 7.14.
24:28The timing
24:29was unbelievable.
24:31I called in
24:32the markers
24:32to my supervisor.
24:34After a long pause,
24:35my supervisor
24:36finally said
24:37they had not
24:37put out
24:38anything similar
24:39to that.
24:40I was then
24:41instructed
24:41to bring it back
24:42so they could
24:43look at their log.
24:44Just as I was
24:45beginning to walk
24:46away from the
24:47observation point,
24:48I realized
24:49I was not
24:51alone.
24:52Another set
24:53of footprints
24:53had appeared
24:54behind me.
24:55Deep footprints,
24:57leading directly
24:58to the observation
24:59platform.
25:00I had not heard
25:02anything approach me.
25:03I had not
25:04heard any footsteps
25:05or breathing
25:06or anything
25:07at all.
25:08Suddenly,
25:09my flashlight
25:10went out.
25:11I began walking
25:12very fast.
25:14By the time
25:14I reached
25:15the middle
25:15of the trail,
25:16the winds
25:17had picked up
25:18and leaves
25:18were twirling
25:19all over the
25:20walkway like
25:21they were being
25:21sucked in
25:22from nowhere.
25:23The radio
25:24had static
25:25over it.
25:25When I thought
25:26it was going
25:27to be my supervisor,
25:28it was nothing
25:29but the sound
25:30of quiet breathing.
25:32Steady,
25:33slow breathing.
25:34The breathing
25:35was really close
25:36to the microphone.
25:38Is someone there?
25:39I asked
25:40as I stepped away
25:41from the side
25:42of the path
25:43and started moving
25:44toward the middle.
25:45The breathing
25:46stopped.
25:48A few moments
25:49later,
25:49after stumbling
25:50through the forest
25:51with only the dim
25:52light of the stars
25:53to guide me,
25:54I arrived
25:55at a little
25:56emergency shed.
25:58The purpose
25:59of the shed
25:59was simply
26:00to warm up
26:01your hands
26:01and check
26:02your gear.
26:03After entering
26:04the shed
26:04to warm up
26:05my hands
26:05and look
26:06at my equipment,
26:07I saw
26:08a conspicuously
26:09placed paper
26:10on an inside
26:11wall.
26:12I had no prior
26:13knowledge
26:14of this location.
26:16The paper
26:17contained
26:17the following
26:18words.
26:19Trailmarker 2
26:21738 PM
26:23The watch
26:24I wore
26:25at the time
26:25read exactly
26:26738,
26:28eerily synchronized
26:29with the paper.
26:31I did not want
26:32to jump
26:32to any conclusions,
26:34but I was beginning
26:35to feel
26:35as if whoever
26:36this was
26:37was traveling
26:38much faster
26:39than me
26:40through the reserve
26:41and placing
26:42these markers
26:42right before
26:44in locations
26:45that he knew
26:45I would go to.
26:47This individual
26:48left no evidence
26:50of their presence
26:51until now.
26:53The forest
26:54I was in
26:54was eerily
26:55quiet now.
26:57Without a single
26:58insect buzzing
26:59or animal chirping,
27:01there wasn't
27:01even a leaf
27:02blowing in the breeze.
27:04In fact,
27:05the lack of noise
27:06or any movement
27:07in the forest
27:08left me with
27:10a sense
27:10of extreme
27:11unease.
27:12Carefully opening
27:13the door
27:14and shining
27:15the new flashlight
27:16I acquired
27:16from the shed
27:17down the path
27:18ahead,
27:19I did not
27:20initially see
27:21anything strange.
27:22However,
27:24once I angled
27:25the beam of light
27:26down,
27:27I found
27:28fresh footprints
27:29again.
27:30I followed
27:31these footprints
27:31until they
27:33led me to
27:33a gate entrance
27:34at 8.10pm.
27:36I was instantly
27:37flooded with emotions
27:39as I spotted
27:40a second object
27:41on the ground.
27:42Standing upright
27:43like a long-forgotten
27:45stuffed turkey,
27:46this old
27:47and dusty toy
27:48looked as though
27:49it had been
27:50left behind
27:50by someone
27:51in a hurry.
27:53The label
27:54attached to it
27:54read
27:55Trail Marker 3
27:568.10pm.
27:59Just like
28:00the previous item,
28:01it was right
28:02on time.
28:03There was no doubt
28:04someone
28:05was following
28:06or rather
28:08anticipating
28:09my every move.
28:11There were
28:12numerous tracks
28:13clearly marked
28:14on the ground
28:14in a perfect circle
28:15around the second
28:17marker.
28:18Disturbed,
28:19I looked over
28:19my shoulder
28:20and found
28:21new tracks
28:22leading all the
28:23way up
28:23behind me.
28:24They were deep
28:25and the same
28:26size as the ones
28:27I thought
28:28I was following.
28:29I came to
28:30the shocking
28:30realization
28:31that the person
28:32that had followed
28:32had been right
28:33behind me.
28:35I had never
28:35once heard
28:36them approach
28:37or heard
28:38them leave.
28:39I left
28:40this marker
28:41and continued
28:42walking
28:42without stopping
28:43for any
28:43additional markers.
28:44as I approached
28:46the visitor booth
28:47I noticed
28:48that someone
28:49had left it
28:50open
28:50for me.
28:52This booth
28:53was not open
28:53to the public
28:54at these hours
28:55and there was
28:56no one else
28:56working.
28:57It would have
28:58had to have been
28:59opened
28:59without a key.
29:01The visitor booth
29:02was dark.
29:03When I stepped
29:04into it
29:05I stopped
29:06in place.
29:07On the counter
29:08sat a third
29:09stuffed turkey,
29:11its head
29:11hanging down
29:12to one side
29:13appearing as
29:14though
29:15it were
29:15watching
29:16the entrance
29:17door.
29:18A tag
29:18was attached
29:19to the turkey.
29:20It wasn't
29:21a trail marker
29:21this time.
29:22It was simply
29:23a note
29:24that read
29:25You were late.
29:27It was
29:288.27
29:28on my watch.
29:30I carefully
29:31backed away
29:31from the booth
29:32and radioed
29:33the supervisor
29:34a second time.
29:35Instead of
29:36static
29:36like before
29:37a light
29:38tapping sound
29:39was in the
29:40background.
29:41possibly
29:42from someone
29:43tapping
29:43on a piece
29:44of clear
29:45plastic.
29:46Then I heard
29:47the sound
29:47of breathing
29:48again.
29:49I turned
29:49off the radio
29:50and hurried
29:51over to my
29:52vehicle
29:52which was
29:53parked
29:54near the
29:54visiting booth.
29:56While approaching
29:57my car
29:57I noticed
29:58something
29:58on the hood
29:59of the vehicle
30:00resting just
30:01above
30:01the front
30:02of the car.
30:03Yet another
30:04stuffed
30:05turkey toy.
30:06The final
30:07one.
30:07I did
30:08not
30:09pick it
30:09up.
30:09After
30:10getting
30:11in my
30:11car
30:12and locking
30:12the doors
30:13I drove
30:14away
30:14at a speed
30:15too fast
30:16for safety.
30:17But I
30:18didn't care.
30:19I had
30:19to get
30:20away.
30:21Later
30:21that night
30:22I sent
30:22an email
30:23to my
30:23boss
30:24informing
30:24her
30:25of my
30:25resignation.
30:26A week
30:27later
30:27they reposted
30:28that same
30:29seasonal
30:29job
30:30opening
30:30with the
30:31same
30:32previous
30:32advertisement.
30:34The same
30:34written
30:35job description
30:36as before
30:37and also
30:38the same
30:38photo
30:39from the
30:39cabin
30:40located
30:40at the
30:41entrance
30:42to the
30:42trail.
30:43But
30:43there was
30:44something
30:45different
30:45with the
30:46advertisement
30:46this time.
30:47In the
30:48photo
30:48I noticed
30:49an image
30:50of a
30:50stuffed
30:51turkey toy
30:52visible
30:53from the
30:53cabin's
30:54window.
30:54An image
30:55of the
30:56stuffed
30:56turkey toy
30:57staring
30:58back
30:58at me
30:59wanting
31:01to be
31:02picked
31:02up
31:02and
31:03taken
31:03home.
31:06My
31:07Thanksgiving
31:08in 2021
31:09was supposed
31:10to take
31:10place at
31:11my cousin's
31:11in Washington
31:12State.
31:13The distance
31:14was quite
31:15far from
31:15where I
31:16live in
31:16Oregon.
31:17This was
31:18supposed to
31:19be a
31:19peaceful
31:19and
31:20inspirational
31:21trip
31:21while I
31:22traveled
31:22alone
31:23where I
31:24could enjoy
31:24the autumn
31:25colors,
31:26empty
31:26highways,
31:27and clear
31:28my mind
31:29before the
31:29long
31:30weekend.
31:31My
31:31cousin's
31:32house is
31:32located about
31:33an hour
31:34away from
31:34Olympia in
31:35a small
31:36rural
31:36community.
31:38The
31:38sections of
31:39the road
31:39leading into
31:40this portion
31:41of the
31:41state are
31:42wooded and
31:43become dark
31:44before one
31:44would normally
31:45expect because
31:46of the dense
31:47forest that
31:48surrounded these
31:48areas.
31:50By 5
31:50p.m., the
31:52darkness had
31:53settled in
31:53deep.
31:54I was not
31:55concerned by
31:56this as I
31:56had previously
31:57made this
31:57drive a couple
31:58of times
31:59before.
31:59after an
32:00hour into
32:01my drive,
32:02my GPS
32:03indicated that
32:04it was
32:04rerouting me
32:05due to the
32:06holiday traffic
32:07that I would
32:07encounter on
32:08my route.
32:09The house
32:10looked relatively
32:11open, but I
32:12had not seen
32:12any other
32:13vehicle since
32:14leaving my
32:14house around
32:154 p.m.
32:16The detour
32:17that my
32:18GPS took
32:19me on
32:19went through
32:21an unmarked
32:22and hardly
32:23traveled route
32:23that I had
32:24never been on
32:25before this
32:26trip.
32:27As the road
32:28appeared to be
32:29paved and
32:29well maintained,
32:31I continued to
32:32follow the
32:32previously provided
32:34route.
32:34After about
32:3610 minutes,
32:37I saw something
32:38that caught my
32:39attention.
32:39It was an
32:40unusual decoration
32:42that was located
32:43under a tree
32:44line, a
32:45scarecrow with
32:47a turkey
32:47painted onto
32:48its shirt.
32:49One would
32:50have assumed
32:50it would have
32:51been put there
32:51for a
32:52Thanksgiving
32:52celebration.
32:54At least,
32:55that was the
32:55only logical
32:56explanation I
32:57could think
32:57of.
32:58Although I
32:59was not
32:59fearful of
33:00the decoration,
33:01I was
33:02surprised to
33:02find it
33:03there.
33:03There was
33:04nothing but
33:05deserted
33:05forest around
33:06me.
33:07There were
33:08no houses,
33:09farms, or
33:10any other
33:10signs of
33:11human life.
33:12And in
33:13the middle
33:13of that
33:14nothingness
33:15was a
33:15single,
33:16unremarkable
33:17scarecrow
33:18standing on
33:19the side of
33:20the road.
33:20I ignored
33:21it.
33:22As I
33:23drove further,
33:24I began to
33:24pay more
33:25attention to
33:25the
33:26scarecrows.
33:27I nearly
33:28wrecked my
33:28car when I
33:29noticed them.
33:30Scarecrows
33:31were everywhere,
33:32every few
33:33hundred feet
33:34apart, and
33:35they all
33:35stared down
33:36the road,
33:37appearing as
33:38if they were
33:39gawking at
33:39anyone driving
33:40past.
33:41The only
33:42difference
33:42among all
33:43these scarecrows
33:44was their
33:44distance from
33:45the road
33:45and their
33:46size.
33:47Some were
33:48short,
33:49others tall.
33:50One was
33:51missing an
33:52arm, another
33:54had a
33:54lopsided hat.
33:56They all
33:57bore the
33:57turkey symbol
33:58somewhere on
33:59their bodies.
34:01After seeing
34:02six or seven
34:02of them, I
34:03started to
34:04feel uneasy.
34:05I pulled out
34:06the GPS again,
34:08but it
34:08continued to
34:09inform me
34:09that this
34:10was the
34:11fastest
34:11route.
34:12By this
34:13time, it
34:13was around
34:146.30
34:15p.m., and
34:16the fog was
34:16starting to
34:17get thicker,
34:18making it
34:18difficult to
34:19see more
34:20than a
34:20short distance.
34:21The road
34:22appeared like
34:23a tunnel
34:24filled with
34:25white.
34:25My high
34:26beams were
34:27of little
34:27help cutting
34:28through the
34:29mist.
34:29And then I
34:31saw a large
34:31object lying
34:33on the road,
34:34close to
34:34where my
34:35car was
34:35headed.
34:36I slammed
34:37on the
34:37brakes.
34:38When I
34:39got close
34:39to it, I
34:40noticed it
34:41was a
34:41bundle of
34:42hay.
34:42It was
34:43tightly
34:43compressed
34:44and formed
34:45in the
34:46shape of
34:47a curled
34:47up person.
34:49At first, I
34:50thought it
34:50was something
34:50that had
34:51fallen off
34:51a trailer.
34:52I had an
34:53epiphany as
34:54I spotted
34:55the painted
34:56turkey image
34:57on the edge
34:58of the
34:58bundle, an
34:59image that
35:00matched those
35:01of the
35:01larger-than-life
35:02scarecrows I
35:03had seen
35:04along the
35:05country roads
35:05in this
35:06area.
35:06The bundle
35:07had shifted
35:08slightly.
35:09There was
35:10no hint of
35:11an animal
35:11movement inside.
35:13Rather, it
35:14felt as though
35:15something large
35:16had just settled
35:17into place
35:17after being
35:18suddenly displaced.
35:20Even if it
35:21had been an
35:22animal, I
35:23would not
35:23have left
35:24my car.
35:25Nothing.
35:26And no one
35:27was going to
35:28force me into
35:29a pitch-black
35:30area surrounded
35:31by dense forest.
35:32I took a
35:33wide detour
35:34to avoid
35:34it.
35:35When I
35:36looked in
35:36my rearview
35:37mirror, the
35:38bundle had
35:39completely vanished.
35:40There was
35:41not a trace
35:42left behind.
35:43No drag
35:44marks.
35:45No visible
35:46tracks.
35:47It simply
35:48disappeared.
35:50This was when
35:51I decided to
35:52turn off my
35:52GPS unit and
35:54attempt to find
35:54my way back
35:55to the main
35:56highway.
35:57This was not
35:58going to be
35:58easy.
35:59I had no
36:00service, and
36:01with the fog,
36:02there was no
36:02visible intersections.
36:04As I continued
36:05driving, the
36:06road became
36:07bumpier and
36:08curvier.
36:09The asphalt
36:10was only
36:11partially
36:11maintained, with
36:12many large
36:13cracks and an
36:14accumulation of
36:15fallen leaves,
36:16which scraped
36:17against the
36:18belly of my
36:18vehicle.
36:19The woods
36:20around me were
36:21shifting.
36:22Then, just a
36:23couple of
36:24minutes later, I
36:25spotted something
36:26enormous directly
36:27in the center of
36:29the road that
36:30appeared in my
36:31headlights.
36:32A gigantic
36:33scarecrow.
36:34It was the
36:35biggest one I
36:35had ever seen
36:36in my entire
36:37life, and it
36:38was blocking my
36:39way.
36:40I slowed down
36:41to take a
36:42better look, but
36:43I felt the
36:44greatest, instinctual
36:45urge to stay
36:46away from it.
36:48As I passed it
36:49on my left
36:49while driving, my
36:51headlights
36:52illuminated the
36:53legs of the
36:53scarecrow.
36:54It looked as
36:56if it had been
36:56placed there just
36:57before I got
36:58there.
36:59I began racing
37:00down the road.
37:01The fear and
37:03adrenaline had me
37:04frantic for about
37:05ten minutes.
37:06Finally, I got
37:08to a stretch of
37:08road where there
37:09was no more
37:10scarecrows, and
37:11no more symbols,
37:13just an endless
37:14fog and trees on
37:16both sides.
37:17At last, I saw
37:19a sign ahead.
37:20It was a
37:21reassuring symbol
37:22that humanity
37:23and civilization
37:24were to be
37:25found ahead.
37:26When I got a
37:27good view of
37:28the sign, I
37:29tensed back up.
37:30The sign did
37:31not have
37:32directions on
37:32it.
37:33The sign did
37:34not state the
37:35mileage to our
37:36destination.
37:37This sign had a
37:39message written in
37:40dark blue paint.
37:42These eerie
37:43markings read,
37:44You passed
37:45it.
37:45My gut told me
37:47that I had to
37:47leave the road
37:48right away.
37:50Frantically, I
37:51continued driving
37:51past the sign,
37:53and down the
37:53road, being
37:54careful not to
37:55go too fast to
37:56crash into the
37:56trees, but
37:57traveling much
37:58faster than I
37:59should have been.
38:00Around 7.50
38:01p.m., I saw
38:03the glow from
38:04a streetlight.
38:05A few minutes
38:06later, the fog
38:07began to clear
38:08up.
38:08I got a
38:09notification from
38:10my cell phone
38:11that I had
38:11regained service.
38:13The road felt
38:14like it was
38:14becoming smoother,
38:15and the road I
38:17knew began to
38:18appear before me.
38:19I pulled into
38:20a gas station
38:21that was very
38:21well lit.
38:22I was glad to
38:24be back to my
38:24senses, and was
38:25grateful for the
38:26comfort of being
38:27able to breathe
38:28calmly again.
38:30While I sat,
38:31parked in the
38:32parking lot,
38:33recovering from
38:34what I just
38:34went through, my
38:36cousin called me
38:37to find out
38:37where I was.
38:39I told them I
38:40was going to be
38:40late, because I
38:41was due to
38:42arrive at her
38:43house a few
38:43hours ago.
38:45When I told
38:45her the way
38:46I traveled, she
38:48seemed puzzled.
38:49She said the
38:50way I had gone
38:51did not exist, to
38:52the public, and
38:54I could not have
38:54gone there except
38:55by driving through
38:56private forests.
38:58About a week
38:59later, due to
39:00my curiosity, I
39:02looked at my
39:03phone's GPS
39:03history.
39:04During the
39:05detour, my
39:06location pin had
39:07ceased to
39:08update.
39:09Prior to the
39:10strange road I
39:11took, the
39:12last recorded
39:12location was
39:13when I got
39:14off the
39:14highway.
39:15Everything
39:16after that was
39:17completely blank.
39:18There was no
39:19GPS record, no
39:21time stamp, just
39:23a gap.
39:24If this was all
39:25there was to the
39:26story, it would
39:27be easier to
39:28convince myself that
39:30the gap was due to
39:31stress, or that I
39:32was imagining
39:33things.
39:34A few days later,
39:36after I returned
39:36home, I received a
39:38small padded
39:39envelope that had
39:40no return address.
39:42It was in a
39:43small patch, stitched
39:44by hand.
39:45A design I
39:47recognized immediately.
39:49A turkey symbol.
39:51The same symbol that
39:52had been painted on
39:53nearly every
39:54scarecrow.
39:55The same symbol
39:56that was found on
39:58the hay.
39:59Also included with
40:00the patch was a
40:01note.
40:02The note was not
40:04handwritten, but
40:05was stamped.
40:06You were supposed
40:07to stop.
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