This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/Ok-Programmer-6938 on 2024-04-10 00:34:28.
I used to love the outdoors. Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, you name it I was taking an opportunity to participate in it. My girlfriend was the same. We had bonded over our mutual love of nature and the peace that it brought. Now, I’m terrified to spend any time in the woods. That thing I heard there…its voice still haunts my dreams.
We decided on a weekend trip to the Mogollon Rim of Northern Arizona. It was going to me, my girlfriend Allison, my friend Amanda and her Husband Dave, and my sister Maria with her boyfriend Gabe. The last two didn’t like the idea of “roughing it” in a tent so we all went in on a nice cabin in a secluded part of the forest near a lake. The day of the drive, we all packed into my SUV and began the hours-long journey up into the mountains. After what felt like days, we came upon the turn-off given to us by the man who had rented us the cabin. It was at least another hour along uneven dirt-road into the depths of the forest before we found ourselves pulling up to our rather luxurious cabin. I couldn’t hide my disappointment, I was hoping for something a little less modernized. Maybe without natural plumbing or electricity. Maria and Gabe were thrilled, and the others seemed excited, too. So, I told myself I’d enjoy this little slice of heaven out in the middle of nowhere. After all, how would I get to stay in a place like this?
We unpacked our things, found the key where the text said it would be, and went inside to find another note.
"The Septic system was emptied a few days ago, and the cabin hasn’t been used since. You’ll find fuel for the generator in a shed about five minutes walk from the cabin. Keep the doors locked and the lights off after ten, otherwise you might get unwanted attention. I hope you enjoy your stay!
-Ernest"
I read it out loud and laughed. “We’ve got indoor toilets, Power, and all the other modern amenities we could ever ask for. I hope no one thinks we’re ‘roughing it’ out here,” I teased. My sister just rolled her eyes. Dave and I finished unpacking things and gathered up fishing rods for everyone. “The lake’s a twenty-minute hike from here. Anyone feel like going fishing?”
Gabe and Maria declined, but the rest of us made the journey out to the lake, and much to our surprise it was empty. “Got the whole thing to ourselves,” Dave said with a slap to my back. “Hope the fish are biting.”
We spent the entire day out on the lake, laughing, fishing, drinking, and having a great time. After several wonderful hours, we collected our catches and began the hike back to the cabin. By the time we had gotten back, the sun was disappearing behind the mountains, giving us just enough light to find our way back to the cabin without injury. Upon arrival, we noticed the lights were already on. “Guess they got the fuel for the generator,” Allison said, amused “Didn’t think they’d even leave the cabin.”
That night, we fried up our fish and settled in for a pleasant evening. Even Gabe and Maria enjoyed the fish. The trip was already looking great.
We continued this way for three days. Everyone enjoying the trip in their own way, with Dave, Allison, Amanda and Myself often leaving early in the morning for a hike or to spend some time out by the lake and Gabe and Maria hanging out at the cabin. Every night we’d kill the lights at around 9:45 to follow the wishes of our host, and every morning we’d be up bright and early for another adventure. Everything was turning up aces, we were all having a great time.
Then, the fourth night came. Most of us had spent the day on a six-hour hike through rough trails and we were beat. We had crashed early, reminding Gabe and Maria that the lights needed to go out by ten so we could avoid things like bears. They rolled their eyes, but agreed.
I woke at 2:30 in the morning to the sound of panicked knocking. Slowly, I moved to sit up, but I felt Allison’s hand seize my shoulder as she looked at me and shook her head fiercely.
“Hello?” I heard a man’s voice call from the front door of the cabin. “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you all so late, it’s just…your light was on and I’m kinda lost. I’m trying to find my friends at the trailhead. I think I got turned around somewhere. Hello?” the knocking resumed.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Allison covered it, whispering. “We don’t talk to the thing in the woods.” I blinked, staring at her in shock. After a while the knocking stopped, and Allison appeared to relax a little.
Untiil we heard the sound of something gently tapping the window of our bedroom. As I turned my head to look, Allison seized it and kissed me passionately. The tapping continued for several long minutes, during which she held that kiss and my face so that it remained away from the window. When the tapping stopped, she let me go. Her face was ghostly white. “I knows we’re here now, it won’t stop. It’s going to come back…”
“What is?” I asked, confused.
“The Thing in the Forest.”
“What is it?” I pressed.
She just shook her head and rolled over to go back to sleep. “We need to leave tomorrow.” she muttered.
I didn’t sleep much the rest of the night. The sound of the man at the door and his desperation, Allison’s insistence that we ignore it, all of it seemed so strange to me. Like there was a piece of this puzzle I was missing.
When I finally woke from my restless slumber, Amanda and Dave were already up and making coffee. As I arrived, Dave turned to me and handed me a mug. “You tell Allie a scary story last night or something? She’s spooked. White as a sheet. Never seen her like that.” I blinked, staring at my coffee and looking up at Dave. He seemed chipper as ever, as though nothing strange had happened the evening prior.
“You didn’t hear all that knocking last night? The guy who got lost?” I asked, baffled.
“Nah, Mandy and I were out like lights. Must’ve slept well past dawn, too. Man, that hike took a lot out of us. We were thinking of taking it easy tonight, you know? Maybe just head out to the lake and spend some time together.”
I nodded, looking back down at my cup. “Allie said she wants to go home.” I murmured.
“Well that’s no good!” Amanda called from behind. “I just got done talking to her. She said you guys had a bit of a fright last night. That there was a bear or something trying to get in.”
“Or something.” I replied, shaking my head. “Look, I think it’s a good idea. We should head back into town maybe just go home.”
Dave frowned, “We paid a lot of money to stay here for a week, man. We’ve only stayed four nights. Can we at least stay one more so it feels like we gained something? I know you’ve got the car and all, but I think maybe Allie just got spooked. We shouldn’t rush to leave.”
I sighed, there was no way I was convincing these two to leave, but maybe Maria and Gabe would be willing to listen.
“Just because your little girlfriend had a bad dream doesn’t mean we should all pack up and run away.” Maria stated flatly. “We’re having a great time out here.”
When I found Allison, she was still very shaken, her eyes locked in the middle distance staring deep into the treeline at something that wasn’t there.
“Hey,” I murmured, causing her to jump. “Sorry, can we talk?”
She turned to face me full on “No one wants to leave, do they? They all believe it’s nothing. That I’m overreacting to a bear or something.” I nodded, and she sighed dejectedly, finding a seat on one of the chairs on the porch. “I’m not crazy.” she said darkly. “I’ve heard about this thing. My grandad and dad used to me stories about the Thing in the Forest. They told me to never say anything to it. Never acknowledge it or look at it, because if I did and it recognized me, it would take me away. It would take me away and steal everything about me.” she shivered. “The way they told the stories, it was like they had seen something like that happen.” she looked to me, tears forming in her eyes. “Remember how I told you my dad died when I was young? That he was mauled by a bear?” I nodded. “He wasn’t. That Thing got him. It got him and took everything that made my dad himself away. It left only what it didn’t need.”
I blinked as she told me this story. “How do you know that? How can you be sure it wasn’t a bear or something?” I pressed.
“Because I heard him. The night after the search teams found what was left of him. I heard my dad calling to us. We all did.” she whispered. “And my Grandpa held me close, and he told me 'We don’t talk to the Thing in the Woods. We need to leave.” she stated again. “We can’t stay here.”
I sighed, nodding. “How about I get us a motel back in town? It’s only a three hour drive, and I can come back for the others tomorrow.”
She shook her head desperately. “They won’t be here tomorrow, don’t you see? It’s going to take them, they won’t listen!”
“Allie, look, I…I get what you’re saying. You’re scared, and it sounds like whatever happened was very traumatic. I can take you away from here, but I can’t just force the others to leave, too.”
She nodded in defeat and looked to me. “I’ll stay tonight…but I want you to stay with me, and I want you to listen to everything I tell you.” I offered a reassuring nod and took her hand.
“You have my word.”
We spent the day at the cabin, Allison spent time reinforcing the bedroom door with planks of wood, much to the amusement of everyone else. I followed along with her, providing her whatever help I could…
Content cut off. Read original on https://old.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/1c05fu8/we_dont_talk_to_the_thing_in_the_woods/