Overview of the Encounter

Axel Hawthorne, a park ranger with over a decade of experience at Whispering Pines National Forest

Date: unknown

Year: unknown

Location: Whispering Pines National Forest

Land Managed By: Federal

Nearest Town: unknown

County: unknown

State: unknown

Nearest Landmark: Outpost 17

Witness Accounts

On a moonless night in October, park ranger Axel Hawthorne experienced a terrifying encounter in Whispering Pines National Forest. The incident began just after midnight when Hawthorne heard a chilling scream that resonated through the trees. Initially dismissing it as the sounds of wildlife or potentially rowdy campers, he ventured outside his cabin to investigate. Upon exiting, he noted an eerie silence enveloping the area—no crickets or owls were in sight, amplifying his unease. As he scanned the tree line with his flashlight, he discovered massive footprints leading away from his cabin. These tracks were significantly larger than a human's and did not resemble any animal he recognized, which sparked his curiosity despite an overwhelming sense of dread. Deciding to follow the tracks deeper into the woods, he felt the atmosphere grow increasingly unsettling. The forest closed in around him, and after approximately ten minutes, he reached a clearing featuring a tree with deep claw marks along its trunk. Initially thinking it was the work of a bear, he soon realized the marks were too high and spaced irregularly, indicating whatever left them was exceptionally large. While inspecting the tree, Hawthorne heard a branch snap behind him. He quickly turned, illuminating the underbrush with his flashlight. For a brief moment, he believed he saw glowing eyes staring back at him, but they vanished before he could confirm. Calling out to see if anyone was there yielded only silence, intensifying his feeling of being watched. Realizing his solitary investigation had gone too far, he decided to return to the safety of his cabin. Just as he turned to leave, he heard the bone-chilling howl again—this time much closer. The sound spurred him into a full sprint back to his cabin as the forest came alive around him, branches whipping at his face and roots threatening to trip him. As he neared his cabin, he fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking, and finally managed to slam the door shut just before he heard heavy footsteps approaching from the woods. Inside, he was met with a sound that made his heart race: heavy breathing and sniffing outside his door. In a panic, he called for backup on his radio, describing the urgency of the situation. Before he could elaborate, an earth-shattering crash echoed in the cabin as something slammed into the door, splintering the wood. Hawthorne caught a glimpse of long, curved claws reaching through the gap formed by the damage. Desperately, he backed away from the door, pistol raised, as the entity continued its relentless assault. The door was violently ripped from its hinges, revealing a towering figure that stood approximately eight feet tall, covered in thick, matted fur. Its arms were abnormally long, ending in razor-sharp claws, and its face bore a disturbing mixture of animalistic and human features, complete with a protruding snout and glowing eyes. In the moment of confrontation, the creature let out a roar that reverberated through the cabin, causing Hawthorne to fire his weapon. The flash briefly illuminated the entity, causing it to recoil momentarily. With surprising speed, it lunged at him, missing him by inches as it crashed into his desk, sending various items flying. Seizing the moment, he darted toward the back door, desperate to escape. Emerging into the night, he ran blindly through the forest. The sounds of pursuit echoed behind him, driving him to push on despite the burning in his lungs and the fatigue in his legs. Eventually, he broke through the trees onto the main road within the park, collapsing just as headlights approached. It was his colleague, Ranger Zoe Mendes, arriving with backup. As she rushed to his side, he attempted to articulate what had transpired, but the terror left him almost speechless, pointing instead toward the darkened woods. Zoe followed his gaze, momentarily spotting the massive silhouette at the tree line before it vanished into the shadows. Once in her vehicle, Hawthorne struggled to convey the events, feeling the disbelief of his own account. After the incident, a thorough search of the area yielded some strange tracks and claw marks, but nothing definitive. Colleagues attributed the encounter to a bear or suggested Hawthorne had imagined it due to isolation and stress. However, Mendes believed him, as she had witnessed the creature as well. Ultimately, Hawthorne requested a transfer to a different park, seeking a place with fewer trees and more people. Yet, the haunting memories of that night lingered, and he sometimes believed he could still hear the creature's howl in the wind, a constant reminder of the unknown lurking in Whispering Pines.

Source

YouTube

Note: Information above was collected and summarized by A.I. Dates, name and location could be inaccurate or wrong.