A California backpacker was camping in the Los Padre National Forest. He began to hear a series of whistles coming from all around him and getting closer. He then experienced 'mind speak.'
"It was October 1, 2019, in Los Padre National Forest near Santa Barbara, California. It was the worst night of my life. I went on a solo backpacking trip and I had mapped out a loop trail which I didn't really know if possible. I didn't know this area very well and I didn't think the trail had been maintained for over a dozen years. My guess is that it would be about 50 miles but I really needed to figure out what I was planning on doing in 3 days. But I had enough food for five.
About 7 minutes into my hike I found this beautiful campsite area with a waterfall and natural swimming hole. I didn't make it as far as I would have liked to on my first day but I couldn't pass up swimming in this beautiful creek in this slot canyon. I set up my hammock went for a swim, ate some dinner, and turned in early. I figured if I hit the hay early I'd get up before sunrise and get back on pace.
I woke up about an hour later to find that dreadful feeling of being watched. It was absolutely horrible. There's only a sliver of light left from the sunset so I decided I would pitch a tent, then rain tarp on, and go back to sleep. I set up the tent faster than I've ever set up a tent before. I felt as if I was being watched the entire time. I crawled in and tried to force myself back to sleep. I guess the tent gave me a false sense of security, out of sight and out of mind. I fell back asleep.
Several hours later, at about 2 in the morning. I was woken by a whistle coming from up the creek. I sat up in my tent listening. I didn't hear any birds, crickets, or anything. I don't even think I remember hearing the creek or waterfall. But 5 minutes passed and as soon as I laid my head down I heard the same whistle again from about 200 yards up the creek. I sat back up, my eyes as big as saucers just listening. I knew that this wasn't a bird or any wildlife. I sat perfectly still in my tent and listened. I then heard another whistle from 200 yards down the creek this time. The original whistler up creek quickly responded to the whistler down the creek, then straight up the cliff side in the canyon above me. I heard a third whistle respond every minute or so. They would take turns whistling one minute, it would be from up creek. The next minute from down creek. Then the following minute up above me on the cliff they took turns in perfect order, never going out a turn.
I listened to this for about half an hour before I realized that the whistles were closing in my tent. The whistles were getting louder and closer. First, it was 200 yards, then 150 yards, then 100 yards, then 50 yards, until all three whistlers were right outside my tent. They're whistling down at me. I was shaking in my sleeping bag terrified. What followed next was the worst experience I've ever had in my 31 years of life.
The ground began to shake like an earthquake and I felt electric shocks going through my body. It was very painful. I think I let out an involuntary yell from the pain. Tears were rolling down my face because I was so terrified. I mustered up my strength and yelled from the top of my lungs, "Leave me alone!" Then silence. The electric shock stopped, and the ground stopped shaking. I tried to listen as best I could to any noise while shaking with fear in my sleeping bag. I then heard a stern voice in my head telling me to leave. He sounded angry. It's the same mind speak that I heard years earlier. They then turned and started to walk away from me. I could feel the ground shaking as they left. They then entered the thick of the forest and broke trees and branches till they were all out of range.
I stayed awake and my tent all night until first light and then went back down the way I came to my truck. I could not complete the loop trail, I was going home. I ended up not leaving my bedroom for three months other than to get food. I was terrified to even go outside my home. Friends and family started to worry about me finally. I told one of my friends what happened. I even got a therapist who specializes in PTSD and told him everything, probably saved my life. I was probably as close to suicide as I could get. My friend got me back out in the woods and even got me to go overnight camping on several occasions but I highly doubt I'll ever go solo backpacking in the woods for the rest of my life."
Transcribed Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C99ymsyJHh0
HAVE A COMMENT? GO TO OUR SUBREDDIT AND POST YOUR THOUGHTS
.jpg)
Your financial support of Phantoms & Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.
.jpg)
