I've always loved cave exploring. Finding my way through a dark maze, searching for ancient hidden treasures, it fills me with excitement. At least, that's how I use to feel. Now I know what the caves hide, the dangers they contain, and I'm never setting foot in one again.
You see, me and my friend, Mark, had a hobby of cave exploring on our days off. When we were caving for the first few times, we brought a guide along with us, but after exploring enough caves, we stopped bringing one.
On this particular off day, we had decided to try hiking through the Darkwoods caves. It was just a town over or so, and the reviews of it were interesting to say the least. People explained that they had a strange feeling when walking around, many claiming they had goosebumps. I took this as some sign that there must be some hoard of jewels or something, and looking back I realize how dumb I was to think that.
Anyways, we went on Saturday and brought all the stuff we thought we would need. We were only going to take a look around, which would only take about an hour, so we didn't bring too much, just the basic rope, some snacks. Mark decided to bring along his new night vision camera. On past hikes, he had enjoyed seeing the bats and other creatures we'd find in caves, so he had bought a cheap one off Amazon.
When we entered the cave, the first thing he did was turn it on, looking around through the lens.
"This is pretty cool, do you wanna try it out, dude?" Mark asked me, and I declined his offer. Once we were further in, and the light from the outside world was dimmed, I turned on the headlamp I had places around my head. I took a look around, seeing the many stalagmites on the ground and even more numerous stalagmites on the ceiling of the cavern. Everything was a rusty brown color, save for some moss growing on the walls.
"Hey, what's that?" I turned around to see Mark pointing where we had just come from. When I looked to see where he was pointing, I only saw a raccoon.
"Come on man, we've seen those before," I sighed.
Mark shook his head and said, "I swear it was something else, something larger," We continued driving deeper into the Darkwoods caves, slowly and carefully making our way down a small slope into a cavern. It opened up at least 15 feet above us, and there was a small glimmer of light escaping through a crack in the top. It was so beautiful, so we decided to take a snack break and enjoy the view, taking out our phones to take a few memorable pictures.
Before I could finish my granola bar, Mark had stood up and was again pointing his camera at something.
"There it is again! Quick, get a look!" He exclaimed, running up the trail into the deeper portion of the cavern. I jumped up, dropping what was left of my snack, and followed behind him. About a few steps in, I heard a sound above my head, and when I looked up felt a few pebbles hit my face. Mark came back and grabbed my shoulder, pointing his night vision camera upwards. "There! Did you see it? It's huge!" He said.
"See what? That raccoon again?" I said sarcastically, causing him to give me a disappointed look in return.
"I think we should follow it, at least until we find out what it is," said Mark.
I frowned. "No way man! I think I've had enough of all this, I'm going home," I declared, making my way back towards the sun-lit cavern. Mark ran after me, begging for me to stay around a bit longer.
"We've been looking forward to this for so-" Mark stopped short of finishing his sentence when he spotted what sat in the center of the clearing. A creature that looked almost human in shape, but was definitely not human, sniffed at the ground where part of my granola bar had fallen. It raised it's wrinkly, elongated head, peering at us with dead pale eyes. It's skin looked withered, and its bones were clearly visible on each of its frail limbs. Mark screamed, causing the beast to bare its jagged fangs and charge towards the both of us as it unleashed a blood-chilling screech.
Not knowing what to do, I grabbed Mark by his backpack and pulled him out of the way as the thing pounced on the spot where Mark had been. Coming to his senses, Mark followed me as we scrambled up the slope that led to the outer part of the cave. I was the first to make it to the top, Mark still struggling to find footing. By now the beast was running towards us full speed, rage driving him forward.
"Help me, man!" shrieked Mark, holding up his hand for me to grab. I took hold of it and pulled with all my might, adrenaline and fear mixing within me to give extra strength. The monster wasn't about to let us escape, at least not unharmed, and he took a swing with his lanky arms, driving his claws deep into Mark's right leg. It caused Mark to panic even more as he cried out in pain, the scream making me weaken my grip on his hand. I saw dread fill his eyes, his skin go cold, fearing the worst.
"I got you!" I yelled aloud, assuring him ,but mostly myself, that we would get out of this. I tugged Mark upwards, telling myself he'd be ok, that we'd be ok.
Finally at the top, Mark stumbled forward, his right leg useless at this point. I figured it would be better for him to lose a leg than his life, so I wrapped my arm around him, helping him forward as fast as he'd let me. The pale beast clawed his way up the cliff with ease, digging his claws into the rocky face. Despite its determination though, we were still far ahead, nearing the exit of the Darkwoods caves.
Never have I been so happy to see sunlight, to feel the warmth hit my skin and be surrounded it a blanket of comfort. Realizing the creature was still on our trail, I turned my head quickly back towards the dark abyss. Within it I saw movement, but nothing emerged. We stood frozen, looking back into the horrid caverns for long, agonizing minutes. Only after we saw the creature return back into its hiding did we dare breath.
I hope you don't go into any caves, not even near an entrance to one. We only saw one of those things in the Darkwoods caves, who knows if there were more? What about all the other caves we visited, were there similar creatures?
Please, just don't go in that cave.
You see, me and my friend, Mark, had a hobby of cave exploring on our days off. When we were caving for the first few times, we brought a guide along with us, but after exploring enough caves, we stopped bringing one.
On this particular off day, we had decided to try hiking through the Darkwoods caves. It was just a town over or so, and the reviews of it were interesting to say the least. People explained that they had a strange feeling when walking around, many claiming they had goosebumps. I took this as some sign that there must be some hoard of jewels or something, and looking back I realize how dumb I was to think that.
Anyways, we went on Saturday and brought all the stuff we thought we would need. We were only going to take a look around, which would only take about an hour, so we didn't bring too much, just the basic rope, some snacks. Mark decided to bring along his new night vision camera. On past hikes, he had enjoyed seeing the bats and other creatures we'd find in caves, so he had bought a cheap one off Amazon.
When we entered the cave, the first thing he did was turn it on, looking around through the lens.
"This is pretty cool, do you wanna try it out, dude?" Mark asked me, and I declined his offer. Once we were further in, and the light from the outside world was dimmed, I turned on the headlamp I had places around my head. I took a look around, seeing the many stalagmites on the ground and even more numerous stalagmites on the ceiling of the cavern. Everything was a rusty brown color, save for some moss growing on the walls.
"Hey, what's that?" I turned around to see Mark pointing where we had just come from. When I looked to see where he was pointing, I only saw a raccoon.
"Come on man, we've seen those before," I sighed.
Mark shook his head and said, "I swear it was something else, something larger," We continued driving deeper into the Darkwoods caves, slowly and carefully making our way down a small slope into a cavern. It opened up at least 15 feet above us, and there was a small glimmer of light escaping through a crack in the top. It was so beautiful, so we decided to take a snack break and enjoy the view, taking out our phones to take a few memorable pictures.
Before I could finish my granola bar, Mark had stood up and was again pointing his camera at something.
"There it is again! Quick, get a look!" He exclaimed, running up the trail into the deeper portion of the cavern. I jumped up, dropping what was left of my snack, and followed behind him. About a few steps in, I heard a sound above my head, and when I looked up felt a few pebbles hit my face. Mark came back and grabbed my shoulder, pointing his night vision camera upwards. "There! Did you see it? It's huge!" He said.
"See what? That raccoon again?" I said sarcastically, causing him to give me a disappointed look in return.
"I think we should follow it, at least until we find out what it is," said Mark.
I frowned. "No way man! I think I've had enough of all this, I'm going home," I declared, making my way back towards the sun-lit cavern. Mark ran after me, begging for me to stay around a bit longer.
"We've been looking forward to this for so-" Mark stopped short of finishing his sentence when he spotted what sat in the center of the clearing. A creature that looked almost human in shape, but was definitely not human, sniffed at the ground where part of my granola bar had fallen. It raised it's wrinkly, elongated head, peering at us with dead pale eyes. It's skin looked withered, and its bones were clearly visible on each of its frail limbs. Mark screamed, causing the beast to bare its jagged fangs and charge towards the both of us as it unleashed a blood-chilling screech.
Not knowing what to do, I grabbed Mark by his backpack and pulled him out of the way as the thing pounced on the spot where Mark had been. Coming to his senses, Mark followed me as we scrambled up the slope that led to the outer part of the cave. I was the first to make it to the top, Mark still struggling to find footing. By now the beast was running towards us full speed, rage driving him forward.
"Help me, man!" shrieked Mark, holding up his hand for me to grab. I took hold of it and pulled with all my might, adrenaline and fear mixing within me to give extra strength. The monster wasn't about to let us escape, at least not unharmed, and he took a swing with his lanky arms, driving his claws deep into Mark's right leg. It caused Mark to panic even more as he cried out in pain, the scream making me weaken my grip on his hand. I saw dread fill his eyes, his skin go cold, fearing the worst.
"I got you!" I yelled aloud, assuring him ,but mostly myself, that we would get out of this. I tugged Mark upwards, telling myself he'd be ok, that we'd be ok.
Finally at the top, Mark stumbled forward, his right leg useless at this point. I figured it would be better for him to lose a leg than his life, so I wrapped my arm around him, helping him forward as fast as he'd let me. The pale beast clawed his way up the cliff with ease, digging his claws into the rocky face. Despite its determination though, we were still far ahead, nearing the exit of the Darkwoods caves.
Never have I been so happy to see sunlight, to feel the warmth hit my skin and be surrounded it a blanket of comfort. Realizing the creature was still on our trail, I turned my head quickly back towards the dark abyss. Within it I saw movement, but nothing emerged. We stood frozen, looking back into the horrid caverns for long, agonizing minutes. Only after we saw the creature return back into its hiding did we dare breath.
I hope you don't go into any caves, not even near an entrance to one. We only saw one of those things in the Darkwoods caves, who knows if there were more? What about all the other caves we visited, were there similar creatures?
Please, just don't go in that cave.