Something worse than bears.

I’m sure if you live anywhere in the north west united states you’ll be well aware of bears and the danger they can potentially pose to you. Although they don't usually go out of their way to hunt humans, it is still wise to be prepared while hiking or partaking in other outdoor activities.

I recently took a trip to Montana. The incredible topography of the landscape made it an ideal spot for a long camping excursion. I took 2 friends with me, Lucas and Tori. We originally planned on being gone for two weeks, returning to civilization on the 14th day.

We made all of the necessary safety arrangements and packed the equipment and supplies needed.  This was not our first hike, we knew what to expect. We told friends and family a day to expect to hear back from us and everything.

We began our hike early in the spring months. Our route was to follow a river from one town to another - simple enough right? How could anything possibly go wrong?

The first few days were completely normal. We had a great time, taking pictures and enjoying each others company out away from other people.

On the third night, we were all a little quiet and distant. No one brought it up, but everyone noticed. We just kind of sat by the fire in an awkward silence. I just hoped that everyone was tired from the past few days, but there was a unease weighing heavy in the air. We went to bed early that night, braving the cold that was rapidly strangling the spring life out of the air.

Sleep eluded me for much of that cold night. Several times throughout the night I heard rustling nearby our camp. I checked for bears, but every time I left the tent I was greeted with a gust of frigid air and a silence that made it appear that the entire world had been paused.

Shortly before dawn, I heard the rustling again. This time, I knew it had to be something poking and prodding our campsite so I took my pistol from my bag and opened the tent to investigate.

Even in the dark early dawn light, I could see it. White. We’d been hit by a freak snowstorm.

Still concerned about whatever was sneaking around our camp, I proceeded to look around. Eventually a deer came running past, but there was no way that it had been what was sneaking around the camp.

“I guess it wasn’t a bear then?” Tori asked me while poking her head out through a small gap in the tent.

“Not sure. Whatever it was it must’ve run off when it started snowing.” I said.

“Yeah we probably should do the same.” Lucas chimed in.

The snow storm kept steadily getting worse and worse, if we stayed we could be in real trouble. We ended up leaving right after dawn. We decided that since we hadn’t gotten far that we should just head back to town to be safe.

Right as the sun began it’s struggle to shine through the blizzard we began to pack up and get ready. In the faded grey light I eventually noticed, to my shock, that Tori was missing from her tent.

This was in no way normal for her to just walk off unannounced, but panic was not going to solve anything so I just hoped that she was relieving herself but I still told Lucas.

After 10 minutes of silence, we decided that we’d need to look for Tori. Unfortunately for us, the snow was coming down so hard that any tracks would be covered up in a matter of minutes.

We finished packing everything as quickly as possible and began our search. It was hard to see in the early morning light being diluted by the heavy snow, but we trudged forward into the woods after her.

After half an hour of no luck, we heard a screeching howl that shook me to the very core and covered my body in goosebumps. After the howl, the forest was left in a inescapable silence.

“Was that a bobcat you think?” Lucas asked me.

“I sure fucking hope so” I replied, trying to keep calm after narrowly avoiding a heart attack.

We both knew that it was most definitely not a bobcat, but neither of us were willing to say so our loud.

The snow wasn’t letting up and we could barely see 10 feet ahead of us.

Just as it seemed like we’d never get anywhere and that we were hopelessly lost, it got worse. With the low visibility we both accidentally stepped on a snow drift and began to tumble down the mountain side.

Dazed, I sat flat on my ass in a pile of snow trying to get my head to stop spinning.

Slowly rising to my feet, I heard that same cursed screech pierce the cool air. Now I was sure it wasn’t any local animal and I started to rush to get moving away from the noise.

Occasionally I heard a tree crashing or brush rustling behind me, so I just kept running harder and harder. I was really worried about Lucas and Tori, but there was no point in worrying about them if I was dead too.

After several minutes of strenuous movement through the thick snow, I saw the outline of a hunting cabin through the trees.

Knowing there wouldn't be anyone inside, I ran up to the door and let myself in as quietly as I could. The muffled cries of whatever was chasing me out there followed me after I closed the door.

After settling into the grim lighting of the cabin, I heard some small rustling noises coming from near the back corner of the cabin.

“Lucas?” I whispered into the darkness.

“It’s me.” Tori hoarsely replied.

I scrambled over to her side of the cabin.

“What happened? Where did you go?” I asked her trying to keep my voice down.

“I got up to start packing my bags when I heard some rustling in the woods. I knew that I shouldn't just walk off into the woods alone, but I saw a human like figure through the storm. I followed it trying to call out to it but I lost it. Right as I was about to turn back and head back to the camp, the figure appeared in front of me.

I about had a stroke when I saw that awful thing. It had to have been 8 feet tall. It was skinny and lanky and it looked like it probably only weighed about 90 pounds. It’s skin was a very pale grey and really smooth. It’s eyes were all black and it had jagged sharp teeth. Everything about it looked wrong.” She finished with a shiver.

“We’ve got to go help Lucas” I said.

“How did you two get separated?” Tori asked me.

“We fell down the slope and I got chased over to this cabin. Lucas is probably close.”

“Do you still have your gun?”

“Yeah, let’s just hope I don’t have to use it.” I said as I opened the door.

The storm was still just as intense as before and visibility might have even been lower than before. We slowly made our way through the dense trees, all the while calling out Lucas’ name.

After a quarter of an hour or so, we came across some disturbed brush where the snow had yet to settle back onto the bushes. I raised the pistol in front of me and slowly approached the brush.

I nearly jumped when I saw it.

Lucas’ lifeless body lay in the middle of a brush pile. He looked like something had drained every ounce of fluid from his body and left the husk of bones and flesh behind.

“Don’t come over here.” I said slowly, holding back tears.

“Why what’s wrong?” Tori said walking over to the brush.

“No, wait-“

Tori quickly ran away with her hands covering her face. It must have been that thing that Tori saw earlier. Hopefully that’ll be the last time either of us see it.

While Tori tried to compose herself after the shock of Lucas’ corpse, I reached through the bushes to take the supplies Lucas was carrying.

“We have to leave. Right now.” Tori said.

“You don't have to tell me twice. Let’s get moving.”

The trouble was, now we were hopelessly lost and stuck in the middle of a freak snowstorm. We decided it’d be best to head back to that cabin and wait out the storm there. We had enough food and supplies to last the rest of our trip so outlasting the storm shouldn't be an issue.

We made it back to the cabin a while later, we hadn’t heard any more howls for some time so it seemed like the coast was clear for the time being. It was almost midday now so Tori and I ate some food and fortified the cabin the best we could and got ready to be very patient.

We tried to sleep for as long as we could so we could avoid talking about Lucas and our current situation for as long as possible.

By evening the storm still showed no sign of letting up any time soon. The wind howled through the cabins loose frame and gave off an unsettling sound constantly.

Over the night the snow stopped but the wind kept howling all night. Sleep was constantly hanging over our heads, but now that the sun had gone down I felt the creature, animal, whatever spawn of hell it was, might use the cover of night to try something. Over all though, I felt safe in the cabin.

All throughout the night I waited silently in the dark listening to the howling wind and creaking of the old cabin boards waiting for... something... anything to happen. Tori was curled up in her sleeping bag only a few feet away sound asleep as I insisted that she rest at least part of the night - I didn’t intend on waking her up for her to keep watch though.

Several times I heard some weird sounds, but nothing that I couldn't blame on the wind or the old cabin settling.

After what seemed like an eternity later, the sun began to slowly overtake the nearby mountains, giving the valley a welcoming orange glow. However, only moments before it was bright enough to see outside I heard the howling screech that had scarred me mentally the day prior. It sounded like it was far away, but it still gave me made me jump and Tori wake up abruptly.

“Is it back?” Tori groggily inquired.

“I don’t think so. It sounded a safe distance away and it didn’t bother us all night.” I assured her, even though I myself wasn’t entirely sure of the truthfulness of what I had said.

We ate some food without much conversation, and eventually the sun had regained the sky and cast it’s welcoming light and warmth throughout the small valley while casting long shadows from the adjacent mountains.

We took out a map and figured out where we were, albeit roughly, and decided to make the several hour hike to a nearby town. The snow outside was thick, but it was manageable. The hike would have normally only taken about two hours but with the thick snow we were estimating closer to five or six. We could make it.

We left most of our supplies in the cabin because this wasn’t going to be a test of endurance, rather, a race to reach the town before dark.

We were paranoid all day as we hiked. I mean who wouldn't be? This thing killed our friend for christ sake. I kept my pistol out the entire time and we both were very aware of our surroundings.

On edge, we made the hike. We saw it. A rooftop. Then two, and soon several buildings close to the nearby town were visible through the trees.

No by no means we were, quite literally, out of the woods yet though. Just as our spirits started to rise though, we heard rustling in the trees about one hundred yards behind us. We both started to run. I turned over my shoulder every few steps to see if I could see the beast that would surely be charging full force towards us. The trees were too thick though, but the rustling kept getting louder, it was right on our trail. We were in full on panic as we ran as fast as we could to reach the buildings. If we could get inside, we might have a chance.

Only a few feet away from us now, I didn’t even bother turning around. My heart felt like it was about to pound out of my chest at any moment, my lungs felt like they had been replaced with boiling water.

And then an elk ran past us, nearly running us over.

We stopped running and I breathed the biggest sigh of relief you can imagine. I mean surely that thing wouldn't follow us all the way here to just attack right before we reached safety right? We’d probably left it behind to roam it’s natural habitat and territory a while back anyway.

“Tori, I think I almost shit my pants.” I said jokingly trying to ease the tension that still laid heavy in the air. I turned my head to meet her gaze so we could laugh the whole thing off while we finished our walk to the buildings that were now only a couple hundred feet away.

Nothing. Just white snow and trees.

“Tori?” I said as I spun around to do a double take. Maybe she had been on my other side? Or behind me?

No.

She was gone. I looked around everywhere. Her footprints in the snow stopped abruptly only a few feet from mine, but she was no where to be seen.

I started shouting desperately trying to figure out where she had gone. Only seconds passed before my brief relief transformed back into complete and utter panic. I looked every where and kept shouting until I began to choke on my own tears.

Several farmers from the nearby farm ran up to me trying to ask me what was wrong. My knees gave way below me and I dropped to the ground sobbing and mumbling Tori’s name over and over with whatever breath I could muster between sobs.

The farmers practically dragged me back to their small house on the hill. The next few hours were a blur. They warmed me up, fed me, and gave me a bed to sleep in.

I filed a missing person report for both Tori and Lucas, even though I knew what had happened to them.

Days later, I led rangers down to the brush pile where I had found Lucas. He was gone. They assured me that they’d keep looking, but a part of me knew that they’d never find them or that abomination of nature that took them.

Since then, I’ve moved down south and tried to move on the best I can. The west is just far too vast to ever be truly tamed. That thing is still out there, and I know that I will never return to the rolling hills I once thought so fondly of.

This isn’t meant to scare you, but to serve as a warning. We are so small. There is a lot of land out there, and it will never be truly conquered. If you go hiking anywhere, please be safe. I’m not sure what advice I could give to avoid this thing, but just always be aware of your surroundings and do not take nature for granted.