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Slack.com slash DHQ. Exploring the forest near you is a good way to relax, exercise, and

see the sights. But when you go out in the deep dark woods looking, something hungry and

dangerous might be looking for you as well. Welcome back to unexplained encounters. I'm

your host, Darkness Profales. This week's episode features forest exploration horror stories

plus an assortment of other scary tales. Enjoy and be sure to send me your scary stories

at darkstories.org and check out eeriecast.com for more scary shows. Now let's begin.

Something lives near my home from anonymous. I live in Tuila, Utah. Many of the people

who know me know that I love to visit the mountains by myself. Well, I'm not really by myself,

though, because I always take my cocker's ban you'll dax with me. Our house faces east,

and there are mountains there and to the south of us. I've always wanted to visit the ones

in the east, but my parents have said no. It's a miracle I was able to convince them to let me

visit the ones in the south. I've been to those mountains many times before. So whenever I go,

I know my way around pretty well. I have certain landmarks, you see, such as a pine tree I

call the Christmas tree, or that one deer trail in particular that I always take, or the meadow full

of yellow flowers I once found. Either way, I know my direction so I never get lost.

Except on one occasion. It was the last time I ever visited those mountains.

I left the house that day, thinking I was going for a walk. I live in the middle of a nice,

...