Secret in the Forest

Secret in the Forest

I had arrived at my favorite camp site just after noon. I stepped out of my truck, slung my backpack on and then grabbed the tent and a few other things that I could carry on this initial trip from my truck to the campsite which was a couple of miles inside the woods. I entered the clearing and laid the tent down where I wanted it and then I set everything else that I was carrying a couple of feet away from the tent. It took another couple trips back and forth to get everything I had brought with me.

It took me about ten minutes to get my tent set up, after I put my sleeping bag and other essentials in my tent. I then went to gather some firewood for tonight and to see if I was skilled enough to hunt for my dinner. I grabbed my small caliber rifle, my bowie knife, and my hatchet and headed deeper into the forest. I decided that the best use of my time would be to acquire my dinner and then gather the firewood.

 While I was out, I was able to kill and clean four rabbits and I also found enough firewood to be set for the night. I then made my way back to camp looking forward to relaxing by the fire and letting all the stress from week melt away. When I got back to camp, I put the firewood in the fire pit and then put the rabbits in the cooler until I was ready to cook them. I sat down in one of the portable camp chairs I had brought, closed my eyes, and just listened to the sounds of the forest.

I had been sitting there with my feet kicked up for ten minutes when I heard footsteps entering the campsite. I dropped my feet to the ground and turned and looked towards where I heard the footsteps and I saw a police officer standing a few feet away from me.

“Sorry to disturb you sir. I’m Ranger Samuel Jones and I’m a Ranger with the Forest Service.”

“What can I do for you Ranger Jones?”

“We received a call about a young woman who went missing while camping in this area of the forest. I’d like to ask you some questions.”

“That’s terrible. Go ahead and ask I’ll help as much as I can.”

“What’s your name?”

“Joseph Wick.”

“How long have you been camping here?”

“I got here at twelve noon.”

“Have you seen any other campers around?”

“I’ve only been here for a few hours but no I haven’t seen anyone else. To be honest with you that’s why I camp here. Not too many people know about this campsite.”

He handed me his card. “Thank you for your time, and if you see anyone or hear anything, give me a call.”

“I will.”

After Ranger Jones left, I sat back down and closed my eyes and tried to enjoy my surroundings. My mind kept dwelling on the missing camper and it was making it hard for me to relax so I decided that I would go on a walk through the woods and see if I might get lucky and find her. I made sure my bowie knife was secured at my waist and then I headed into the forest.

I was familiar with the forest since I made it a point to go camping here at least once a year. I decided that I would start with the closest clearing to my campsite and then I would work my way out from there. I walked into the clearing and saw that there had been a campfire there, but it was at least a few days old. I also found a couple different sets of footprints.

I followed the footprints until it started getting dark then I turned around and headed back to my campsite before it got to dark, and I ended up lost in the woods. Once I was back at my camp, I started a fire and finished preparing the rabbits. Once I cooked my food, I sat back down in my camp chair by the fire and began to eat. When I finished eating, I cleaned up my campsite and then decided to spend the rest of the evening by the fire.

I started dozing off by the fire when the silence was broken by a scream. My eyes snapped open, and I looked around trying to find out where this scream came from when I saw a young woman wearing shorts that only went down her upper thigh and a tank top. She also had a long sleeve flannel shirt tied around her waist. I jumped up out of my chair just in time for her run into me because she was looking behind her as she ran.

I wrapped my arms around so she would stop running and I could figure out what was going on. Instead of stopping she freaked out even more and tried to break free of my grip.

“Hey miss calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” I insisted

“Let go of me. He’s going to kill me if you don’t let me go.” She begged

“No one is going to kill you. You’re safe here.”

“No. You don’t understand. He will kill us both if he finds me here.”

“I hear you, but I can keep you safe. You just need to trust me.”

She relaxed a little bit and so I loosened my grip on her. She then buried her head in my chest and started to sob. I sat her down by the fire and let her cry for a few more moments before asking her what happened to her.

“So, miss, what’s your name?”

“Megan. Megan Richards.”

“Okay Megan, I’m Joseph Wick. Who are you running from?”

“He took me from my campsite. I don’t know how long he had me or where he took but, but I was finally able to escape.” She said as she kept looking behind her.

I went over to the food I had, and grabbed her a protein bar, then handed it to her as I sat down next to her by the fire. “Don’t worry Megan, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

I needed to find that ranger again and let him know I had found the missing camper. We were going to have to walk back to where I parked my truck. “Megan, we’re going to get out and of here and find some help. Do you trust me?”

Megan thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Good.” I gathered some trail mix and some protein bars, and a canteen of water, then took her hand. “Let’s get moving.”

“Where are we going?”

“To my truck. I have a CB radio I can call for help on.”

“Okay.”

We headed off in the direction of my truck. We got a few hundred feet from the campsite, Megan screamed as she fell to the ground, with an arrow sticking out of Megan’s leg. I dropped to the ground as another arrow embedded itself into the tree that I was just standing against not a moment earlier. I hooked my arms under Megan’s armpits and lifted her to a standing position.

“We need to get to my truck can you walk?” I asked

“I think so. How are we supposed to get to your truck when he’s shooting arrows at us?”

“Well first of all we to make it as easy for you walk as we can.” I answered as I pulled out my knife and cut off most of the arrow shaft as I could. I didn’t know what kind of arrowhead the madman was using so I didn’t want to pull it out.

“That’s going to have to do for now. We need to stay as close to the trees as possible that way it will be harder for him to get a clear shot. Are you ready?”

“I think so.”

I wrapped my right arm around her waist, and she places her arm over my shoulders and I we slowly made our way towards my truck. We stuck as close to the trees as we could, and we moved as fast as we could. There were a few arrows that slammed into trees a few seconds after we walked by. We eventually made it back to the truck and while helping her into my truck I told her to get down a far as she could. Just as I grabbed the CB to call for help and arrow slammed through the passenger side window and struck the CB radio. I started up my truck and sped away as fast as I could. I checked my rear-view mirror and saw a man standing on the road with a bow in his had as we drove around a bend in the road.

Once we were satisfied that he wasn’t following us I drove to the closest hospital so Megan could get the arrow taken out of her leg. I told the Triage nurse initially that it was a hunting accident but later I asked the nurse if they had an on-duty police officer which she told me that they did, and I asked if I could speak to the officer. I met with the officer in the waiting room, and I told him everything that had happened, and he said that he would contact one the detectives on duty and they would contact me.

I told the detective about what Megan, and I had gone through, and he said that they would investigate our story and that they would fine the person who shot Megan in the leg.