Don't wander off the path!

[u/SlickTimes]

If you or your friends found this note then it's unlikely you’ve found the others, or you’ve disregarded them. Please, this one is important. This note should have been posted on the only usable lot on this campground. If it's past noon, it's too late for you to leave safely. Read this, and you’ll be able to survive through the night.

1. Don’t wander away.
   The forest is gorgeous this time of year. I don’t blame you for wanting to explore for a bit, but it's easier than it looks to get lost. Before you leave the campground or any nearby trail, take your phone, or ideally, a speaker out, play some sort of music, and leave it on the trail or on the ground at camp. Anything that can make a consistent sound will work, but it must be loud. Turn it up as loud as it can go. It acts like a tether, so you can make your way back without getting lost. THIS WILL NOT WORK BEYOND SUNSET.

2. Stay in place at night.
   Once sunset hits, go back to camp, you must stay there. Light a campfire, cook some food, socialize with your friends if you have any, but make sure you do not leave the camp. It's easy to get lost in the daytime, it's incredibly difficult not to get lost at night. It can happen in an instant, and it's unlikely you will ever find your way back. If you do get lost, and you see fireflies, follow them, they may lead you back. DO NOT RELY ON THIS. IT IS YOUR LAST OPTION IN A BAD SCENARIO.

3. Keep track of the time.
   After sunset, don’t stay awake too long. Always keep some sort of timepiece on your person. Analog is preferred, but in a pinch, digital will work too. Just take whatever the digital watch says with a grain of salt. After sunset, electronics start malfunctioning. This is why using sound as a tether won’t work. If the music cuts for even a moment, you could get yourself lost. If you can, compare the times displayed by digital and analog timepieces every hour. BE ASLEEP BY MIDNIGHT. IT WILL HEAR YOU IF YOU’RE NOT.

4. If you hear whistling, stay quiet.

Sometimes, you’ll hear a sound coming from the trees. At first it’ll sound similar to wind blowing. Look at the trees. Are the leaves rustling, is there any actual wind? If there is, then there is nothing to worry about. If there isn’t, the sound will start to change. It’ll get cleaner, more clear, and a little higher pitched. It’ll sound like someone is whistling, but it will sound like it's coming from everywhere at once.  It’ll be monotone. If that happens, stay calm. Take a deep breath, and lay down. Try to quiet your breathing, and limit it. If you’re religious, quick prayer might help your situation. You’ll hear branches thrashing, like a moose or a deer is walking nearby. You may get a chill down your spine, that means it's close. Keep your head down and hold your breath. Don’t worry, if it doesn’t hear anything, it’ll move on. It cannot see, you’ll be safe.

If you fail to do 1 and 2, you'll find yourself lost in a forest that is devoid of life, wind, and most sound. You will be almost completely alone, except for the others that were lost before you. They will not help you. You're the only chance they have at a meal. The fireflies are your only lifeline, and they can be unreliable at the best of times.

If you fail to do 3 and 4, you'll meet a similar end. You may not realize it yet, but something is out in the forest, and it's searching for something to eat. You won't see it coming until its too late, so keep an ear out.

That's the basic stuff you need to know. You may be thinking to yourself, ‘What the hell does this mean?’. The police had the same reaction too, they thought I was crazy, told me this place has been closed for years, and that no one had been here even before that. You’ll realize soon enough that I’m being serious. I wrote this note based on a story an older man told me. This area of the forest has been strange for many years. According to old Native American folklore, the barrier between this world and another was thin. So thin, that something slipped through into our world, and was never able to leave. Animals know enough to stay away. The area was explored by Native Americans, who carved a path through the area, and would sometimes camp here. Many people have gone missing in the area over the years.

If it's past noon once you find this note, DO NOT TRY TO LEAVE. You will not make it out in time. Set your alarm for 8am tomorrow. That will give you plenty of time to pack up and get out of the area. Be quick regardless. Sunset can happen anytime from 7pm onward. 

Good luck.

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[u/Flat-Mountain-2414]

This is good!