Let's Not Meet~ Reddit Horror Stories

Charge Your Phone And Do NOT Hike Alone...

I don't really know how to start this, so I'll just jump straight into it. I will try to keep it as short as possible, but also want to make sure what I'm saying is clear as well. I'll answer any questions in the comments if anything is left unclear.

I am a photographer and there is a nature preserve maybe two or three miles from my house. I don't live in the best of areas, so it is one of the few places I could go within walking distance to get a decent shot when I need one to post for my social media BS. Being maybe nineteen at the time, I was fortunate enough to have my mother to drop me off on this occasion. The plan was for her to show up a little over an hour later to pick me back up, to save me the multiple mile trek back to our little home. Unfortunately, that isn't how things panned out.

Just as we pulled up, another car did as well just a few seconds later. My mother was a little suspicious because it isn't a very popular destination, but mothers always worry, so I ensured her that I would be fine and allowed her to head back to do the things she needed to do at home.

There are three different ways you can go initially. A path that leads left, right, and one up the middle. They all kind of loop back around to that same spot but it is a solid mile before it does so. I opted to take the middle trail as it is the most scenic, but paused near the entrance as I was still adjusting my equipment and taking some test shots before moving deeper where I might potentially see wildlife or something worthwhile.

This is when the man who pulled up after I did came in and proceeded up the center trail as well. I continued fidgeting with my equipment even after having it properly adjusted as I waited for him to pass me, and as he did, he attempted to talk to me. Something along the lines of "Getting good photos?" which any photographer will get when they are out shooting. I responded with something simple and kind, but also in a dismissive tone because I had no interest in continuing to converse with him.

Something about him made me incredibly uncomfortable. So uncomfortable, in fact, that I decided to stay in that initial entrance area to photograph some boring ass plants even after he disappeared around the bend and out of my line of sight. I'm so thankful that I did that, because within five minutes he somehow managed to complete the full loop and end up back behind me. The loop takes me at least a solid fifteen minutes to get through even when I'm in a hurry. He either busted ass to circle back around me or took a short cut to do so.

Noticing I was still by the entrance, he passed me again walking through the exact same way he'd just been. This is when I knew there was absolutely something going on. I stood there and watched as he walked the exact same path, even down and around the bend out of my sight. I continued watching in the distance down at the bend where I lost sight of him for a few seconds and what do I see? Him peeking around the corner to see me. Once he noticed I saw, he disappeared again. This is when I simply said "fuck this shit," and left. As soon as I exited the preserve, I took off in a full sprint, hoping I could put some distance between the two of us. Just as I was about to turn down a side street, I turn back to see him exiting the preserve and entering his vehicle.

My phone was dead (I never charge the damn thing) and I had absolutely no way to contact anyone. I was at the point where I contemplated running up to someones house and asking them to help or call someone for me, but I was worried I would seem like the crazy person. I turned the corner and once again we no longer had sight of each other. I was out of breath and unable to keep running, I just began to pray that he was no longer going to be following me. Maybe this was all just some weird coincidence, right?

Apparently, prayer doesn't work because within a few moments he was back in sight, turning the corner and beginning to approach on the same street that I was now on. My mind was racing with all of the possibilities of what he was going to try to do, but without much time I just decided that I wasn't going to give him the opportunity to do anything. I continued walking until he literally pulled up within feet of me and his window began rolling down. I threw my bag down onto the ground next to me, turned in his direction with balled fists and shouted with the full power of my lungs, "I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME."

The angry little scowl he had on his face this entire time faded and began to more resemble a deer in headlights, he didn't know what to do. He then nervously uttered, "I have rights!" before speeding off to never be seen by me again. I then had to complete the walk to my home, constantly looking over my shoulder and hoping he didn't make another approach. I'm just glad to have made all of the decisions I made that day, because I genuinely have no idea what would have happened on that day if I didn't. I do not know if this story will come across as horrifying as it was in person, but if it doesn't it is simply a failure of my writing ability.