What exactly is the supernatural? Is it something that hides from the world or are we not able to see it with the naked eye? We think that the supernatural is real and we made it our goal to find whatever is lurking inside the vast Redwood National Forest. We are in a film group of four people: Jessica, Charles, Erika, and Jack, which is me. I have been in love with filming from an early age and I have always been fascinated with catching something that is not supposed to be caught on camera and this project is the perfect chance to finally catch that something.

My friends and I are very close. We connected through the filming department in college. Ever since then, we have been like family and care a lot about each other no matter what happens. We have decided to head to the elusive Redwood National Forest and focus our search on the missing persons around the heart of the forest. The drive is about four hours away from where we live. When we get there, the walk to the central part of the forest is about another three hours. Many preparations have been put in place for all of this to happen with all of the funding we have personally contributed. Also, we were able to buy the newest 2011 Hdr - cx560 video camera, which I am pretty excited about.

Erika packed all the equipment in the van while Jessica, Charles, and I had all the food and mapping sorted out so we wouldn’t get lost on the way over there. After we make sure the gas tank is filled up, we head out while Erika drives us the whole way there. But thirty minutes before we get there, we stop at a little restaurant and eat so no one can complain, especially Jessica. Erika parks the car and we start our long trek with all of our backpacks and camera equipment in the eyes of the scorching sun beaming down on us. The plan is to stay for one night and leave in the morning. I don’t think I will be taking a power nap at all because I was so excited about what we were going to find in this enormous forest with trees that have been standing for millions of years, seeing everything that happens in their home.

“It is so beautiful out here. I want to stay here forever!” exclaimed Erika.

Charles chimed in, “I saw on the weather forecast it was supposed to be heavy fog tonight.”

Jessica was tired from walking so she didn’t say anything but she did think that it was going to be too cold for her tonight. She doesn’t know if she's going to be able to stay all night. But I said, “ Don’t worry, guys. Everything will be fine. We have to worry about the real stakes at hand.” We all stop the small talk and worry about finally getting to their destination. After reaching the center of the forest we found a good spot to set up all of our equipment and beds so we can monitor the forest when it becomes night time. There are camping lights hanging in three trees surrounding our camp. After the day grows darker where there is no more sunshine brimming through the trees we split up into two groups to look for some sign of an occult being. Then after about three hours of not finding anything the sun was completely gone and now the real hunt starts.

We were all monitoring the cameras at camp and a heavy fog veiled over the forest and our visibility dropped immensely. We weren't so confident now. Then Jessica and I heard a noise out in the distance that sounded like a heavy object slamming against a tree. The rest of the group was taking a power nap so Jessica and I started to get excited about what was out there, maybe even watching us. The whole group woke up and all of us decided to get no more sleep and keep our eyes open to not miss a single thing after about an hour of sleeping. It finally happened and our camera caught a glimpse of something in the tree but the leaves were blocking it. There was a long uncomfortable silence as we watched the cameras without blinking. Then there it was a long lengthy creature that had big black beady eyes that looked empty but menacing at the same time. Also it was extremely pale, almost like a vampire you see in stories, but it looked taller than seven feet with arms that hang down to its knees. We all saw it climb into the tree and stare back at the camera sitting there, waiting.

I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was very scared and so was everyone else. My legs were shaking uncontrollably and my heart was beating out of my chest. I said to everyone, ” Guys, we need to stay calm and just get what we came here for.” 

“I want to leave right now,” Erika said with a shaky tone. 

“Jack, what are we going to do,” Jessica quivered.

Charles said, “ It's too dark. We are just going to have to wait till morning to leave so everyone lower your voices and try to stay calm.” I grabbed the lanterns and shut them off and went back to the cameras to watch helplessly as that thing just watched us in the dead of  the night. While everyone got in their sleeping bags, I stayed awake to keep watch just to make sure we weren’t in any kind of danger. 

It was about 3 A.M. and I was barely keeping my eyes open. I jolted awake because I heard a tree move. The thing on the camera was gone now too. I decided to wake everyone up so we can be safer in numbers. Our fire was almost out and it was barely just kindles burning slowly. We needed warmth and light so we could see around us. 

Charles volunteered to go out with the lantern and go collect firewood about 200 feet away from the camp. While he was walking around we all watched silently in the dark on the cameras as he scampered around looking for fire food. The group watched in horror as the creature crawled into the frame of the camera and before we knew it Charles was gone and all we heard was the leaves crunching after every movement. Then there was a five second silence and a blood curdling scream resonated throughout the dark, cold, and foggy forest. At that moment I knew that there was no help coming to save us no matter what we did since there was no internet connection so deep in the forest. 

Everyone stayed low to the ground, trying not to breathe as the creature swung back around towards us and swung tree to tree. Erika, Jessica, and I waited for an opening. We all ran towards the direction of where the car was. It was so foggy I could barely see anything. It’s pitch black out here in this forest. There has never been a time that we all have sprinted so fast in our lives and we were running for what felt like forever. Erika got her foot stuck on a tree that was protruding from the ground, so Jessica and I tugged with every ounce of strength left in our bodies but we just couldn’t free her. Sticks were snapping and leaves were shifting towards us. We decided to leave Erika. She screamed, “Don't leave me here! I don’t want to die!” Then the creature stood tall before her and shrieked right in front her as she was crying and trembling from fear. Before she knew it, the thing was ripping her fingers from her body and she was in agonizing pain but before everything went black the creature grabbed her head and squeezed it until it popped like a water filled balloon. 

Jessica and I saw the sun looming over the horizon, the fog dissipating as the sun sizzled it away. The car was finally in view and I had the keys so I sprinted ahead of Jessica so I could get the car started as soon as possible. The silhouette of the blood stained creature stood over one of the hill's peaks as its shadow was etched into the muddy floor. The car started up and I yelled for Jessica to hurry up since I saw it watching over us. It started crawling towards the car and Jessica was able to get in while the car was moving. I stepped on the gas and drove away as fast as I could. The creature stopped running after the car as soon as we left the forested area and I just stared at it in the rear view mirror. Jessica and I looked at each other and we didn’t say a single word but just drove in complete silence, making sure whatever that was we never saw it again. When we got back to our hometown, we reported it to the police and they didn’t believe us because they searched for weeks just to come up empty. We never salvaged the cameras and Jessica and I both knew what we saw on that night and we made a vow to never speak of it again.