The Trail
by Cassie Smartt
Alone. Stranded. Lost.
Never have I gone through such a dreadful experience as the one where I lost some of my dearest friends. Memorial Day had something in store for us that we never expected.
It started out a beautiful morning, a truly great day for hiking. Ashley, Emily, Nikki, and I got up early and drove up the winding roads of Lookout Mountain. We parked our car in a deserted area of land and began our journey with nothing but high spirits and anticipation of a wonderful day.
We hiked about three miles or so, taking pictures and making great memories when we came to a small dilapidated building with an even smaller parking lot. Not a soul in sight, we explored the grounds. Two old, abandoned trucks laid not ten feet from what we assumed to be a once hopping diner. It was definitely a local diner that has probably never seen a stranger.
We peeked through the busted window and noticed something strange. Whatever it was looked too new. It didn't fit in with it's surroundings. Emily, feeling adventurous, suggested we go in and check it out.
The back door was unlocked. We shuffled through the run down kitchen, moving past overturned tables and the small squeaks of lurking rodents. It was one thing to gloat about our bravery outside of these decrepit walls, but it was quite another when our bravery was being tested and our actions had us pushed up against one another with locked arms.
We finally made our way to the dining area and approached the object of our curiosity. BLOOD. A tattered bright pink t-shirt partially covered in blood.
Ashley screamed.
Freaked out, we jerked our heads in her direction to see her pointing to the floor. More blood. Little puddles of it leading to the restroom.
Nikki grabbed the three of us, who were frozen with fear, and dragged us back through the kitchen and out the door. Thank God for Nikki. We were completely freaking out and she brought us back to the reality of the situation. We needed to run. Fast.
We started to run the way we came through the small parking lot, up a small hill. Emily, Nikki, and I came to a sudden stop when we realized there was a van at the top of the hill that wasn't there before. Ashley couldn't hear us yelling at her to stop. She was halfway up the hill before she saw the van coming at her full speed.
I cried out in terror. My sister had been killed.
I fell to my knees. Emily and Nikki scooped me up and we began to run in the opposite direction, further into the trail.
We hid in the hollowed out tree trunk that we came across about a half a mile from where our living nightmare began. My eyes were pouring tears. At this point, I didn't even feel real to myself.
Emily, as calmly as she could, told us she snapped a picture of the van so we would have evidence of who was driving it. Quick thinking.
She pulled out her camera and quickly turned it on. No one was in the driver's seat. Someone set it up to happen perfectly.
They had been watching us.
We had to get back to the car, but we couldn't return the way we came. We agreed to keep going forward so we could find somewhere, anywhere, to get help. And we had to leave our hiding place immediately. The killer was still out there.
We darted from our shelter and ran into the trees away from what we feared. We elected not to stay on the trail because we would be more easily seen on it.
Scared out of our wits, we did not stop moving forward, even as we slowed to a slothy kind of walk. We were very tired and still could not find any kind of civilization.
Finally, I suggested that we find the trail and use it. Being lost in the woods wasn't helping our situation one bit. It took us about 30 minutes, but Nikki finally spotted the trail.
We didn't even walk very far until we got to a fork in the road. It was either left or right, and neither looked promising. After debating a little, we decided to go right - going left would feel like we were going back to that dreadful building.
All along this deserted trail, we kept noticing things that were out of the ordinary. Fairly new looking bikes were beaten up and thrown to the side, a helmet laying about a hundred feet from the bikes, random articles of clothing sticking out of piles of leaves... It had us thinking the worst. How many times had this happened to innocent, unsuspecting people?
By this time, we were quickening our steps and checking over our shoulders. There just had to be someone living out here. We hadn't seen anyone since we started our journey.
All of a sudden, we heard the most awful noise. Some kind of metal was being dragged slowly across something, possibly one of the huge boulders nearby.
My heart stopped. We panicked and took off in a frazzled run.
Emily tripped! Nikki and I ran back for her but she was already picking herself up.
It was a trap! A very large branch was rigged to fall, pointed end down, on the person who tripped over the rope. The rope set off the contraption, dropping the branch so that it pinned Emily to the ground.
Her muffled yells were not easily understood. She yelled at us to run.
We stayed with her as long as we could. She was fading fast.
Nikki and I took off running as soon as we heard leaves rustling behind a nearby tree.
It was down to me and Nikki. We had to get out of there.
It started raining but we hardly noticed. Our focus was on getting ourselves out alive. There would be no hope if one of us was without the other. Our partnership was crucial at this point. The ground was getting muddy and very slippery. One of us fell every few minutes. Our bodies were giving out from the stress and over exertion.
We stopped and rested behind a fallen tree. Luckily, Nikki still had her small back pack on so we had a half of a water bottle to share. I couldn’t believe we decided to leave our phones in the car in case of rain. So stupid.
After our very short break, Nikki and I started on the trail again.
About a quarter of a mile down the road, we spotted a house. There was all sorts of random stuff out in the yard. We didn't care much to look around. We only needed help.
We knocked. No Answer.
I knocked one more time, praying that someone would be there. Nikki looked in the window through a small opening in the curtains. There was no one in sight. We headed towards the back of the house hoping someone would be there.
We stopped abruptly when we realized what was in the driveway: the van that killed my sister.
I held in my scream. The killer was HERE.
CLANK.
Something in the backyard shed fell. Quickly, we hid behind the van.
A big, burly man with long black, greasy hair walked out of the shed with a bloody machete in his hand. A small, stout woman started yelling at him. She called him "Rusty". The woman was chastising him for not catching the other two girls before he came home. He never said a word.
The "other two girls" ... me and Nikki.
The woman then put on a motherly voice and told her "son" that she wished he wouldn't play these games with their visitors... he should just get them all at one time in the diner.
"Now go get the others!" she screeched.
We ran to the other side of the house before there was a chance for him to see us. The van started up and he was gone. The woman started humming and tending to her small, inadequate garden.
I decided that I was going to go check in the house to see if they had a phone. It was the only way we would get help. Nikki offered to keep an eye and ear on the woman to make sure I would be safe.
I crept up the front porch stairs and gently turned the doorknob. The inside of the house was no better than the outside. Cluttered from ceiling to floor, the living room was filled with random objects. I assumed these things belonged to the ones they have killed in the past.
It smelled horrible, like something was decaying. I was scared to know what it was. Molded food was scattered around the house. Maggots infested what they could. It took everything in me to keep from getting sick.
I searched in quiet for the phone.
A cell phone! I picked it up and tried to dial 911. It was dead.
I set it back on the coffee table and saw another. It was torn completely apart. I soon realized there were plenty of cell phones in the house, just none that were actually working.
BAM.
Nikki pounded one large thud against the house. The woman must be coming in.
I ran to the nearest closet beside the entrance to the kitchen. There was a small hole in the door for me to peek through. I could see every inch of the kitchen and the horrible woman standing in it.
She stumbled to the counter to set down the armful of stuff she was carrying. First, was Emily's camera. I couldn't allow myself to get emotional and cry, for I would have been found out. Then I saw the bag Ashley brought along with her. With blood and dirt covering it, the devilish woman placed it in the sink.
A few other items were dropped onto the counter, and then I saw that wretched woman hold up something small and sparkly. My Nana's ring. Ashley has always taken such good care of that ring. It was never out of her sight. And now, this sinful, odious demon of a woman was wearing it.
I then heard a telephone ring. Hanging right there on the wall, not three steps away from me, was my lifeline; the only way out. I needed to get to that phone.
There was a loud clanking outside, rather distant from the house. Nikki was distracting the woman!
She ran out of the back door and started yelling wildly for those "good-for-nothing hooligans to scat."
I tiptoed to the phone and picked up the receiver. There was no way to dial out. Tears started forming in my eyes. What was I going to do?!
Run. The only thing that we could do.
I grabbed Emily's camera and Ashley's bag; I was not going to let these lunatics keep the only things I had left of them.
I snuck back to the front door and shut it ever so lightly. I crept back to the side of the house and waited for the she-devil to go back inside.
She was likely to notice the missing bag and camera so I ran to where Nikki was by the shed as soon as her foot was in the door.
Nikki stopped me from making a run for it. She looked as if she had seen a ghost. Emily was in the shed... still alive!
We formed a quick plan to get Emily into a wheelchair that we found wedged between other random objects so we could haul her off and hide her until we could get help.
As carefully as we could, we placed her in the chair and rolled her out the side door. The van pulled up to the house and a furious scream came from the kitchen. She realized the things had been taken.
"RUSTY! RUSTY! THEY'RE HERE SOMEWHERE! GO FIND THEM!!"
We hurried, knocking things over as we went. Rusty started to sprint towards us with evil in his eyes.
We flew out of there, but he was gaining on us.
Nikki told me to get Emily somewhere safe, and then she turned around. I yelled for her to come with us, but her mind was made up. She was going to distract Rusty so I could get help for Emily.
Emily couldn't move or speak. All she could do was look up at me with a pitiful stare. I could tell she was in pain and it was killing me.
Cries of terror pierced the air... Rusty had Nikki. There was no way he would give her the chance to escape. She was gone. Forever. Nikki wanted me to save Emily, so that is just what I had to do.
I hadn't heard anything behind me for a while so I found a place behind a boulder for us to hide.
By this time, it started to rain again. I covered Emily with my jacket. I took Ashley's bag and poured the contents onto the ground. The bag held a printed out map of the trail, bug spray, and... a cell phone!
It looked rough, like it had taken a hard fall to the ground, so I wasn't sure that it would even work. But I prayed that it would.
I held in the power button and it worked! It had half of it's battery life left, thank God. But no service.
Of course.
All I had to do was find service, and we were home free. Easier said than done.
I explained to Emily that we just needed to find service. I could see a small bit of hope in her eyes.
I told her we would keep following the trail until I could call 911. She shook her head slightly and managed to whisper that I should go alone, it would be faster and that she would be fine if I left her in hiding.
I tried to reason with her but she was right. I could walk faster if I went alone.
I have to be honest, I was scared... scared that Rusty would find me, scared that Emily wouldn't make it, and scared that I wouldn't be able to find service on the phone before it died.
I dropped to my knees beside Emily and prayed out to God for strength and His protection. And I pleaded that Emily would be okay until I could get her to a hospital. The only way I was going to make it was with His help.
I kissed Emily on the forehead and promised that I would be back to get her no matter what.
The sky was getting darker. Night was on its way, and I was on my own. I walked in the middle of the path, throwing glances over my shoulder ever few minutes.
I checked the phone's signal after every ten steps. Nothing yet.
This was torture. It was getting darker and harder to see what was out in front of me.
After a few more minutes of walking, I found a signal. A quarter of the battery was all I had left. I quickly dialed 911.
I told the dispatcher the name of the trail and where we started. I also gave her a very brief description of the horror that had happened so far. She assured me we would get help as soon as possible. I didn't know how long it would be, but it made me feel so much better that someone actually knew where we were and that they were coming to find us.
Now, I just had to make it back to Emily. It was very risky and frightening to turn around when I knew Rusty was probably out looking for me, but I had to get back to my friend. I made her a promise.
The Lord's Prayer was the only thing that kept my feet moving. I was whispering it over and over as I slowly made my way back. With tears pouring from my eyes, I stayed on the straight and narrow path.
In the distance to my left, I heard a loud snap. It was the breaking of a stick that had no doubt been stepped on. He was out there. I could feel it.
I quickened my pace and started jogging down the dark path. I couldn't lead him back to where Emily was; it was too dangerous. I had to lose him.
I darted into the woods to my right and wove in and out of trees. I could hear his stumbling steps behind me.
The clouds finally cleared from the sky and uncovered the almost full moon. I turned my head to allow myself one look behind me. Rusty was carrying his machete.
I couldn't keep running all night. I needed a plan that would stop him from following me.
I grabbed the biggest branch I could that I would still be able to swing and hid behind an oak tree. I took my stance and waited for the psycho to get close.
I heard the thud of his footsteps. This was it. I only had one chance to get it right or else he would have me.
I swung with all the strength I could muster. Rusty fell to the ground.
I had no intention to stay around to see if he got back up. The bad guys always do... in movies, at least.
I ran as hard as I could. At this point I couldn't tell you if I was really even touching the ground. All focus was on Emily. I know she had to have been so afraid.
The minutes that passed felt like hours, but I could feel that I was getting closer.
With my adrenaline pumping, I ran without stopping. I finally saw the boulder I left behind an hour or two ago.
Emily was asleep, but breathing. Relief washed over my entire body.
Now, we had to wait.
Emily woke up when a feint siren rang in the distance. My heart pounded in excitement. It was moving closer, but rather slowly.
The car finally got to where I could see the lights flashing. We were almost saved! I decided to meet them in the road so they could see where to stop.
I stood up to walk down the hill, and a big, dark silhouette stood between me and the red and blue lights. Rusty couldn't see us, but he knew we were out there somewhere. There was no way I could be seen before the cops arrived to where we were. It was too risky for Emily. I would just run to the car when it got close enough.
They were slowly making their way to our hiding place and Rusty had moved down a bit further, hiding behind whatever he could find that was big enough.
I crawled to the edge of the road, making sure I was not seen by the monster. When they got close enough, I ran in front of the car to stop them. The two officers jumped out of the car with their guns pointed directly at me.
With my hands in the air, and as calmly as I could, I explained that I was the one who called. They seemed skeptical, but decided to hear me out. I told them all I could, as fast as I could, because we had no time to waste. They followed me to where Emily was hiding.
The cops carried her to the car and laid her in the backseat. I sat so that her head was resting on my lap.
BOOM.
Something fell in the woods a little ways back. The taller of the two cops decided he should go check it out.
I pleaded with him not to go. I was sure it was a trap. He acted as though he had not heard me and ordered his seemingly less capable partner to stay with us by the car.
The crack of two gun shots broke the several minutes of silence. We waited to hear the officer yell that he was okay, but we never heard a thing.
Our cowering protector, with the only gun around, left us to go looking for his missing partner.
When will these people learn?! I thought to myself.
As he left, I crawled up to the front seat, locked the doors, and started the car for a quick getaway if needed. I had seen too many horror movies to know that if there is a way out, you take it and don't linger to see if the bad guy dies.
After about ten minutes, I heard the most agonizing scream coming from the direction that the officer ventured on. I slammed my foot on the gas pedal.
The trail was not easy to drive on. With every bump, I could hear Emily crying out in pain. All of the twists and turns had me slowing down every few hundred feet.
The trail couldn't possibly be this long. It felt as though we had been driving for miles and miles in a circle. I stopped the car so I could find a map. Out of the twenty maps in the glove box, not one went into detail about this trail.
Then I remembered Ashley's bag. She had a map of this entire area. I pulled it out and estimated where we were. If I was right, we could keep going in the same direction and we would come to the main road in about ten miles or so.
All of a sudden, something hit our car from behind. One quick glance in the rearview mirror, and I saw the ogre and his troll of a mother grinning an evil grin.
I put the car in drive and floored it. They started in after us.
Only ten miles. I could make it. I had to make it.
Somehow, their van was able to stay right on our tail.
Aren't police cars supposed to be faster than this!? I thought.
That's when I realized we were running on a flat tire.
The van was able to pull up beside us. I guessed they were going to bump us off the road. I saw the woman yell "GO!" to her son so I slammed on my brakes. Their van flew to the right, where we had just been. They spun out of control and ran into a tree.
I sped up once again; we only had five miles until the end of this nightmare.
We finally made it to the main road on a flat tire and worn out hope. I pulled into the closest gas station and called 911 immediately.
***
The ambulance got Emily to the hospital where they went straight into surgery. She is doing so much better these days, but she still cannot walk on her left leg.
The police met us at the hospital and I recited this unbelievable story to them. They said we were very lucky because people don't just survive things like that. I told them there was no luck involved, and that God answered my prayers and protected us until I could get Emily to the hospital.
After talking to me, the police force went out to where the van crashed. They found the van. It was empty.
Even at the house where these demons lived, there was no one in sight. They escaped and are still out there somewhere.
