Camper

Me and my best friend with camping. He's relatively new to the hobby so he's been tagging along with me as I have plenty of experience camping and solo backpacking. I took him to a beginner friendly backcountry camping site that I've gone to two dozen times with various friends. It's important to note, I've never stayed overnight there alone.

It was a quick two nighter and we got incredibly lazy the second night and did not walk the garbage to the car, instead leaving it out for the 5 hours I would be sleep, as I had to be out of the camp grounds by 630 for work. We slept in separate Tents next to each other because of my early dismissal.

I jump up out of my sleep at 5am to footsteps going past my tent, left to right. I listened closely to try and identify what animal it could be, but it sounded very human. I flashed my light outside my tent, and as quick as I beemed my light, the walking stopped. I panned my light and saw nothing. More importantly, I heard nothing, no scurrying away or running, just pure silence besides the crickets. Obviously startled, I lay awake on my phone refusing to go back to sleep. Roughly ten mins later, I hear something going through the garbage. Odd, as the garbage was on the left of my tent, but never heard any other walking outside. Whatever was going through the trash was ferociously looking through it, not like an animal skimming the top and working its way down. I flash my light again and yell out EY!. Again, silence. No running away, nothing. I stayed sitting up with my light beemed outside the entire time.

I don't alert my friend, because although I'm pretty creeped out, it could just be a skunk or raccoon. At first daylight, I jump out of my tent and go straight to the garbage to put everything back in. Untouched. It was exactly the way we left it. I'm frustrated truly, I feel like my mind is playing tricks on me and I just want to pack up, leave and give my friend the heads up of possible animals in the area before departing. As I'm packing up, I hear the car doors open and close twice, located roughly 40-50 yards away behind heavy tree line. My fight or flight response kicks in and at this point I'm convinced someone is fucking with us so I choose fight.

I grab my axe and head over to the cars. When maybe 15 yards out, I round a corner and see my best friend walking towards me.

Me - what the hell are you doing here?

BF - I fell asleep in the car.

Me - Were u walking around the campsite an hr ago?

BF - no, I've been in the car the whole night.

Me - u were still at the campfire when I called it a night, when did you go to the car.

BF - Truthfully, I can't remember.

It was at that moment the realization came over me that I was at the campsite entirely alone, being tormented by something I couldn't see or identify. A sudden chill coarsed throughout my entire body. I told my friend I would explain everything later, but please pack your shit and leave with me.

I went to bed back home with a nightlight on for five nights. I'm just now able to tell this story. I've been camping 30-40 times and solo backpacking 8-10, and never in my life have I ever experienced a night like I did that night.