The Roadside
He was driving from town to work when he saw the pup lying on the roadside.
He didn’t think much of it at first, knowing many people came to this side of the woods with their dogs for some fresh air.
But when he spotted no owner near the dog, he knew he had to step in. What he discovered was more than what he bargained for.
Curiosity
When Tom stopped his truck beside the road in the Cumberland Mountains, he’d expected to help a lost dog back home.
An animal lover himself, he couldn’t bear the thought of such a sweet soul being alone in the woods.
He stepped out to help, finding out that everything that had happened that week led him to that moment.
A Day In His Life
Tom was a plumber living in Berea, Kentucky. A thirty-three-year-old father of two, he made a living from riding around town for plumbing jobs. Tom had been spending time with his kids that week when he got a call from a friend deep in the mountains.
His friend was building a log cabin, and he wondered if Tom could help with the plumbing end of things.
Little did they know such a favor would lead to the biggest discovery of Tom’s life.
The Best At His Job
Tom was among the best plumbers in Berea. He didn’t just love his job but performed it with such a passion that everyone around called him for any of their problems.
When his friend told him he needed his expertise on the cabin, Tom was more than happy to help.
After some quick planning, he got to the cabin’s location and prepared to drive there in the morning.
A Good Day
Tom got in his car early that morning. He’d carried all his tools and snacks for the road since the cabin was far off than he expected.
With everything set, Tom left for the cabin. It had rained that day, and the clouds were heavy above him.
Even though it was still morning, the day would soon turn dark.
Into The Mountain Forest
Tom spent an hour on the road before cutting into the beaten mountain path. He drove for two hours, with dark leaves and branches fluttering by him by the hundreds.
The forest’s scent was strong in the blowing breeze, the air cold from the night’s rainfall. To Tom, this was heaven on earth.
He was enjoying the drive when out of nowhere, he noticed the dog on the road.
The Dog
Tom gently stepped on the brakes as his sight registered the dog.
The first thing that grabbed his interest was that he couldn’t see the dog’s owner, although the pup had a bright blue leash.
Instantly, that sight brought some painful memories to Tom’s mind. It had happened years ago, but he still thought about it.
Painful Memories
Sometimes, he could go for weeks without it coming to his mind. But some days, and especially some nights, the memories became too intense, too vivid, too painful.
Seven years ago, Tom had adopted a puppy from a shelter.
But that wasn’t all. The pup came into his life during a particularly difficult time for him.
New Friend
He adopted the pup shortly after breaking up with his girlfriend of 10 years, with whom he had been since high school.
She had been the most important person in Tom’s life, and they used to love each other deeply.
However, love sometimes is not enough, and it didn’t work out in the end. When Tom adopted the puppy, he thought it would ease his loneliness a little bit.
Hans
And that was precisely what happened. Soon enough, the pup, named Hans, became Tom’s best friend.
The two of them were inseparable, and their friendship lightened up Tom’s grief for his late relationship.
Tom took Hans with him every time he went wandering in the woods and even took the dog with him to work sometimes. Until one day, something happened that broke Tom’s heart.
A Tragic Event
During one of their walks in the forest, Hans got lost.
It had never happened before, not even when he was a little pup; the dog never left Tom’s side and followed him everywhere.
But at one moment in the evening, while the pair were relaxing in front of a river, something happened that sent a chill down Tom’s spine.
A Scream
In the middle of the peace and quiet that usually reigned in that forest, a sudden, piercing sound cut the air, making Tom jump back and almost fall to the ground from the rock he was sitting on.
The best way it could be described is as reminiscing of a shriek, a high-pitched, guttural scream that sounded human-like but also eerily distorted.
Suddenly, Hans started barking, and Tom stood up, looking around him.
Nothing
There seemed to be nothing or no one around them; the sound came from deep inside the woods. Should they venture inside the forest to see where it came from?
But before Tom could make a decision, Hans began running and disappeared behind the trees and bushes.
Tom lost him before he could realize what was happening, but he ran in his direction.
Lost
He wandered around the forest for hours but never saw Hans again. He didn’t hear him bark, nor did he hear the eerie shriek again.
Devastated, he went back home when the sun set and told the police about what had happened.
But Hans was never found. That tragic event and the sinister circumstances surrounding it sat deep in Tom’s heart for months after.
He Had To Do Something
Instantly, after seeing the lost dog, he remembered that episode. And as if called by a mysterious, unspeakable force, he felt compelled to do something about it.
Tom parked his truck by the roadside and walked to the dog, calling him.
But although the dog jumped to its feet, alert and barking, it didn’t go to him. Tom’s brows furrowed, but then he had an idea.
Thinking It Through
Tom hurried into his truck and took out his snack box, fishing out a chicken sandwich. As he did, he thought that maybe the dog was lost and needed a ride back to town. He’d be more than happy to help.
He hurried back to the pup and presented the food, but the dog didn’t follow him. Tom took out his phone and recorded the incident to post on Social Media.
He hoped the owner would see the video and come for the dog. With the video in hand, Tom did the unexpected.
He Leaves
Tom said goodbye to the dog and hopped back into his truck to drive off. But as he turned on the engine, the dog barked in a frenzy as if begging him to stay. Tom turned off the engine and came out.
“What is it, boy?” he asked.
The dog barked once and then raced into the thick foliage. He stopped and barked at Tom again, telling him to follow. Could he answer such a call?
Following The Dog
Tom hurried after the dog, who sped deeper into the forest. They wended through many trees and bushes, finally coming to a deep dark trench.
The dog barked again, and out of nowhere, a different bark came from the darkness of the trench.
Knowing another dog was stuck inside the trench, Tom quickly got to work to rescue it. He didn’t know how wrong he was.
Going To Help
Tom ran back to his truck and took out some climbing equipment he always kept in the trunk. He rushed back, climbing down with a flashlight and first aid kit in hand.
His feet touched the ground after some minutes of descending into the trench. The dog inside the darkness barked, and Tom called to him, giving his word that he was there to help.
He turned on his light, and that’s when he saw it.
A New Find
A human leg awash in dried blood and dirt was on the mossy floor. Tom flashed his light toward it, and it moved.
“Hello,” he called as he rushed to it, seeing a man recoil from his flashlight.
Beside the man was the second dog, snarling at Tom as he neared. “Easy, boy,” Tom raised his hands. “I’m here to help,” he added. As he approached the man and his dog, he noticed something that made his lips part.
Stepping Into Action
The man was dirty as if he’d spent more than a day inside the trench. A broken bone was sticking out of his calf, which he’d tried to bandage.
Tom quickly set his flashlight aside and reached for his water canteen, placing it against the man’s barely moving lips.
He also offered the dog some before calling 911. Could he help them?
Calling For Reinforcements
Tom used the remaining water to clean the man’s leg before dressing it with his first aid kit. He called his friend and explained what was happening, promising he’d be by his cabin later than expected.
His friend told him he was on his way as soon as Tom broke the news.
He managed to arrive well before first responders made it to the scene. What he did, left Tom speechless.
A Good Deed
Tom’s friend went out of his way to help Tom help the injured man out of the trench. First responders arrived as the two were assisting the man in eating some energy bars Tom’s friend brought.
The man was taken to the hospital, and soon afterward, his family reached out to Tom to thank him.
They revealed that the man had been lost for two days.
One Question Left
As they talked, Tom smiled, glad he’d listened to the dog at the side of the road. Only God knew what would have happened to that man if he and his friend hadn’t stepped in.
However, there was still one question in the air.
How did the man get there? And most importantly: what happened to him?
Something Was Wrong
When Tom found him and before he was carried to the hospital, the man was not in the right state to answer any questions or tell his story; he was very dehydrated and seemed very distressed.
The natural explanation would be that he just fell inside the trench and injured himself.
However, Tom could feel that wasn’t all. He could sense that there was more to that incident than met the eye.
What Happened?
So Tom did what his instincts were telling him to: he asked the man’s relatives over the phone if they knew what had happened to him. A few seconds of silence followed his question.
Then, the man’s wife finally answered with a shaky voice, as if doubting whether she should tell Tom about it.
What she said to him instantly activated Tom’s alarms.
He Told Them Something
“Well… He told us something, but we couldn’t make much sense of it. He has said very strange things. The doctors said he was probably under the psychological effects of the accident, very distressed, and so on.”
“So we don’t know if we should take it seriously for now. The doctors say he’ll be better soon, though,” the woman said.
But What?
“But what did he say?” Tom asked. “What was so strange about it?” Realizing that he may be starting to sound weird and nosy, he added, “I’m sorry if I’m being intrusive here. You don’t have to reply if you don’t want to.”
The woman hesitated for a few seconds.
Then, she answered Tom’s question, still with a hint of doubt in her voice:
A Shriek
“Well… I don’t see why I shouldn’t tell you. If it turns out to be serious and he keeps talking about this after going back to normal, we’ll tell the police as well, but we haven’t yet,” she said.
“So… He said he was walking around the forest when he heard a shriek coming from deep inside the woods.”
It Could Have Been Him
“He said it sounded like a human scream. Like there was someone in danger,” the woman said. Tom was speechless. “But I don’t know. He’s still very affected by the accident, so take that with a grain of salt,” the woman added.
Tom thanked her, hung up, and sat down to reflect on what he had just heard. Could it be the same scream he had heard years before?
Could it have been him who ended up in the man’s situation? Could it have turned out much worse?
Wanting More To The Story
Tom was shocked by this story. He remembered hearing a woman scream many years ago, when Hans had gone missing.
He couldn’t help but wonder if there was something supernatural going on. Was there a connection between the woman’s scream and the disappearance of his dog?
The old man’s accident was an eye-opener for Tom. Something strange was happening in town. Did this man have a connection to the screams, or was he just an innocent bystander?
Preparing To Go
Determined to find out what was happening in the woods, Tom decided to return. He knew it was dangerous but couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Tom had always been fascinated by the supernatural.
So, when he heard the man mention a strange woman’s voice calling out to him from deep in the woods, he knew he had to investigate.
He packed a bag with some supplies and set out into the forest, determined to find the source of the mysterious voice.
Searching For Answers
As he walked deeper into the woods, Tom could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He was on high alert, ready for anything.
He wished he had his old dog with him; he felt his presence immensely.
But as he reached the spot where the man had been attacked, he heard the woman’s scream again. This time, it was louder and more urgent.
Facing The Woods
Tom stayed brave as he walked deeper into the woods. He began to feel a sense of unease creeping over him.
The trees seemed to be closing in around him, and the forest seemed to be getting darker and more foreboding.
But he pressed on, driven by a sense of curiosity and a desire to uncover the truth.
Night In The Dark
After several hours of walking, Tom finally came upon a clearing.
And there, in the center of the clearing, he saw something truly incredible: a strange, supernatural entity.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen before; it had a smoky black appearance, with glowing eyes and a menacing presence that seemed to fill the entire clearing.
Out Of This World
Without warning, the figure appeared out of the shadows. It had the form of a woman, and she was holding something in her hand.
Tom froze, not sure what to do.
But then he felt something brush past him, and he realized it was a dog. The dog had been protecting him from the strange woman’s voice.
Saved By Nature
Tom was terrified, but he couldn’t look away. He watched as the entity began to move closer to him, its glowing eyes fixed on him.
But just as it seemed like the entity was about to reach him, the strange dog jumped in front of him.
The dog started growling and barking, and the entity got scared and vanished.
Save Yourself
Tom was relieved but knew he had to get out of the woods as fast as he could. He turned and ran, his heart pounding in his chest.
He didn’t even stop to look back.
He didn’t stop until he reached the edge of the forest, where he collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.
A New Friend
When Tom finally caught his breath, he realized that the dog was still with him.
He looked at the animal and saw that it was a beautiful, black and white German Shepherd.
Tom knew that this was the same dog that had saved him from the entity, and he knew that he had to take it home with him.
Stuck To My Side
Tom named the dog “Tucky”, because he was the brave protector of the woods of Kentucky. Tucky quickly became an important part of his life.
The two were inseparable, and Tom knew he had to keep the dog safe from harm.
He tried to report what had happened to the police, but they didn’t believe him. They thought he imagined things or making it all up.
Secret Information
Tom knew what he had seen was real, and he knew he had to keep the dog safe.
So he decided to keep it a secret and to keep the dog with him at all times.
He knew that he had to keep it hidden from the world so that it wouldn’t be harmed by anyone or anything.
A Terrific Pair
Tom and Tucky became each other’s best friends. They spent all their time together, exploring the woods and the streets.
They went on adventures together, and Tom always felt safe with his dog by his side. They were always on the lookout for anything strange, but nothing ever happened again.
He could always count on him. They were a team, and they were always together. They were always exploring new places and always looking for new adventures.
New Adventures
Tom was happy that he had his dog by his side.
He knew that he would never be alone again, and that he would always have someone to protect him from the unknown.
He knew that he would always have someone to share his adventures with, and that he would always have a friend in Tucky.
Mystery To Be Solved
Tom never found out what happened to the woman or the man in the hospital, but he knew that Tucky had saved him, and that was all that mattered.
From that day on, Tom knew that he and Tucky would always be together, no matter what.
They were a team, and nothing would ever change that.
The Case Continues
One day, Tom and Tucky were out exploring the woods. They were walking along a path that they had never taken before. Suddenly, they heard a strange noise. They stopped and looked around. They saw nothing, but the noise was getting louder.
Tom was stunned. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He looked at Tucky, who was wagging his tail happily. And then he knew. Hans had never been lost. His spirit had been protecting Tom from the woman’s voice all along. Tom and Tucky got ready for their next supernatural adventure.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
