Old Man in the Woods

I was preparing for a long orienteering expedition and needed practice hiking through woodland and rural trails. An uncle volunteered to take me on a strenuous hike. We spent the day walking through woods and a small village in miserable weather, and by the end we were soaked and eager to reach the car.

The final part of the route followed a dirt trail uphill, with bushes and trees on both sides. We were walking quietly when an old man stepped out from behind a large bush. He wore a black suit, a red bow tie, and dress shoes. He looked very elderly, pale, and out of place in the woods. What disturbed me most was that he was completely dry, including his shoes, even though we were soaked and the trail was muddy.

We stopped and stared at him. My uncle asked whether he was all right. The man remained motionless for a moment, then suddenly became animated, as if waking from a trance. He said that something terrible had happened and that a friend needed help. He walked backward into the woods and motioned for us to follow.

We followed at a brisk walk, then began running to keep up. After a short distance he disappeared ahead of us, but we could still hear him. The sound led us to a steep muddy slope with no roots or shrubs to hold onto. The old man stood at the bottom, waving and pleading for us to come down. I could not understand how he had crossed the slope so quickly without getting wet or muddy.

I started toward the edge, but my uncle grabbed my arm and pulled me back. He quietly said that something was wrong. We told the man we would return to the car and call emergency services. His manner changed immediately. He became furious, jumped up and down, clenched his fists, and demanded that we come down. His voice turned into a growl, and his face became red with rage.

We hurried back along the trail while the man shouted after us. My uncle called emergency services and reported a possibly mentally ill man wandering in the woods. We were told to wait by the car and guide officers to the location.

Later, several officers arrived, including two with search dogs and emergency packs. We led them to the place where we had seen the man and showed them the route through the bushes. The search continued for a long time, but no one found the old man. The only trail the dogs could follow belonged to my uncle and me. There were no footprints, clothing, or other evidence that the stranger had been there.

It remains one of the strangest encounters I have ever experienced.