I haven’t stepped foot in Eno River State Park for years – not since I was attacked.

On that awful day, the park was quiet. I had gone hiking alone. I felt like it was only me and Mother Nature, but then I crossed paths with this creepy guy.

He followed me.

I walked faster, slower, stopped in places, anything to lose him, but nothing worked. It became clear that he was stalking me. I kept hoping someone else would show up, but it was a weekday. No one was around.

Then he made his move. He ran at me and knocked me down. As he fumbled with his pants, I grabbed a rock and smashed him in the head.

I ran for my life. He chased.

I thought I was heading back to the car, but I got turned around and somehow ran deeper into the park. He kept chasing me and I kept running. That park is acres and acres.

The sun was setting and I had no idea where I was. This dark, remote part of the park felt more alive. I looked over my shoulder and I swear a tree root moved, tripping him. He fell and yelled out in pain.

I kept running. I heard this eerie snapping of twigs and whistling of the wind. It sounded like some weird tree language – like they were watching me, talking about me. I’ve never heard anything like it.

I was too scared to look back. Then I heard him scream.

I ran faster and smacked into this creepy two-foot spiral made of twigs. I don’t know how to describe it. The opening was circular, but the spiral twisted outward into three dimensions. It made me think of a vortex, but it was organic, like it was growing out of the ground.  I glanced around and they were everywhere! Endless stick spirals. Some were flat in this weird spiral shape like a sea shell. Others were 3D as they twisted. They were on the ground, above my head, growing out of trees, rising from the ground, near twisting vines… I’ve seen enough horror movies to know I had to get the f out of there.

The creepy guy screamed again, but it was further away, like he hadn’t moved. It sounded like something was attacking him.

I broke into a sprint. The more I ran, the more distant his cries became. He was trapped in there by something. I kept going and eventually stumbled out of the park late that night. I never stopped running. I swear I ran all the way home.

A few days later, I made a friend go to pick up my car with me. She’s the only one I told. I don’t know if that guy lived. I never told the cops. What if he was dead and they blamed me? What if they thought I was crazy? But something’s definitely in there and I want to know what it is.