Written by : u/TheDarknessDiaries

Year written : 2023

I've always been a skeptic. Ghosts, aliens, monsters – they were all just stories to me. But after what I experienced in the Southwest, my perspective on the unknown has been forever altered.

I was on a road trip with my best friend, Jake. We had decided to take a detour through the Navajo reservation in Arizona, mainly because of the scenic beauty and the rich history of the area. We had heard tales of skinwalkers, but we laughed them off. They were just myths, right?

Our first day on the reservation was uneventful. We visited a few local spots, interacted with some of the locals, and set up camp near a canyon. As night fell, we sat around our campfire, sharing stories and enjoying the serenity of the desert. Around midnight, Jake decided to turn in. I stayed up, mesmerized by the stars. The Milky Way stretched across the sky, and I felt a profound sense of peace. That is, until I heard it.

A low, guttural growl echoed through the canyon. I froze, thinking it might be a coyote or a mountain lion. But then, I heard a voice. It was distorted, as if someone was speaking through a broken radio, but it was unmistakably Jake's voice. "Come here," it beckoned.

Confused, I turned to our tent. Jake was sound asleep. The voice called out again, this time from the opposite direction. I grabbed a flashlight and shone it towards the source. What I saw will haunt me forever.

Standing on a ridge was a figure. It looked like a man, but its limbs were elongated, and its eyes glowed a sickly yellow. It wore tattered clothing, and its skin was a mottled gray. But the most disturbing part was its face. It was Jake's face.

I stumbled back, my heart racing. The creature mimicked Jake's voice again, "Come here." It took a step towards me, its movements jerky and unnatural.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my arm. Looking down, I saw a deep scratch, blood oozing out. The creature had marked me. I bolted to the tent, shaking Jake awake. "We need to go. NOW!" I hissed.

As we sped away in our car, I glanced in the rearview mirror. The creature stood in the middle of the road, watching us, its yellow eyes glowing in the darkness.

We didn't stop driving until we reached the nearest town. We checked into a motel, and I spent the night researching skinwalkers. The legends said they were witches who could take the form of animals or people, using their voices to lure victims.

The next few nights were restless. I'd wake up to that same distorted voice calling my name, and the scratch on my arm seemed to burn and throb. It was clear that the creature had not only marked me but was now haunting my every move.

Jake and I decided to consult a local Navajo elder. He told us that by interacting with the skinwalker, I had inadvertently invited it into my life. The only way to rid myself of its torment was to confront it and perform a purification ritual.

With heavy hearts, we returned to the reservation. The confrontation with the skinwalker was terrifying, but with the elder's guidance, we managed to complete the ritual.

The haunting ceased, but the scars, both physical and emotional, remain. The Southwest is beautiful, but it holds secrets that are beyond comprehension. And I'll never set foot on the Navajo reservation again.

To all of you reading this, please, be careful when you venture into unknown territories. Some legends are rooted in truth, and some nightmares are very, very real.