This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/psycharious on 2024-10-20 06:33:02+00:00.
Kings Swamp is one of the most beautiful spots within a 40 minute drive from the city from where I live. Photographers come from all around to make use of its breathtaking scenery, its naturally occurring light filters, the variety of wild flowers, and the various fauna that roam the area. For decades, ghost stories and urban legends have popped up surrounding the swamp do mainly to the amount people who have gone missing and the odd swamp lights that visitors have reported seeing. People have even claimed to see the phantom lady roaming the swamplands. They tell various stories ranging from a woman who drowned in th swamp to a woman who committed suicide. What’s odd about the reported lights however, is that the swamp isn’t really a swamp in the strictest sense of the word. There is a small connecting river that somewhat helps to circulate the water. If I remember correctly, I have read articles that the actual amount of methane in the water was low, making the existence of the lights all the more of a mystery. I was about to find out the reason for this mystery.
I personally like the swamp because it’s one of the few areas that’s away from the light pollution with a parking lot that stays open all night. I sometimes head out there, near the foothills, with my refractor telescope, my camera, and occasionally a tall boy to get some good shots of the night sky. This particular night, a buddy of mine had canceled plans that we had, so I decided to make one of my solo trips to the swamp parking lot. I was setting up my refractor telescope southward when I noticed some lights in the sky to the south-east. They were three green lights floating gracefully in slow movements. They seem to be moving back and forth in a descending pattern. Now’a’days, I would have thought that they were just drones but this all happened sometimes before drones became a thing. They definitely weren’t planes I’ve ever seen either. I come from a Navy town so we were used to seeing various aircraft fairly regularly. I quickly grabbed my binoculars from my truck and tried to get a bead on them. It was hard to make them out. I did notice that their colors would change. They would go from green, to red, then purple, and then blue. They soon disappeared behind the foothills. I contemplated what they possibly could be for a bit while switching my focus back to fiddling with my telescope.
Not long after, I noticed a glare of green light coming from in the swamp brush. Maybe it might have something to do with the lights that I saw I thought. Maybe it was someone playing with some cool new radio controlled plane or a weather balloon experiment. I walked closer to get a better look, following the lights deep passed the tree line and near the swamp. As I got closer, I saw a single figure in the distance, human like, but wearing some sort of robe. Maybe what I was witnessing was ceremonial, or maybe I was about to come face to face with the infamous swamp ghost. I hid behind a tree and ducked behind some tall grass at the end of the swamp. I had thought that the figure must have been standing at the other bank of the swamp, but they seemed too close. Upon a better look, the figure looked to be a tall, slender bluish figure with a bulbous spade shaped head or helmet with a red mask with bright yellow eyes,and long lanky arms and fingers. I stood there crouched for sometime, trying to figure out what it could be. Was I seeing the ghost woman of the swamp? It couldn’t be. I’ve been up here quite a bit and never seen anything like it. It seemed to be hovering over the swamp, moseying about. I was awestruck. An instinctual fear told me that it would be better if I began to slowly head back to my truck. Another curious side told me that I should try to snap a picture. Even if I was able to manage it, it would probably be waived away as some elaborate hoax. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My mind raced with multiple ideas to try and rationalize it.
My fear finally won out. I slowly backed away, making sure to keep my silhouette behind tree coverage. Then on the tree in front of me, I saw the reflection of more light, red this time emanating from behind me. I turned around, and coming from down the path that lead to my truck, was another source of light. I quickly ducked behind the closest tree to my right and stayed quiet. I saw another being, similar to the one I had just seen, headed my way down the path from which I came. I was trapped. I continued to move right, keeping low and trying to use the tall swamp grass along the bank as cover. As I came around to another bend, I figured my best option was to wade through the swamp itself and make it to the trail on the other side. I turned around to see one of the lights headed my way. My fear of these things overrode any fear I may have had of any creepy-crawlies lurking in the swamp itself, so I took my chances and waded in the murky waters. I pushed on as the swamp waters began to go deeper and deeper. At one point, it came up to my waist. I was surprised by how deep it was. I had thought these waters were shallow. The muddy bottom began to hinder my movement. Without looking back, I saw the light reflected off the trees in the swamp. It was on me. I had no idea if it had saw me and was pursuing me but I couldn’t stop to find out.
I raced for the nearest tree in front of me on a patch of elevated land. I pulled myself up with the large protruding roots and on the other side, where the roots formed something of a formation which I ducked into. My heart was racing. I tried frantically to control my breathing as I saw the brush shadows shift with the approaching light source. It was on top of me now, standing above the large root system I was hiding under. I took a deep breath. I could heari it scavenging about just above me. Had it found me? I looked up only to see a tarantula. I held my scream as hard as I could. In an act of panck, I flicked the spider from the top and into the water. It made a small splash. The creature heard it. I saw a long arm reach over and pluck the tarantula from the water. There was silent for a long while, then the light began to fade away. It was moving away. I gave it a few more long minutes then crawled out of my hiding spot and and braved a peak over. I didn’t see anymore lights. They must have left, I hoped. I was cold and soaking wet now. I was unfamiliar with my surroundings. I looked around to try to get an idea of where I could be, to get my bearings. It was hard to figure out as I only had the moonlight to go by at that point. I had a small flashlight on me, which I pulled out. Luckily, it still worked despite being wet. I saw a little ahead there was another trail. It must have been one of the trails on the far side of the swamplands. I trudged out of the swamp water and began to follow the trail, hoping that it would lead me back to the parking lot. I kept my flashlight low onto the pavement in case I saw any more creatures.
I walked along for quite a while. Exactly, how long, I’m not sure. I completely lost track of time. It was getting progressively colder and I began to shiver from the wet clothes. My eyes darted to every shadow, every branch that stuck out. I tried desperately to calm myself. I didn’t see anymore lights. I had hoped that whatever they were, they finally left. I still tried to keep control of my breathing. My anxiety was still heightened. I heard another noise off to my left. The hairs on my arms began to stand up this time. I slowly raised my flashlight. It was just more branches. No. I raised it higher. The mask. this was no tree. It was one of them. Standing in complete darkness in the distance, watching me. I gasped. I began to run as fast as I could. I tripped over some cracked asphalt. I flailed for my flashlight. I grabbed it, pushed myself up and continued running. I saw the parking lot off in the distance. I saw my truck. I would jump in my truck as quickly as I could and take off. The trees felt like they were closing in. I felt something grab my arm and yank me. almost knocked me down. I turned. It was one of the creatures. It had caught me. My heart raced, stomach turned, then nothing.
I woke up laying in the bed of my truck, still somewhat damp. I looked around. It was still dark. It must have been really late though. I looked at my Nokia. It was almost 2:00. I had been out hear a long time. I got in my truck, turned on the heater to warm me, and headed home. The next morning I felt sore all over. I looked in the mirror and studied myself. Nothing seemed out of place. I didn’t tell anyone of course. I was still processing what happened myself and didn’t think anyone would believe me. Then one day, I noticed it. There was something hard under my skin by my right wrist. I remember toying with it, thinking it was just a cyst or calcium deposit until I remembered that night. They had put something there.