There are plenty of paranormal stories about bridges in the forest and elsewhere.
Joe and a few of his buddies were going on a motorcycle trip into the mountains. They reserved a large cabin near a lake so they could do some fishing. As college students, they also planned to hit the books. They thought the change of scenery would be good for them.
I know many of you are thinking college guys, motorcycles, woods, fishing didn’t equal studying, but Joe and his friends were serious about their studies and their future. They had a schedule.
Ben and Pete didn’t have motorcycles, but Ben had a van. They loaded it up with fishing gear and ice chests of non-alcoholic beverages and food. They also had bags of snack food. They had planned to cook outdoors, but the cabin was well equipped with a kitchen.
“I don’t know much about this place,” Pete began. “I’ve heard about this creepy bridge in the forest we have to cross to get to the cabins in the woods.”
“Yeah? Well, I’ve heard about those woods and devil worshippers, but I think it’s just an urban legend to keep people away.”
“I don’t doubt that, but this bridge has me a little worried.”
Ben and Pete spoke for awhile, but stopped when they approached the bridge. They saw Joe and Harry crossing the bridge and then disappear as though in thin air.
“Where did they go?” Ben asked.
Pete didn’t answer, he just looked straight ahead. He was terrified of bridges, but didn’t want Ben to know.
They continued across the bridge, then saw Kevin and Larry. They pulled along beside them.
“Have you seen Joe and Harry?”
“Yeah, they went on up to the cabin. They told us to wait for you.”
“I guess nothing’s wrong,” Ben said. “Must have been some optical illusion.”
Pete agreed, but he wasn’t too sure. He had his doubts about the trip and wished he’s stayed at the dorms.
After unloading the van and getting settled in the cabin. Pete began feeling better. Joe made fried chicken with baked potatoes and green beans. The TV was tuned to a sports channel, some of the guys had books open and a few were watching the game.
At dinner, Ben mentioned the optical illusion he saw on the bridge.
“I’ve been coming here for years,” Joe said. “I’ve seen the same thing. My mom was ready to get a search party for Dad when she saw him disappear on the bridge.”
No explanation was given, but Joe said very seriously, “Don’t go out in the woods after dark.”
For any other group, this would have been a challenge to see what was out there, but these guys didn’t have anything to prove to themselves or each other. They came to study and to fish. That was their only agenda.
Joe and Ben were talking while the others were studying. A scraping sound was heard on one of the walls.
“Are there rats in the walls?” Pete asked.
“No, not rats,” Joe said. “This place is haunted. Always has been. That’s how we got it so cheap and on short notice.”
The guys didn’t know how to react, many laughed, thinking Joe was pulling their leg. But as the night progressed, they heard and saw things that almost sent them running out in the night. They heard footsteps. Then the whispering. The loud banging on the door unnerved the group of young men.
“All right, Joe,” Harry said. “You’re going too far. We have exams to study for and we came out here to study and relax. This ghost nonsense isn’t helping.”
“Look guys, I’m not doing anything. I told you the place is haunted. Just get through the night and all will be fine in the morning. We’ll go fishing and then things will calm down. Don’t give in to your fears.”
No one wanted to admit their fears, but during the night each man was faced with them. Pete had to face his fear of bridges and experience in a dream his death when he crossed it to return home. The others were confronted with their fear of failure and not being good enough to succeed in the business world. They were tortured throughout the night seeing their lives destroyed in various ways in their dreams.
Before dawn Joe awoke the group with the wonderful smell of coffee, bacon and eggs, hash brown potatoes and orange juice.
“What is this place?” Harry asked. “I had terrible dreams all night. I don’t feel much like fishing this morning. I have to hit the books, then return to the dorms.”
The others grunted in agreement.
“All right,” Joe said. “I brought you here to share success with you. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. My mom saw the same thing you saw on the bridge. She was afraid and had a terrible nightmare. She faced her fears and now owns a chain of dress stores that bring in millions of dollars each year. She was able to achieve more than she imagined. She attributes it to this cabin and what it taught her.”
“So what are you say?” Pete asked.
“You got through the night. You don’t have to go fishing, but you do need to face your fears and put them behind you. You can succeed in whatever you put your mind to. I find fishing relaxing and I do a lot of thinking out on the lake while fishing. You can suit yourself.”
Harry cleaned up the breakfast dishes while the guys went fishing. He wanted to stay behind to think through his dreams and walk through the woods.
By the end of the day, each young man came to terms with their fears and studied in earnest. They were amazed how clearly they thought and how everything seemed to come together for them effortlessly. There was indeed something magical about the cabin and the woods and the creepy old bridge that changed these young men for the better.
Is this possible?
Paranormal experiences affect people in many ways. It’s all a matter of how we use them to our advantage.
©Sharon Harvey March, 2015
https://oldhauntedstuff.com
