1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:06,040 Hey, Nick, can I have some of the popsicles? Please? As 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:08,880 she yelled out to me while I was laying on the couch with an ice 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:14,320 pack resting on my chest. It was a hot, humid day in the 4 00:00:14,359 --> 00:00:19,839 middle of the rural outskirts of upstate New York on a Friday afternoon. My 5 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:24,519 younger brother and I had just gotten home from school, board as hell while 6 00:00:24,519 --> 00:00:30,120 we boiled alive indoors and outdoors. No, we have to wait until Wednesday. 7 00:00:31,039 --> 00:00:34,560 But it's my birthday, so I should be able to have one, 8 00:00:35,439 --> 00:00:40,679 Asher said, in an annoying, entitled tone. Not your birthday till Wednesday, 9 00:00:40,759 --> 00:00:47,079 dude, Plus mom and dad said. I was annoyed, uncomfortable, 10 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:52,600 sweating, and felt like a husk. I was fourteen, while my younger 11 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:58,119 brother was turning eleven. We were home alone until Sunday morning while our parents 12 00:00:58,119 --> 00:01:03,560 were out on a business trip. Asher closed the freezer door after peeking inside, 13 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,799 and lazily walked over to the couch, where he fell over and landed 14 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,400 on top of me. Do what the hell get off me? I yelled 15 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:18,719 out. I'm bored. He groaned, Yeah, okay, I literally don't 16 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,599 care, I said. I shoved him off the couch and he got up, 17 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:27,200 looking out on to the porch. Can we go look for snakes outside? 18 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:34,159 He asked, you can. I'm tired. I closed my eyes, 19 00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:38,120 wanting to take a nap. You're always tired, he said, as he 20 00:01:38,159 --> 00:01:45,200 walked over to the glass sliding door. I watched him look out the window, 21 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,439 feeling too weak to move. It was so hot it felt like I 22 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:55,159 was melting into the couch. Mom and Dad had all this time to go 23 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,920 on dinners, trips, and visits, yet they didn't have time to get 24 00:01:57,959 --> 00:02:06,280 someone to fix the hair conditioning. A knock from the front door echoed through 25 00:02:06,319 --> 00:02:12,039 the house, catching Ash's attention. He stood up and went to answer it. 26 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,599 Don't answer it, I said, in a weak, monotone voice. 27 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:22,439 Why cause it could be a serial killer waiting to make you his next victim. 28 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:28,639 Shut up, Nick, you're not funny. The knock then evolved into 29 00:02:28,719 --> 00:02:34,560 multiple fists pounding at the door. It's just the FBI. Open up, 30 00:02:34,599 --> 00:02:38,000 you're all under arrest. Jacob's muffled voice yelled from the other side of the 31 00:02:38,039 --> 00:02:46,120 door. Okay, open it, I said, annoyed. Asher raised to 32 00:02:46,199 --> 00:02:51,719 open the door, letting Jacob and Trevor inside. They were the two closest 33 00:02:51,719 --> 00:02:55,560 friends we had, both of them in the same class as me. They 34 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:00,840 raised inside, and the disgusting odor of hot sweat permeated off of them. 35 00:03:01,439 --> 00:03:06,560 Nick, you'll never guess what we found in the woods, Trevor excitedly yelled 36 00:03:06,599 --> 00:03:12,159 out, We found an abandoned treehouse. Jacob followed up. Trevor help her. 37 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,039 Jacob and they both looked at me, ready to run back outside. 38 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:23,199 My interest was piqued as I sat up on the couch where at I curiously 39 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:28,960 asked. It's further past the quarry, Jacob said, trying to catch his 40 00:03:29,039 --> 00:03:32,319 breath, like a fifteen minute walk past it. I want to go, 41 00:03:32,759 --> 00:03:37,080 please, Nick, let's go check it out. As she yelled out, 42 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,680 I sighed, getting up off the couch. I looked at the time as 43 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,680 though I had something important coming up. At three sixteen pm, the three 44 00:03:46,759 --> 00:03:53,000 were staring at me excitedly waiting for an answer. Yeah, all right, 45 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:59,360 I guess, I said, shrugging my shoulders. Yes. Trevor yelled out, 46 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,120 all right, let's go quick. Trevor ran out of the house, 47 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:09,000 followed by Jacob and Asher. I jugged towards them and exited the house. 48 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,680 They all hot on their bikes that were hastily thrown on the messy, toy 49 00:04:13,719 --> 00:04:17,120 covered lawn. Mom and Dad had told us that we needed to clean the 50 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:23,000 front and backyard, but our logic was to wait until the last second before 51 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:30,720 touching anything. We were two geniuses competing with Tesla's IQ. Our house was 52 00:04:30,759 --> 00:04:35,439 completely surrounded by miles of woods and a small quiet road. The nearest neighbor 53 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:40,519 was a mile and a half away, so if anything were to happen at 54 00:04:40,519 --> 00:04:45,360 home, then we were on our own. I honestly don't know what our 55 00:04:45,399 --> 00:04:50,120 parents are thinking during that point of time. Always going out, We drove 56 00:04:50,199 --> 00:04:54,959 about a mile and a quarter down the road on our bikes, the wind 57 00:04:55,040 --> 00:05:00,040 feeling amazing against my sweaty face. Afterward, we drove onto a trail off 58 00:05:00,079 --> 00:05:05,000 to the side of the road and continued through the forest. The sun was 59 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:11,800 beaming through the trees, most of which were just barely grown back the leaves. 60 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,160 When we finally got to the quarry, Jacob and Trevor slowed down and 61 00:05:16,199 --> 00:05:21,120 got off of their bikes. Asher and I shot each other confused glances. 62 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:28,399 Why are we stopping, I questioned them. The treehouse isn't on the trail, 63 00:05:29,079 --> 00:05:31,839 Jacob said, panting, as though he had been running the whole way 64 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:36,480 here. How the hell did you guys even find it? I asked. 65 00:05:36,959 --> 00:05:41,759 We were looking for a new spot to catch water snakes. Trevor yelled out 66 00:05:41,959 --> 00:05:46,279 as he dropped his bike and quickly walked towards the thick forest. Asher and 67 00:05:46,399 --> 00:05:51,639 Jacob, along with myself, quickly followed behind, all eager to see this 68 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:58,920 treehouse. Trevor, Jacob and I had always dreamed about having a treehouse or 69 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,360 something of that matter to hang out in and have sleepovers inside, like headquarters 70 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:09,199 for our group. Since this was out in the middle of absolutely nowhere, 71 00:06:09,959 --> 00:06:13,720 it would most likely need some touch ups, which we could easily do over 72 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:19,319 time. Ah, I'm tired, Asher whined. Quit being such a baby, 73 00:06:19,879 --> 00:06:24,399 I said, not wanting to deal with this crap. You know it's 74 00:06:24,399 --> 00:06:28,240 going to be a long walk, I know, but still, can we 75 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,480 stop for a second, Asher said, trying to sit down. No, 76 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:36,399 we're literally like five minutes away, Trevor said, not turning to look towards 77 00:06:36,399 --> 00:06:45,000 Asher. We continued on, Asher continuing to whind the entire way. He'd 78 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,519 always been whiny and entitled, but I still felt bad for him since he 79 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:54,759 didn't really have a lot of friends because of it. But unfortunately that's what 80 00:06:54,879 --> 00:07:00,199 happens when mommy and Daddy don't know how to say no. I'd be lying 81 00:07:00,399 --> 00:07:03,800 if I said I wasn't excited out on my mind to see the tree house, 82 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:09,079 though, but I wanted to look cool and keep calm on the outside. 83 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,439 After about twenty minutes in total of traveling through the forest, leaves crunching 84 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,560 under every step, birds singing and chirping, accompanied by the noises of a 85 00:07:19,639 --> 00:07:28,600 pratty little brother, we finally arrived a very tall, skinny oak tree sat 86 00:07:28,759 --> 00:07:33,720 in a small clearing about fifty feet away from any trees. It was a 87 00:07:33,759 --> 00:07:39,480 strange sight, but it made sense why whoever built the tree house chose that 88 00:07:39,519 --> 00:07:45,839 particular tree. The tree house itself was decent sized, provided enough room for 89 00:07:45,879 --> 00:07:50,079 about five kids our age to sit comfortably inside. It wrapped around the tree 90 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:56,560 about thirty feet in the air, and a singular ladder led inside. It 91 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,680 seemed as though it had been there for so long that the trees added more 92 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,800 around the edges of it like it was clay. The treehouse was in amazing 93 00:08:05,879 --> 00:08:11,839 shape, a little dusty, but no rot overgrowth, nothing at all. 94 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,600 Dude, this is amazing, I blurted out, Have you guys gone inside 95 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:22,680 yet? Nah, Drevor said, shaking his head. We wanted to get 96 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:28,680 you guys first. He looked over at us with an excited grin. It 97 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,600 was an amazing sight, for sure. The wood of the treehouse was a 98 00:08:33,639 --> 00:08:39,120 light color, almost a whitish yellow. Fine details were all over the outside 99 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,559 of the walls and windows painted red and dark brown. This was the kind 100 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:48,600 of treehouse that was made by a father who had a passion for craftsmanship, 101 00:08:48,279 --> 00:08:56,759 made specifically for his young children to make wonderful memories inside. Yet for some 102 00:08:56,799 --> 00:09:03,639 odd reason, it was out there, almost three miles deep in the woods. 103 00:09:03,399 --> 00:09:07,799 We didn't question it, though I wish we would have. But we 104 00:09:07,799 --> 00:09:13,320 were young, stupid, and naive. At least that's what I keep telling 105 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:20,519 myself. I went up next to the ladder and rested my hand under the 106 00:09:20,519 --> 00:09:26,080 tree. However, I instantly pulled it back. The bark of the tree 107 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:31,519 fell off. In fact, it didn't feel like tree bark at all. 108 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,679 It was somewhat warm, with a soft, newbug leathery feel. I slowly 109 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:43,039 went to feel again it was definitely not bark. I couldn't even keep my 110 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:48,840 hand on it for longer than two seconds without feeling disgusted. I honestly thought 111 00:09:48,879 --> 00:09:52,559 the tree was rotten, which made me hesitant to climb up the ladder. 112 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:58,039 I didn't say anything, as did not spoil the mood, so I stood 113 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:03,519 back to look back up at the treehouse again. Trevor, Jacob, and 114 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,559 Asher plabbed about their ideas of what they could do with the treehouse. Treffor 115 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:13,200 and Jacob always tried to include Asher and stuff, which was nice, but 116 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:18,720 I still always felt annoyed with his presence most of the time. Jacob asked 117 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,080 who should go up first. Trevor and Ash both instantly said they would, 118 00:10:22,879 --> 00:10:28,080 so they did rock paper scissors to settle and who would be the lucky number 119 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:35,320 one? Trevor one, making Asher a bit upset. Trevor smiled and told 120 00:10:35,399 --> 00:10:39,120 him that its best he goes at first, just to make sure it's safe. 121 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:46,759 Asher surprisingly shut up, finally understanding the concerns from someone else's viewpoint other 122 00:10:46,799 --> 00:10:50,679 than his own. I was a bit annoyed since he never listened to me, 123 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:56,240 but whatever. Drefford started to make his way up the tall, skinny 124 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:01,039 ladder, all of us waiting in anticipate patient for what he would see up 125 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:05,559 there. The subtle wind caused the trees to sway in a strange way, 126 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,679 like he was doing his best to blend in with the other trees around it, 127 00:11:11,159 --> 00:11:15,799 but didn't know how. That's the best way I can describe it. 128 00:11:16,519 --> 00:11:20,679 When he finally reached the top, he didn't say anything. At first. 129 00:11:22,879 --> 00:11:26,600 We couldn't see him as he had entered the treehouse. What's it look like 130 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:31,399 up there, Jacob yelled out. It's pretty empty, only a couple of 131 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:37,519 cobwebs. Trevor yelled back. Asha then started climbing up the ladder eagerly. 132 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,200 I stopped him, and he looked back at me with an annoyed expression. 133 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:48,360 What he whined. I was about to say something, but I tripped over 134 00:11:48,519 --> 00:11:52,919 my tongue and couldn't remember what I was going to say. Just let him 135 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:58,360 go, bro, Jacob said, with a face of pity. I motioned 136 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:05,039 for him to go, and he continued up the ladder. In that moment, 137 00:12:05,799 --> 00:12:09,279 a strange gut feeling washed over me, like a primitive instinct was kicking 138 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,919 in. I didn't say anything, but I felt sick to my stomach. 139 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,639 I didn't want my brother going up there, but What was I going to 140 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:24,399 say, you can't go up there? Because I said so? Yeah. 141 00:12:24,519 --> 00:12:30,159 Right after Asher got up there, him and Trevor called out to us to 142 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:35,679 join them. Jacob started climbing up the ladder next, and I was debating 143 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:41,639 if I should follow. After my turn came and I began to slowly make 144 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:46,399 my way up the ladder. I felt much higher than what it seemed from 145 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,519 the ground. The soft wind blowing against my face, the sound of the 146 00:12:50,519 --> 00:12:56,360 branches swaying and brushing up against each other echoed through the trees, almost sounding 147 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:01,960 like a deep groan of a sleeping giant. When I finally reached the top, 148 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,200 I rested on the floor of the tree house, looking around at the 149 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,120 interior. The tree was in the center of the room, with what looked 150 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:16,840 to be faint vomits sanes covering the wooden floor. It even kind of smelled 151 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,519 like vomit. Jacob pointed out the smell and said they could bring some air 152 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:26,639 freshness when they came back with some decor. The feeling in my stomach got 153 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:31,799 worse looking out the windows, seeing the seemingly infinite void of trees around us, 154 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,480 instead of the nice, cozy backyard of a small home made me feel 155 00:13:37,519 --> 00:13:45,600 uneasy. Something was off and it was eating me alive, my excitement slowly 156 00:13:45,639 --> 00:13:50,879 diminishing. Meanwhile, the others were still geeking out over the place. So 157 00:13:52,399 --> 00:13:56,799 what shall we name this place? Jacob asked, The cool Kid's club with 158 00:13:56,919 --> 00:14:03,559 three k's Trevor giggled. As they went back and forth. I noticed something 159 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,799 on the tree itself, a strange mark, just about three feet wide. 160 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,679 It was like a seam in the bark, curved inwards into itself, very 161 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:18,519 similar to two flaps of fat. I've seen some pretty strange tree formations, 162 00:14:18,519 --> 00:14:24,799 so I brushed it off. I tried keeping cool, but this pit of 163 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:28,759 my stomach was forming into a black hole. So I made up an excuse 164 00:14:28,799 --> 00:14:33,039 for us to leave. Why don't we go back to our place and get 165 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,480 some stuff to bring back here, I said, having no intentions of returning. 166 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:41,720 We can bring snacks, Yeah, all right, Trevor said. We 167 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,720 can also stop by my place to get my backpack to fit more stuff. 168 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:52,720 Asher was clearly upset. But I don't want to go, he whimpered. 169 00:14:52,679 --> 00:14:58,399 We're literally going to come right back, Jacob sighed, So I can stay 170 00:14:58,399 --> 00:15:01,480 here and wait for you guys, Asher argued, no, Mamma. Dad 171 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,679 told me to keep an eye on you at all times. I argued back, 172 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:11,279 Well, it's almost my birthday, he said, folding his arms. 173 00:15:13,039 --> 00:15:16,840 After a little more pointless arguing, he begrudgingly agreed to come back down. 174 00:15:18,799 --> 00:15:22,480 I was relieved to finally get out of there, but when we got to 175 00:15:22,519 --> 00:15:28,279 the bottom, I saw Jacob look at Asher with a guilty expression. It's 176 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,159 not his fault. He felt bad for him, even though we were coming 177 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:37,000 right back to cheer him up. He handed Asher a small army knife he 178 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:41,080 got from boy Scouts and told him he could carve all our initials into the 179 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:45,480 tree at the top, so that way people would know it was ours. 180 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:52,000 Asher little with excitement, and his mood instantly shifted. Why don't I come 181 00:15:52,039 --> 00:15:56,159 with you, I said quickly. I can do this by myself. I'm 182 00:15:56,159 --> 00:16:03,279 not a baby, Asher said, annoyed with me. I wish I'd stopped 183 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,519 him. I wish I could have done more, something, anything more, 184 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:14,799 but I didn't. I watched as he eagerly made his way up the ladder, 185 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:19,960 carrying the knife and honor of marking our territory. Jacob and Trevor cheered 186 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:26,120 him on as I nervously watched. Hell yeah, Asher, Trevy yelled, 187 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:33,039 you caught this birthday boy. Jacob followed after. I didn't know why I 188 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:37,320 was nervous, but I just was like my guardian angel was screaming at me 189 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:44,720 to go and get him. Unfortunately, that would be the last time I 190 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:52,480 ever saw him again. The tree groaned with the wind. Something was definitely 191 00:16:52,519 --> 00:16:57,960 off. Asher got to the top and went to carve the names, but 192 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:03,519 I lost sight of him. Yo is everything okay, man, Jeff asked 193 00:17:03,559 --> 00:17:10,880 me. Yeah, yeah, I'm good, I replied back. My eyes 194 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:15,440 were dead focused on the treehouse, and I could feel Jacob and Trevor looking 195 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,680 at me for a few more moments before turning their gazes back to the treehouse. 196 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,200 I was imagining Asher struggling to even leave a mark in the tree with 197 00:17:25,319 --> 00:17:29,920 his little noodle arms. Usually, I thought like that would make me laugh 198 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:34,680 internally, but I only felt sad, the type of sadness when you see 199 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:41,000 someone who hasn't had a good life or is struggling physically spill their drink everywhere, 200 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,119 or trip on a treadmill at the gym. As silly as that is, 201 00:17:45,559 --> 00:17:51,119 I shook the thought off and looked back up at the treehouse. We 202 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,839 waited for a few minutes with no call outs from Asher. Do you need 203 00:17:55,880 --> 00:18:00,240 help up there, Jacob called out. Jacob and Trevor chuckled, waiting for 204 00:18:00,319 --> 00:18:07,319 a response. A few seconds went by, only to be greeted with nothing. 205 00:18:08,559 --> 00:18:15,039 Asher. I called out, we were all waiting for a response, 206 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,880 but nothing came. I wanted to assume that he was dead focused on carving 207 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:26,000 those initials, but after we called out some more, we still got no 208 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:32,759 response. Asher, stop messing around, man, Trevor yelled out. I 209 00:18:32,799 --> 00:18:37,079 then grabbed a hold of the ladder, making my way up, anticipating Asher 210 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,079 jumping out at me at the entrance. As I made my way up, 211 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:45,799 I could have sworn I saw movement underneath the bark, like there was something 212 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:51,759 trying to escape from it. It reminded me of when a snake swallows a 213 00:18:51,839 --> 00:18:56,319 rat or something of that size, when you see that lump moving down its 214 00:18:56,359 --> 00:19:03,119 throat. However, I saw it for about a second, so I assumed 215 00:19:03,279 --> 00:19:07,920 that it was the tree swaying in the wind or something like that. I 216 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:15,799 got to the top and looked around but saw nothing Asher, I said aloud, 217 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:22,480 assuming he was behind the other side of the tree. I crawled inside, 218 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:27,240 and the now stronger smell of vomit and bile assaulted my nostrils, causing 219 00:19:27,279 --> 00:19:33,480 me to tear up. I crawled all the way around, but he was 220 00:19:33,519 --> 00:19:41,160 nowhere to be seen. My stomach dropped. Where could he have gone? 221 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,519 I looked at the floor and saw the army knife lying there in a puddle 222 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:52,240 of what looked like greasy yellow slime. I took a good look at it, 223 00:19:52,839 --> 00:19:57,319 and then turned my attention towards the tree. The same mark I saw 224 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:03,480 before had slim dripped down from the tight crevice, with a new small mark 225 00:20:03,519 --> 00:20:07,400 above it, looking like a little scab. The sight reminded me of the 226 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:14,400 close mouth of a toothless old person, saliva running down their lips. You 227 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:21,079 look like ashes started carving, but didn't finish. I just sat there, 228 00:20:21,599 --> 00:20:26,119 trying to process what I was looking at. Jacob and Trevor were calling out 229 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:30,519 to me, but he didn't register with me. A thousand thoughts raced through 230 00:20:30,559 --> 00:20:37,839 my head. I wanted to throw up. It was at that moment and 231 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,960 the screams of Jacob and Trevor yelling out for me to come down finally got 232 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,319 through to me. I nearly fell all the way down as I quickly hurried 233 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:49,920 down the ladder. As soon as I reached the bottom, I saw why 234 00:20:49,960 --> 00:21:00,559 they were screaming for me. The tree was breathing. It wasn't the wind, 235 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:07,440 it wasn't an illusion. It was literally breathing, letting out a soft, 236 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:14,599 deep gurgled groan with every breath. I couldn't believe it. It felt 237 00:21:14,599 --> 00:21:18,880 like a dream, but it was real, as real as you and me. 238 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:25,039 The tree house was alive, and it had made a meal of my 239 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:30,880 baby brother. The strange movement I saw when climbing up the tree was Ash's 240 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:37,559 silhouette trying to kick and escape from its throat as it swallowed him. The 241 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:45,599 thought made me shaken fear uncontrollably. I thought I would pass out driven Jacob 242 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,599 ran for it, but I sat there for a few more seconds, with 243 00:21:49,759 --> 00:21:57,079 my thoughts racing. I could only imagine the fear Asher had been experiencing at 244 00:21:57,079 --> 00:22:03,000 that moment, screaming out in terror, calling out for someone to save him, 245 00:22:03,319 --> 00:22:07,400 his cries unable to be heard, not being able to escape his claustrophobic 246 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:12,640 fate, being digested alive with no one to help him. Knowing that Mom 247 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:18,960 and Dad didn't know where he was. He had gone up there, excited, 248 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:25,400 thinking that he was finally part of the friend group. Instead, he 249 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:30,559 had been eaten alive by a treehouse, or at least something pretending to be 250 00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:37,160 a treehouse. The bark of the tree was squirming, like there was muscle 251 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:41,720 twitching and contracting underneath it. The branches started moving in an alien like way, 252 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:48,359 something I'm unable to describe further than that, the sounds of a deep, 253 00:22:48,839 --> 00:22:52,519 monstrous, wet, gurgling noise echoed through the forest. As I followed 254 00:22:52,559 --> 00:22:56,839 behind Jacob and Trevor. He made it back to the quarry, where we 255 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:00,839 hopped on our bikes and rode to the nearest police station, about five miles 256 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:10,359 away. What happened after that was a blur. I don't remember much, 257 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,960 but what I do remember is that we told the cops that my brother got 258 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,920 eaten by something through incoherent cries. We came back to the spot with the 259 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:26,920 police, but the treehouse was now gone, not without leaving a giant crater 260 00:23:26,039 --> 00:23:33,039 in the ground. Although they were presented with a strange hole that didn't explain 261 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:37,319 why my brother was missing. We were taken to the police station for questioning. 262 00:23:37,759 --> 00:23:45,640 We were separated into different rooms to explain ourselves. The police was stumped. 263 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:52,000 All three of us stories matched up perfectly with each other, so we 264 00:23:52,000 --> 00:24:00,200 were either great at lying or we did in fact witnessed something supernatural. A 265 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,759 call to my parents explaining the situation, and they rushed over as fast as 266 00:24:03,759 --> 00:24:11,920 they could. My mom and dad were heartbroken. They never believed my story, 267 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:18,480 though they rarely went on trips again, and if they did, they 268 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:22,440 brought me along. I'm pretty sure Mom and Dad think I did something to 269 00:24:22,519 --> 00:24:32,319 him, and I don't blame them. Asher remains missing to this day. 270 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:37,000 I feel so stupid. It's my fault. I didn't stop him. I 271 00:24:37,039 --> 00:24:41,720 want to blame Jacob for giving him that stupid army knife. But deep down, 272 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:48,279 I'm still drenched with the guilt of thinking that I could have prevented everything 273 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:55,000 all by not having him enter the door. Maybe then Jacob or Trevor would 274 00:24:55,000 --> 00:25:00,319 be missing, perhaps both, but at least my brother would still He'll be 275 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:07,640 here. As selfish as that sounds. Seventeen years later, I have a 276 00:25:07,759 --> 00:25:14,799 child of my own turning nine next week, and a beautiful wife. I 277 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,079 rarely speak to my parents, or any of my family for that matter. 278 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:22,759 These events still linger in the back of my mind like a parasite, something 279 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:29,400 I'll never be able to forget. I live about seven hours away from where 280 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:34,160 my childhood home was. Since my wife didn't feel comfortable leaving a hometown, 281 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:41,160 I've decided to write all of this down the best I could remember, because 282 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:47,640 when I got up this morning to complete my daily ritual of making my coffee 283 00:25:47,799 --> 00:25:53,039 to stare out the backyard window, I saw something that took me back in 284 00:25:53,160 --> 00:26:00,559 time. Far out in the true line, past the family of deer eating 285 00:26:00,599 --> 00:26:10,480 the grass, stood something unnatural that did not belong there, the same treehouse 286 00:26:11,519 --> 00:26:22,200 from all those years ago.