"The Woods Fought Back":
At 22, the narrator and his friend Mark were backpacking in Yellowstone National Park when a prank on a strict park ranger, Ranger Tom, went horribly wrong. They decided to steal and hide the ranger’s radio, hoping for a harmless laugh. However, the prank took a dark turn when an ominous figure appeared in the woods—a tall, gaunt man with a chilling presence.
As they searched for Ranger Tom, they discovered his flashlight abandoned, his hat left in a clearing, and signs of a struggle. The mysterious figure confronted them, warning them to leave. Terrified, they fled to the ranger station, where they learned the horrifying truth: the figure was an escaped fugitive, wanted for violent crimes. Ranger Tom had been tracking him but went missing during the night.
Thankfully, the ranger was found alive the next morning, though shaken. The incident left a lasting impression on the narrator, teaching him to respect nature, the people who protect it, and the dangers lurking in the wild. The narrator vowed never to prank anyone again.
"The Night Hiker's Woods":
A harmless prank at Deer Creek Park turns into a terrifying ordeal for three friends—Jake, Mandy, and the narrator. Hoping to scare the strict park ranger, they sneak into the park after hours and set up a dummy to startle him. However, their plan takes a dark turn when Ranger Jim catches them and reveals the chilling story of Robert "Hank" Harrison, a former ranger-turned-serial killer known as the "Night Hiker." Recently escaped from prison, Hank was last seen near the park.
As the group begins to grasp the gravity of the situation, strange noises in the woods confirm they’re not alone. Under Ranger Jim's guidance, they flee for their lives, pursued by an unseen presence. Though they make it out safely, the experience leaves them shaken and haunted by the possibility that Hank is still lurking in the woods, waiting for his next victim.
"The Prank Went Too Far":
Two friends, Ben and Chris, decide to prank a strict park ranger named Dale by making a fake distress call while hiking in Black Hollow State Park. The prank quickly spirals out of control when Dale, known for taking his job seriously, responds to the call. Instead of finding humor in their joke, Dale becomes enraged and physically confronts Chris, even pulling a knife in his anger. Ben manages to intervene, and the two friends escape unharmed but shaken. The terrifying encounter leaves them scarred, teaching them the hard way that some people and places are not to be trifled with.