I Found A Tape I Don't Remember Recording

What follows are the transcribed contents of a video tape that I, Silas Smith, found in my attic on November 1st, 2017.

I am thirty-six years old and I live in Illinois. I have lived in the same house with various roommates since 2003. This is not the first time I've cleaned out my attic, though it has probably been several years. I do not know when the tape was placed there.

I have tried to salvage the visual parts of the recording. I have even taken it to a few professionals, but thus far, it seems like the only thing that remains is the audio. There are parts where the tape fizzles out to static and on occasion the speech simply becomes unintelligible.

It is my voice on the tape, though I have no recollection of recording it or saying the things I do. There is also a second voice. It is masculine and unfamiliar. Carl, is what I refer to him as in the recording.

Nobody in my family or friend group knows a man named Carl.

Despite my desire to edit for clarity, I have left my sentences in the disjointed state I spoke them.

I do not have any answers for you as to what this all means. I have no idea when it was recorded.

All I can say for certain is that I am deeply afraid.

***

SILAS: OK. I think it has been about two days. We're pretty far out here now. The weather has been decent at least. We're probably still a long hike from the peak. So far, we haven't seen much interesting. You've seen one tree, you've seen them all.

CARL: What about that deer?

S: I mean, yeah, it was gross. But I'm not sure I'd call it interesting.

C: That's because you wouldn't fuckin' look at it.

S: Sorry I'm not obsessed with death? The smell alone was gonna make me puke, dude.

C: Its legs, though. They were like... they were just wrong. They all bent in the wrong direction.

S: They were probably broken or something.

C: Yeah... I guess... but also, how long do you think that had been sitting around? That's not normal. An animal dies in the woods, other animals eat it.

S: I don't know what to tell you. Do you want to turn around or something?

C: Fuck no. I'm just saying, shit is weird out here. Don't try to tell me it isn't.

S: The Blair Witch killed that deer, huh, buddy? She cursed it?

C: Fuck you.

S: [makes the Jason Voorhees chhh aahhh sound]

C: This is why everyone hates skeptics.

S: Aw, c'mon. I'm out here with you, aren't I? I'm only a skeptic until I see some convincing proof.

C: You're here to make fun of me, because you're an asshole.

S: Tomato... tomaaahhhto...

***

[Static]

***

[Rain falling against a tarp]

S: Day three and the sky has opened up to take a piss on us. In other news, Carl woke up screaming like a little bitch because of a nightmare.

C: It wasn't a nightmare. I saw something.

S: Then why didn't you pick up the camera and record it?

C: I... I tried. It wouldn't let me.

S: How terribly convenient.

S: Day four and we are still in a never ending labyrinth of trees. I feel like by the end of this, just the smell of pine is going to be physically exhausting... wanna say hi to the camera, buddy? ... Caaarrrll ....

C: Look.

S: What... what the fuck?

C: Crows. They're circling the peak.

S: Well. That's not creepy. What's it mean?

C: I don't know.

S: Really? Carl the great dream interpreter who never shuts up about mystic symbolism has no idea what crows circling a mountain top means?

C: It means we're getting closer.

S: To what?

C: That's what I don't know.

***

[Static]

***

S: We woke up closer to the mountain. I–I don't know how to explain it. We're in the same place we went to sleep. The rocks, the trees, the tent, they're all in the same place. But we're closer to the mountain. A lot closer. Like. At the base of it. Like the ground just twenty feet out is starting to slope upwards.

C: It's pulling us in.

S: Don't say shit like that man. I'm already freaked out. Kudos to you. I'm tripping about the situation. I legit don't understand what's going on. Don't. Say. Creepy. Shit.

C: This is where the others disappeared. Amy [static], Joel [static], Marnie [static]. This is where they go missing.

S: You can't possibly know that. For all you know those people were random hikers that got eaten by a mountain lion.

C: They got eaten by the mountain.

S: I swear to god, dude. I will turn around and leave your ass here.

C: I don't think it will let you walk away. I'm pretty sure the only way is up.

S: The fuck are you talking about?

C: I'll wait for you... if you want to try to walk away.

S: Fuck you! I’m out of here.

***

[Static]

***

[Vague mumbling sounds]

***

S: I... I got turned around. I came back to look for Carl and he's gone. Our tent is here. All his stuff is here. It's like... it's all in a neat pile by his rolled up sleeping bag. I guess tomorrow I'll walk around the base of the mountain? God that's fucking crazy. How long would that even take? I'll wait here. I guess. Fuck. God fucking damn it, Carl.

***

S: There is some sort of light on the top of the mountain. I can see it. It's... I don't know what color it is. I've never seen that color. There isn't a word for that color. It's getting brighter the longer I look at it and I feel sick.

***

S: I found one of Carl's boots today. It was sticking out of the ground. Halfway buried.

***

S: We brought food for two people and it's just me now, so I should be OK for a while. I think. There's a stream nearby. I've been boiling the water and adding iodine tablets before drinking it. It's made me feel a little better about things. If I just stay here, I will be OK. Walking away would be stupid. People know where we went. I’m just going to wait for someone to find me.

***

S: The light is back. It didn't go away when the sun rose. At least I don't feel nauseous anymore.

***

S: It snowed last night, but not much of it stuck. I have a coat. And the light makes me feel... warmer. It's like a crackling fire in the hearth. It's just like grandmother's house. Isn't it beautiful? I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

***

[Static]

***

S: walking up the ... [static] ... I think It will be nice up there (mumbling) ... I just wish I wasn't so hungry. Maybe the light will give me something to eat.

***

S: I saw Carl's hand today. It was nestled in a rocky crevasse so gently. I wanted to pick it up and bring it with me, but I think it was sleeping. I didn't want to disturb it.

***

[Screaming]

***

S: The light has been singing the most beautiful songs to me. I'm halfway up. When I get there, I will finally be able to sleep. It feels so good to be in love.

***

S: Carl's head [static] the top of a tree. He yelled down at me. Told me how nice the weather is up there. He said the light is excited to see me. Excited to hold me. I'm so hot all over. I don't feel hungry anymore.

***

S: Tomorrow I will reach the top. So many people spend their life doing pointless things, never knowing what love and purpose really feel like. I feel sad for them. But not too sad. The light doesn't let me feel bad things anymore.

***

[Static]

***

UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER: Hey! Hey, I said put your hands where I can see them, asshole. I've got a shotgun and I ain't afraid to use it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER 2: Is that a camera?

S: I saw god. God ate me. Now we are one.

SPEAKER: Holy hell.

SPEAKER 2: Listen, fella. Why don't you just sit down and take a deep breath. We'll call the rangers and they can get you to a hospital or something. How'd you even get all the way out here?

S: God is light [laughter] don't you see it?

SPEAKER: Sit the fuck down, son. [Gun cocks] I will shoot you right between the eyes.

SPEAKER 2: Hello? Yeah there's uh... there's some kind of lunatic out here. We found him on [static] ridge. Send help. Hurry.

S: [laughter]

***

[Static]