When this man purchased a property that spanned over sixteen hectares, he discovered an abandoned mine on the land buried deep in the woods. Against his better judgment, he decided to explore...
New Land Owner
Most people dream of settling down one day, but Christopher Wanliss got more than he bargained for with his purchase. Curious as to what he might find, Christopher set out to explore all sixteen-and-a-half hectares of woodlands that made up his new property. He had no idea what was waiting for him deep in the forest.
Something in the Woods
It wasn't long before Christopher's isolated paradise became his worst nightmare. Christopher was warned by both his realtor and a police officer that he might discover something unbelievable on his property. Despite this, Christopher ventured out into the woodlands, not knowing that his life was about to be turned upside-down...
He Was A Loner
Christopher had been a loner his entire life. Solitude was nothing new to him, and he had no problem with the idea of total isolation. However, Christopher's realtor seemed uneasy as she led him around the property, and he couldn't quite understand why.
Mysterious Circumstances
The realtor warned him that the previous owner had mysteriously disappeared in the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Christopher was skeptical of the story and checked with local police to determine whether the realtor was telling the truth. Unfortunately, the police confirmed that the man who once owned Christopher's new property had vanished without a trace.
Settling In
It didn't take long for Christopher to move all of his belongings into the small house on the property. With nothing left to do, Christopher decided that it was time to observe the land in all of its glory. He set out in good spirits while the sun was still high in the sky.
What Did He Find?
As Christopher wandered, the sun sank lower in the sky. Hours had passed since he first left his house. Christopher knew that he should turn around soon. Still, he couldn't help but feel drawn to the woods, as though something out there was waiting for him...
The Cave
The woods were eerie but beautiful. Christopher was grateful to be surrounded by nature. He continued to explore until the landscape was bathed in the dim light of the late afternoon. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. A narrow opening stood before him, nestled deep in the hillside.
Strange Discovery
Christopher was mystified. No one had mentioned the existence of a cave or mine on his property, which seemed like a rather large feature to disregard when describing the land. His heart pounded as he stepped into the darkness...
Where Was He?
Christopher entered the mine, but it was so dark that he couldn't see in front of him. Before he knew what was happening, Christopher tripped on a jagged rock and went flying. He stood up, dusted himself off, and took out a flashlight to get a better look at his surroundings.
Strange Walls
The first thing Christopher noticed was the walls of the mine, which appeared to be sparkling in the light. He had never seen anything with such a strange texture. Christopher didn't want to stay in one place for too long—who knew when the batteries in his flashlight would run out? He kept moving...
Damp and Cold
The temperature outside hadn't fallen by much as Christopher traveled further into the forest, but here in the mine, he was freezing. With every step, his feet sunk into the soil another inch. He saw that puddles of water had collected, which was a good sign. Stagnant pools of water in abandoned mines could release dangerous gases when disturbed.
Bad Energy
Christopher continued into the depths of the mine. He began to feel uneasy as if someone was watching him. "The ambient temperature also seemed to suddenly drop all around me at this point, and I felt an even stronger negative presence ahead in the tunnel," he recalled later.
Total Silence
As Christopher kept walking through the darkness, the sounds of the cave seemed to peter out before stopping altogether. Suddenly, Christopher was plunged into silence. It was as if someone had muted his surroundings. All he could hear was the steady pounding of his heart.
Something Was There
Then, without warning, Christopher heard the sound of metal scraping against rock. He shined his flashlight ahead of him. Metal chains hung from the ceiling, dancing from side to side. Christopher was so scared that it took him a moment to realize—there was no wind this far in the tunnel. Without another word, Christopher bolted in the opposite direction.
Escaping the Mine
Christopher sprinted toward the entrance of the mine as fast as his legs could carry him. The silence was deafening; his ears had begun to ring, so piercing that Christopher thought his head was about to split in two. Finally, he saw the forest up ahead.
Home Safe
By the time Christopher left the mine, he could hardly catch his breath. He doubled over, panting, hands on his thighs, attempting to regain composure. Finally, his knees still threatening to buckle, Christopher booked it back home... but he knew something wasn't right.
He Couldn't Shake It
Days had gone by since the incident in the mine, and Christopher did his best to forget about the bizarre experience, but it was no use. The sound of metal chains plagued his dreams, and he began to wake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, ears ringing. Christopher felt drawn to the mine. He couldn't explain why, but he knew that he had to return.
Going Back
Christopher could hardly sleep or eat. Finally, at the end of the week, he decided that enough was enough. Armed with a knife, compass, flashlight, and extra batteries, Christopher set out in the early morning, ready to uncover the mystery of the mine on his property.
Back to the Mine
Christopher spent hours wandering the forest in search of the mine. He had left in such a rush that he'd hardly paid attention to his environment. The sun began to lower in the sky, and Christopher checked his watch, disheartened, to find that it was nearing the middle of the afternoon. Was his imagination playing tricks on him?
There It Was
By now, Christopher was tired, hungry, and frustrated. He thought about turning around and attempting to search more tomorrow when the light was still bright. It was then that Christopher felt a strange pull; he whirled around, expecting to see someone behind him, but instead, he found himself face-to-face with the mine. It seemed to have appeared out of thin air.
Looking for Something
Christopher swallowed. He steeled himself, trying to calm his nerves. It's just a cave, he thought. Nothing in there can hurt you. Christopher flipped on his flashlight and entered the mine. Despite the feeling that he was supposed to be here, Christopher had no idea what it was that he was meant to be looking for. First, he knew that he had to make it beyond the metal chains...
The Chains
As Christopher wound through the mine, his feet squelching in the wet dirt, he began to hum to himself, afraid that the silence would descend upon him once again. His head began to throb. Finally, he heard the familiar rustling of metal chains.
The Secret Door
Christopher bowed his head and continued forth, determined to keep going. The air seemed to be thinner; he gasped for breath, leaning against a wall to steady himself. That's when he felt cold metal beneath his hand. He shined the flashlight on the wall, lungs burning, and felt his heart leap in his chest. There was a door!
Writing on the Wall
Christopher turned the handle and the door swung open. He stumbled inside a strange room, swiveling his flashlight in every direction. That's when he noticed a word carved into the wall. It read: FOREVER. Chills ran down Christopher's spine...
Did Someone Live Here?
Next, Christopher saw something even stranger—the decaying remains of a bed frame and mattress in the corner. He wondered if somebody had taken shelter here. Then, he recalled what the realtor had told him: the previous owner of Christopher's land had disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. With shaking hands, Christopher shined the flashlight around the rest of the room...
Remains
There were bones on the ground in the opposite corner. Christopher backed away slowly, beginning to hyperventilate. His eyes had to be deceiving him... but somehow he knew that the remains belonged to the man who lived here prior to Christopher. The walls felt like they were closing in...
He Needed to Tell Someone
Christopher had never run so fast in his life. He burst out of the cave into daylight with the worst migraine he'd ever had. Christopher fell to the ground, cradling his head in his hands. He needed to call the police, but he had no service out in the middle of the woods. With all the strength he had left, Christopher pried himself off the forest floor and returned home, where he dialed 911.
Police Arrive
It wasn't long before the police showed up at Christopher's house. He explained the situation as best as he could, given how badly his head was hurting, but they were skeptical of his claims. One of the officers explained to him that they had swept the woods after the previous owner's disappearance and never found a body, much less an abandoned mine. Still, Christopher begged them to investigate.
Back to the Mine
Christopher led the officers in the direction of the mine, but once again, it was as if the mine had vanished from the face of the earth. He pleaded with them to stay, but the officers weren't happy, saying that Christopher had wasted their time. Then, Christopher felt the same pull as he had earlier that day. He pointed behind them at a vast, dark hole in the hillside, which he was almost certain hadn't been there before that moment.
Checking It Out
The officers seemed just as surprised as Christopher, but none of them said a word. They ordered Christopher to wait there as they went inside to investigate. Christopher let them know that the door was in the same area as the metal chains. Visibly doubtful, the team of police entered the mine, leaving Christopher to nurse his headache in the woods, alone once again.
They Had to Find Something
Christopher couldn't tell whether minutes or hours had passed since the police went into the mine, but it had grown dark, and he'd begun to shiver. Finally, he saw the beacon of their flashlights against the trees. The officers exited the mine in a row, all looking worse for wear; one was clutching her head.
Toxic Mine
To Christopher's dismay, the police had found the metal chains, but there was no door, and most certainly no dead body. According to the police, Christopher had hallucinated his experience as a result of the noxious gases inside of the mine, which had been undisturbed for years. They warned him to stay away from the mine and seek medical attention immediately.
Gone for Good
Christopher returned home and made a doctor's appointment, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the police had missed something. Had he really imagined it all? Christopher called his realtor and told her to put the property up for sale. He couldn't stay there a moment longer. If he did, he might end up like the previous owner—gone for good, or worse. Still, even as he began to pack his belongings back into their boxes, he felt the call of the mine, begging him to return.