I went camping for two nights at a small site up in the mountains, next to a slow-moving stream. The water ran clear over stones, and deer wandered through the area occasionally, which is normal in Hokkaido. The air smelled damp and earthy, with a faint hint of pine.
I rode up on my side-car. The road was quiet, and the forest on either side felt still, but the ride itself was normal.
The first night was uneventful. I heard only the stream, the occasional rustle of leaves, and a few distant birds.
The second night was different. I woke sometime after midnight because the forest felt unusually still. The stream was quieter, and then I heard voices.
At first, they were faint, blending with the water. But it was clear they were human voices, not animal sounds. One voice, soft and high-pitched, sounded like a woman speaking in short, broken phrases. It drifted slowly through the area, fading in and out. I stayed still and listened. After a few minutes, the voices faded completely, leaving only the stream.
When I was leaving the next morning, I mentioned it to the caretaker. He didn't look surprised. He said quietly that people sometimes hear things in that part of the mountain, and that in the past, a few people have gone missing there. He didn't give any details, and I didn't ask.
I don't know what I heard that night. Maybe it was someone lost, maybe it was just the way sound carries in the forest. But the voices by the stream have stayed with me. What do you think those voices are? Are they victims or some sort of night creatures?
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