Panther Ave.
Everyone I know says that it doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t, then how did I drive down it and see what I saw?
I got my first job as an Ulta cashier back in 2014 as a 16-year-old girl, and so did my best friend Melanie. I graduated high school in 2016, went to cosmetology school for 2 years, and became a certified makeup artist at Ulta at just 20 years old. Back in 2021, I met a new employee named Shaylee. She was really nice, and by the time she had been working for about 6 months, we had become really good friends.
Me, Shaylee, and Melanie were all gonna have a New Year’s party at Shaylee’s house in Sierra Springs. Shaylee’s actually pretty wealthy. She permanently lives in a nice, three-story house, but she has a smaller house where she hosts events and parties, like this.
She texted me the address, and I had to use Google Maps because I had never been in that area of town. Google Maps started acting very strange. It had me drive really far down Seascape Drive, then told me to turn around and drive the opposite direction on Seascape. Lastly, it told me to turn onto a sketchy-looking road called Panther Avenue, and I didn’t think anything of it because a lot of the time you have to turn onto short, empty roads like this to get to neighborhoods.
After I had been driving down that street for almost 10 minutes, Google said that I had reached my destination. I was confused because there was not a house anywhere in sight, and later discovered that Shaylee’s house was right next to where Google told me to turn in the opposite direction.
I tried to ask Google for directions to her house again, but my entire car randomly turned off, so I picked up my phone to call Shaylee and I realized that I had no cell service. I was very nervous and started panicking. I was about to start my car to get off the road, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw a black, panther-like creature standing on two legs. It had giant, sharp claws. Its legs were extremely long and its back was arched unnaturally. It scurried close to my car frantically and then vanished into thin air. I was freaked out and honestly just really confused…
I attempted to start my car, but nothing happened. I had no other option but to get out and check the engine, even though that creature was probably still out there somewhere. I got out and looked to see if anything was wrong. Everything looked fine, so I tried to start the car again. It miraculously turned on, and I sped down Panther Street. I was going at least 8 miles above the speed limit, but all I wanted was to GET OFF that sketchy street. I was able to make my way onto Seascape Drive, and I just used the street signs to find my way to Shaylee’s house. I’d rather drive blindfolded to her house than try to use Google Maps again.
“Sarina, what happened? Where did you go?” Shaylee said, worried.
“I have no idea. I was using Google Maps to get to your house, and it turn me to turn around on Seascape and took me to some sketchy street with no wifi signal. Then this weird animal rushed up to my car, and I tried to turn it on to leave, but it wouldn’t start!”
“Then how did you get here?” Melanie said.
“Well obviously I got my car to work,” I rolled my eyes.
“Wait, what was the road called?” Shaylee asked.
“Panther Avenue.”
“And it was off Seascape drive?” Melanie followed up.
Get Lilly’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
“Yes.” I confirmed.
“I don’t think there’s a street that’s parallel to Cougar Chase with that name,” Shaylee said.
“I literally saw a street sign!” I argued.
“Here, let me ask ChatGPT.”
“It says it’s not an official street.” Melanie said.
“Then how did I drive down it?” I replied, annoyed and confused.
“Maybe the street you drove down was real but you read the sign wrong, I don’t know!” Shaylee said.
“It’s 5:15, and the party starts at 8 pm. If we finish putting up the decorations and getting ready before then, will you let me show you the road?” I asked them.
“You know what? Deal.”
We finished prepping everything with about 30 minutes to spare.
“It’s 7:24. We got time, so get in the car. I’m showing you the road.”
“Sarina, why are you so shaken up about this?” Melanie questioned.
“I don’t know, what happened was just really weird and it’s upsetting that no one believes me.” I sighed.
“I guess you’re right, we’re your best friends, so we should believe you.” Shaylee said as she buckled herself.
“Okay, I still gotta show you though, because it was weird.”
We stopped on the side of the road right were the street was. I got up and walked them over there. There was grass; just grass and some trees. But right before I left, I saw a scratched up green sign sitting in the grass. I picked it up and it was kind of hard to read, but under the scratches it said in big white letters, “Panther Ave.”
