Encounter Part 4

After my encounter with the big hairy man on the railroad, I was reluctant to venture out again far from home. After a few days I had made my mind up that he meant me no harm. So, I decided to go looking for him. Me and my buddy had a camping trip planned that week so I figured that would be a good time to look. We were supposed to meet up at the trussell that Saturday and go on up the mountain from there. From the trussell it was a good 3 hour hike up to the spot we were going to camp. We had camped there a few times before.

Well, there I was, sitting on the rail throwing rocks at an old soup can when my buddy came along. He told me he couldn't go on account of his granny had died and they were going down to Knoxville for a few days for the funeral. I hated to hear that about his granny, but I sure hated that we weren't going camping either. After he left, I just sat there awhile ponderin on what to do. I figured ma and pap knew where I'd be and they were ok with it anyway, it didn't matter that my buddy wasn't going to be with me. I'd just go by myself.

So, I headed on up the mountain. I had everything I would need so I wasn't worried. Besides, Hobo was with me. He wasn't very big but by his attitude, you would think he was as big as Uncle Walters blood hound.

The hike up was purdy quick except for the stop at the raspberry patch. It made for a good snack. Even got enough for later. Just as I made to the campsite it came a little shower of rain. It was just enough to cool the air. Well, I commenced to set up camp. Got my tent set up and gathered some wood for a far. I grabbed my fishin pole and walked down to the lake. After a little while, I returned with a few bluegills for supper. Now I'll tell ya, that was some good eatin. Even Hobo seemed content with his meal.

It was getting about dusk I guess when I heard a panther squall out. I guess he smelt the fish I'd broiled over the far. Well, ol Hobo lost all his bravery all at once. He jumped up in my lap like I had bacon and taters in my pocket.

Like I had mentioned before, we heard panthers all the time so I didn't pay them much mind. I knew hit wouldn't come down by the far.

Ol Hobo was shakin so bad, I figured, I'd go on to bed. I got up and made my wat to the tent. I bent down to open it up and when I did, ol Hobo made a dive inside quicker than a jackrabbit chased by a hound dog. As I settled down into my sleepin bag, he was still sitting with his ears all layed back looking sheepish. Seemed he was just a waitin for something to grab em. After a good laugh I went off to sleep.

Now it seemed like I had just closed my eyes when I heard the awfulest commotion going on. Between Hobo barking and growling and the sound of thrashing and squalling up in the woods, I wasn't sure what was going on. It sounded like something had a cat by the tail. I grabbed my 12 gauge and light and just waited. All the sudden it got deathly quiet. Not a sound you could hear except my breathing and the rattle of the flashlight shaking in my hand. Now I'm not gonna lie. I was a skeered and I was gonna blow a hole in anything that tried to come into that tent.

After a few minutes of quietness, I heard some twigs and leaves snapping. It was getting closer and closer. Me and Hobo was getting more nervous by the second. You could still see a little light of the fire through the thin tent wall. I knew something was out there but didn't know what. My mind raced with images of what I thought it might be. Was it a deer? Maybe an elk? By the scream more likely a panther. And maybe, it was a bear? Or was it something worse? It walked closer to the tent. I laid the hammer back on my shotgun and raised the barrel toward the sound. A very large shadow quickly passed in front of the fire. As I watched the flickering light it quickly went out with the sound of something hitting the ground. The sudden sound made me jump, causing the gun to fire. I froze with shock. My heart pounded like the sound of the hooves from a team of runaway horses that had been skeered by a haint. Hobo had suddenly found his spunk and bolted through the hole that my shotgun created. I hollered for him as I fiddled with my light trying to turn it on. I gasped as I dropped it. Panicking I felt for it. The light of the moon wasn't very much help with the thick roof of the tent. Feeling the flashlight, I quickly fumbled to turn it on. As the light came on it was shinning in my face. Shaking so bad I bought dropped it again, but I managed to get it turned around toward the door. As soon as the light passed the hole in the tent something hairy moved outside. Hesitating to open the door my hand shook as I reached for the zipper. Gathering my nerves, I quickly unzipped the tent. Grabbing my now, reloaded gun, I eased out of the tent. Shinning my light around, Hobo set quietly looking up the hill through the trees. I looked down at the fire pit. Dirt and rocks scattered around where my fire was. A flame less fire smoldered and smoked. I looked back up, shining my light up where Hobo was looking. There it was! Looking from behind a tree. Its dark eyes looked at me. I quickly lowered my light. With the moonlight peeking through the trees, I could see a silhouette of a large manlike figure. I could see hair on its shoulders. Chill bumps rose up on my neck and arms. At first, it was frightful. Still shaking I turned my light back on and raised it up toward the creature that was before me. As my light crossed his face, a calmness came over me. I was bewildered. I stopped shaking almost immediately. I saw kindness in its face. Hobo just laid down next to the smoldering fire. The creature looked down at my gun with a concerned look, jolting my memory. Didn't want that thing goin off again so I slowly squatted down, laying the gun on the ground and then rose back up, never taking my eyes off him. He stepped out from behind the tree. He was magnificent looking. Broad at the shoulders with a muscular build. He had long arms reaching well below his waist almost midway to his knees. He was the same one I had saw on the tracks but this time, I took the time to really look at him. I was in awe. I remember thinking, I must be dreaming. This can't be real. -To be continued.

Stay tuned for part 5. Until then, Zeb out.

Sasquatch in the night.