Terrorized by Bigfoot is a story I thought would be worth sharing. Enjoy!
I want to tell you about an encounter that I had one night when I was out camping in the forest. It was one of the most frightening nights of my life. And my dog, Pepper. I can’t tell the story without choking up.
Pepper had just turned 10. She’s a black and white border collie. Her bark can be quite loud and persistent if she is trying to tell me something. Most Border Collies bark when they perceive a threat, and Pepper barked when she wanted to play or when she was happy to see me.
It had been a busy week and I just wanted to get away, so I took my dog, Pepper with me and we drove up into the mountains to camp for a long weekend. My wife wanted to visit with her sorority friends and the children have all grown up and moved away.
This time I just needed to get away and spend some time with myself and my old friend, Pepper. What a great dog.
Anyway, I’ve been camping at the same spot for years. It’s isolated and lush green. There’s a river nearby and I always pretend that I go there to fish. But I rarely do. Another beautiful thing about the site is it’s only about a hundred yards from where I parked the car. I wouldn’t have to drag my gear very far.
I cooked up a dinner of black-eyed peas and spam. I don’t know why, but that is my favorite meal when I go camping. I know it isn’t filet mignon, but it sure does taste good when I’m camping.
I cleaned up the campsite and decided to turn in.
That was about 11:00 pm.
The moon was far from full but there was enough light to see the woods. Over the tops of the trees, the stars shone brightly.
The fire was almost burned out. Laying near, I was dozing off when Pepper growled. It was a low-guttural growl that came from deep down. I had never heard that sound from her before.
My wife, Kim told me that one time a stranger came to the door and Pepper made a strange growl. That must have been the one because the stranger heard her and was afraid. Kim told me the guy made no sense and excused himself. Maybe he was up to no good, but who knows?
Anyway, Pepper’s growl scared me awake. In the dim light, I could see she was trying to warn me. “What is it, girl?” I asked.
And then I heard something in the distance. It sounded like someone was walking through the brush. It sounded like steps but the length between them was longer than a human, and the impact of the feet hitting the ground was almost earth-shaking.
I have a gun but I felt so safe at this campsite, that I left it in the car and it’s too far away to get.
I was getting scared as the sound comes closer and closer.
There is a terrifying growl and hiss.
Pepper barks and is afraid. I thought to myself, What? Border Collies are not supposed to be afraid.”
The creature comes close enough that I could hear its breath.
Pepper runs away. Was she terrorized by Bigfoot?
I was shocked. She would never desert me.
Then the sound goes away but I am still frozen with fear.
Then I hear it in the distance, Pepper barking ferociously and a creature roaring. Then I heard the painful death cries of my protector. I knew what happened. I was heartbroken.
Then it is quiet. Real quiet. No crickets, no frogs, no nothing.
There I was, alone in the forest, with only the echoes of Pepper’s cries haunting me. I sat there, paralyzed with fear and disbelief. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath was shallow and rapid. I didn’t know what to do or where to go.
I sat there in stunned silence, tears streaming down my face. My loyal companion was gone, and I was left alone in the woods with a monster lurking somewhere out there. I didn’t know what to do. My mind was racing with fear and sadness, and Terrorized by Bigfoot, I couldn’t think clearly.
The fire had burned out completely, and I was left in darkness with only the dim light of the rising sun. I didn’t dare move, afraid that the creature might still be nearby. But I knew I couldn’t stay there forever. I had to do something.
As the sun began to rise, I slowly got up, my heart pounding in my chest. I gathered my things and started back to my car.
I felt like I was walking on eggshells, trying to make as little noise as possible. I knew I had to find my way back to the car, where I had a chance to defend myself.
I stumbled through the forest, tripping over roots and branches. I was truly Terrorized by Bigfoot! Every sound made me jump, thinking it was the monster coming for me. I felt like I was being hunted, just another species of prey.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I saw the faint glow of the headlights in the distance. I picked up my pace, my legs aching from the run. As I got closer, I could see that something was wrong. The windows of the car were shattered, and the doors were hanging open. Who turned on the headlights — or what?
My heart sank. I knew I was in trouble. I cautiously approached the car, my hand reaching for the door handle.
That’s when I felt something cold and sharp pressing against the back of my leg.
I froze, not daring to move a muscle. I heard a deep, guttural growl, and I knew that the creature was behind me. It was all over.
But then, suddenly, I felt something warm and wet on my hand. It was Pepper! She was alive! She had somehow escaped the monster and found her way back to me.
I turned around, tears of joy streaming down my face. Pepper was standing there, wagging her tail, as if nothing had happened. I hugged her tightly, grateful to have her back.
We got into the car and drove away, leaving the monster and the campsite behind. I knew I would never be the same again, but I also knew that I had my faithful companion by my side, and that was all that mattered.
I hope you enjoyed Terrorized by Bigfoot. It will surely make it into the next book.