I live in Washington at the base of Mt. Rainer. This part of Washington in particular is known for having strange disappearances and cold cases. It’s easy to know why, the heavily wooded area is always around you, unless you live in Seattle, the chances of you living next to or in a forested area are very good, but I digress.
I’ve been living in Washington for about 10 years, but I spent my childhood in the Appalachian Mountains so darkness, loneliness and wildlife are nothing new to me. My best friend, Johnny, and I would go out hunting for buck, rabbit and quail every year. I know the feeling of stalking my prey, sitting, listening and watching. Still and silent I would sit and observe for minutes to hours, waiting for the perfect shot. Hunting is in my blood.
Before I moved to Washington, Johnny warned me about the mountain lions and bears and the strange occurrences along the mountain. He’s visited there many times in search of something called Bells Canyon, he heard it on a podcast, Mr. Ballen or something, so naturally I took heed and listened to him.
Fast forward to today, where I live is very quiet, the hunting is nice and the views are beautiful no matter the time of year. I love it out here, but recently… I’ve been having this sense that I’m not alone, that there are eyes on me. I’ll grab my twelve gauge and walk my property line in the evenings just to make sure my fence has held up and no unwanted wildlife has gotten in. I recently noticed some holes along my back fence, not deep like a gopher hole, but kind of like something burrowed underneath, like a dog trying to escape by going under a fence. It was when I noticed these holes that I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I’ve been noticing more and more strange signs, the sound of something walking along the fence line, the heavy guttural growls, the yips and howls all much louder. As I walked my property last night I felt my hair on my neck stand up, shivers ran down my spine. My ears pricked up, my breathing slowed and steadied. Silence. Calm. Then I hear it!
The rustling in the brush just outside of my fence to my left. I snap the shotgun to my shoulder and take aim. My iron sights line up, my vision sharpens, my finger ready and on the trigger. I look past my front sight and see it… the two beady red eyes and sharp teeth smiling silently at me. It’s a small sinister looking thing, it slowly moves forward from the shadow and the small pale head looks like it was stitched back together, it’s breathing grows louder, i sets back on his legs in a pouncing stance… I squeeze the trigger. The shot echos through the trees, I hear the birds take flight and I see the head drop blood spilling out on to the ground, bits of brain onto the tree.
I leave the body where it is so the cops can see the scene. I go to my house and call. The dispatcher sends two officers to my house and I take them back to the spot, only to find the thing is gone, no animal marks, no drag marks, no blood on the ground and no brains on the tree. The officers look at me questioningly, they ask me if I’m okay and that I look tired, my eyes look red. I assure them I am and I bud the goodnight.
I don’t know what I’ll be seeing tonight. For those of you who see this, it’s dangerous out here don’t go alone… you don’t know what’s seen you…