For all of my life, nature has surrounded every corner of where I lived. My backyard had a clear view of trees surrounding around my childhood house. You can hear many things in those woods. And It’s where many animals had lived there. Animals many of you are pretty are familiar with.
Raccoons, birds, rabbits, groundhogs. But I came here to talk about one animal that I’m now very concerned about. The deer.
Deers are one of the many animals that my town used for hunting. Whether for their heads to be used for decorating as a award to catching them or skinning them after they were killed and used for meat to eat. I remember being younger and thinking how horrible and disgusting the taste must be. But after trying some myself, the taste is incredible and I have to say, it’s my favorite type to eat for sausage.
But sometimes, these mammals can be tedious. You probably know what I’m talking about. Deer being on the road. I remember many times when one or two would run across them to get to the other side. Me and my family when driving would like to count how many there were when we went out. The most was 11.
But that’s not the reason I’m writing this. But it does connect to what I witnessed today.
Earlier, I was driving from the grocery store with some items for tonight. Dad’s making a good meal. Breakfast for dinner.
But anyway, I was driving as usual, though a little nervous since I just started to drive without supervision two months ago. When suddenly, a deer was making its way through and I stopped slowly so I could let it past.
But, I noticed something was…odd. I couldn’t see as well due to it being nighttime so I might be imagining what I saw at first, but the headlights of the truck gave me a clear view. It was a doe, we never usually see bucks out here, and it was slowly walking.
Here’s the thing about deers. Deers would make a bolt to the other side and run as fast as they can away from the road. However, this one has taking its time, but I didn’t mind at first. In fact, I didn’t notice how odd it was until later.
But then something caught my eye. It looked like it was…shaking? Or maybe it was twitching, I can’t be sure, but it was freaky. I also noticed how something was dripping out its mouth. Again, it was dark, but I swear the substance looked black and it was dripping slowly like a dog eagerly waiting for a treat.
That’s when I got a little nervous and felt pity. Maybe it got hit by another car and it was hurt? It seemed logical.
Until it slumped to the ground head first.
I jumped in my seat a little when it did that. It just…fell to the road so quickly. Was it dying? Did it finally succumb to its injuries? Honestly, I wasn’t too happy if a deer was going to die right in front of me on my way home. But now, I kinda wished it did.
Because, it got right back up again.
Slowly, at first. It’s legs wobbled as it slowly tried to stand up like a new born fawn. But the part that concerned me the most was the head was still slumped. And I mean it. The whole head and neck was the body was still slouched over and it was looking upside down at me. I could feel chills running down my spine as it stared straight at me like I was the headlights.
I didn’t move and we were stuck staring at each other for God knows how long. The dark substance was now dripping down its face from its mouth to the ground in a puddle. That’s when I realized it was blood. And I could swear in its black eyes, I saw something moving inside of it. Then, it began to walk, still wobbling its legs and the head still upside down and into the woods on the other side.
I remember just staying there in the road trying to make since of what I just saw. That’s not normal. Not at all. But who would believe me? My family would think I made the whole thing up and laugh it off. It’s not like I have video footage or pictures taken when I encounter this doe. Or can I still call it that?
So I came here to get some answers. Maybe hearing this from others would make more sense. At first, I wasn’t going to and just keep this to myself. But earlier this night, I heard a family friend taking about his latest hunt. How he found a buck laying on the ground just twitching and bleeding. How a large hole in its stomach was there, like something busted out.
All I know is this. I’m going to skip eating deer sausage for awhile.