“WHAT ARE YOU!?” Where is my daughter? Where am I? My trembling body suspended above the ground helplessly, paralyzed with fear and confusion. This situation defied logical thinking all together. The glowing orb was now within arm’s reach! A voice speaks to me…... “Do you not remember?” You left me there all alone in the dark…. You left me to die! Who are you? I don’t… Countless memories rush through my mind one after another. I don’t know who you are! The glow began to fade slowly, as a dark figure oozed from the dying light onto the charred ground. It rose slowly with twitching and jerking movements. Each motion caused a horrible bone snapping sound that forced my heart to stutter its beating uncontrollably. The face was not there! It’s face was not there! A chocking, blood gurgling noise accompanied the percussion of the bone snare! I could not speak! I could not move! A river of tears flowed from eyes wide-open yet blinded by fear! A partially decomposed hand reaches forth to touch me! I close my eyes! I remember now! We had just left Matt’s party.
Me, Keith and Doug from high school. I was drinking. Hell, we all had too much and probably should have crashed at his place. Hey Keith, check this out man! Let’s see who is afraid of the darkness! What are you gonna do? I’m going to see how far I can drive with no headlights on! It was a new moon night…… Only a winding black road through the heavily wooded forest. I dare you! I double dare you! Doug yelled with a surprising enthusiasm. If you guys start crying like babies I’ll turn on the night lights for the both of you! I knew this stretch of road like an old friend! I knew its temperament, potholes, and curves.
Here we go! The lights are turned off! And gunned the engine! A rush of adrenaline fuelled by fear; rushes through every pour on my body! I’m screaming with joy! Immediately Keith starts begging me to turn them back on. Oh, now the little baby is getting scared! Just a little further we can at least make past the old logging road! As we neared the road I hit something so hard it cracked the windshield! And the ran it over! What Fuck was that!? We sled to a stop and got out. Instinctively reached back inside and turned on the headlights. Blood was everywhere! The bumper, hood and windshield had been splattered in a warm crimson.
What did we hit! Maybe it was just a deer…. Yea, that’s it a poor deer! I got a flashlight in the glovebox. I grabbed the light and illuminated an adjacent, deep draining ditch. He was there all mangled and struggling in the swift current. My heart was pounding as time stood still for me instantly! Hey, did you see anything? I had think this out thoroughly. We didn’t deserve jail time for this and have our whole lives ahead of us!
It's Uh…. just a very messed up deer! And it’s almost dead. You guys don’t want to see this. The storm water runoff is taking it down stream. Let’s get out here before a state trooper shows up! They normal patrol this back road. I didn’t want to drive anymore so Keith volunteered to get us back home. That man I had seen him in town. He was homeless but everyone called him Dale. He is a nobody that won’t be missed.