A quiet settled into the cozy valley, occasionally broken by the chatter of birds. In a little campsite along the stream, Randy sat watching the flitterings of robins against the twilight hues that painted the sky. He could see a large swath of sky between the trees, and anxiously awaited the arrival of stars.
“Careful with that, Honey.” Randy looked over to see Debra grasp the pointy stick their daughter had been waving about. She pulled the little girl onto her lap near the firepit, and showed her how to roast a marshmallow. The fire was small but still going strong after cooking their meal, and Randy delighted in the warm atmosphere.
A heavy crack from the darkening forest disturbed that. A silent unease grew within him when it sounded again.
Shit! Randy thought. Just when I want to wish Debra a Happy Anniversary He fingered the small box of ruby earrings in his pocket in frustration. But sighed and climbed up a nearby boulder in time to see the treeline shake, framed by the setting sun, bloom with shrieking birds upset at being dislodged from their nests. Something was making it's way through the woods and in a hurry.
"Deb, we need to get up, I don't like this." He turned and looked at his wife.
"We have been coming here for years, there is nothing in these woods except rabbit and deer."
"That crack was loud- a big branch breaking and the trees shaking like that.. It might.."
"OK. OK. Go check it. We will wait behind those boulders." Debra replied, pointing to three car sized boulders forming a small pyramid guarding a bunch of gnarled weeping oaks right at the edge of the stream.
Randy went into the tent and picked up his Marlin lever action. He had packed the rifle with four shots as always. He came out and waited till Debra and their little girl, Tiffany, were near the weeping oaks before turning towards the direction of the sounds, twilight casting eerie shadows. He heard a soft grunt and a few twigs crack just ahead. Side stepping carefully Randy moved into cover just in time to see a brown stag crash through to the small clearing right in front of him. The antlers were all messed up in twigs and vines and leaves and dirt flew as the stag tried to shake the debris from his face.
The stag noticed the fire and froze for a moment, sniffing and deciding; another snort and stag leapt into the forest again going past Randy and disappearing again within seconds.
"I told you." Debra shouted out of the approaching gloom.
Randy relaxed and waved towards her, stepping back into the small clearing. A grunt and a couple of loud thunks froze him. He waved at Debra to go back but she was busy playing in the stream with Tiffany. Breathing deeply to calm his panic, Randy picked up a stone the size of a brick and lobbed it away from him and the camp, the grunting and thrashing stopped as the stone crashed through branches and undergrowth.
Again he waved at Debra to keep silent and then crouched down. Carefully approaching the hidden animal. The forest had grown silent and Randy was becoming more nervous with every passing second. The stag had been running from something maybe a big bear or cat or worse. He stepped on to a dry twig and the small crack it made startled not only Randy but the animal. He saw the thing rush at him and involuntarily Randy fired, pointing up in the air, so as to scare the thing away. The round boomed as he saw the humanoid shape try to tackle him.
"Don't Shoot for God's Sake!"
A dread cold gripped Randy, he recognized the voice. He stumbled back into the clearing and ran on to Debra.
"There, it's.." Randy panted.
"It's just me big girl." The shout rang out.
Debra immediately got up, brightening. "Oh! Dad. What are you doing here?"
THE CONTEST: https://steemit.com/wewrite/@freewritehouse/the-we-write-is-back-week-1
PICTURE CREDIT: https://fritsahlefeldt.com/2012/05/26/bornholm-watercolors-hike-south-coast-may-2012/#jp-carousel-1624
