The wife and I had been trying to find some vacation time together for weeks when finally Memorial Day Weekend freed up, but at short notice. With little time to make reservations most places were already booked until I found an out of the way wilderness cabin finally. It was a bit far to drive but it seemed a nice quiet place to absorb nature’s beauty! We sent the kids packing to their uncle’s place as they loved playing with their cousins with the agreement that we would do the same of them in the future. What could go wrong, right?

Friday afternoon we left right after lunch and took a long drive that got us there around sundown. By the time we’d gotten hungry there were no roadside restaurants to be found and the next town was another 10 miles down the road and I’d had enough. Peggy had taken some trail mix, apples, and oranges along just in case, and they came in handy. I brought a bottle of wine and there was a pitcher of ice water in the fridge. So, you might say we had a low fat 3 day weekend dinner.

The cabin was quaint and old but in good shape. It had a downstairs bedroom, kitchen and den and there was an upstairs loft. We chose the loft to sleep in. The cabin stood out in the meadow where it was situated like a sore thumb with its dark exterior compared to the golden grasses that extended to the foothills where the pine and cedar covered the landscape in a lush green canvass of imagery. It seemed majestic and, yet, subtle and quiet. All seemed perfect for 3 days of relaxation.

We tried to watch a Netflix movies but almost fell asleep halfway through so we climbed the stairs for bed. I slept like a rock but something awoke me in the wee hours before dawn. Someone or something was walking around the cabin outside, and whoever it was had to have been pretty heavy! I lay there unwilling to move and just listened until I figured I better check it out! Was it the owner who came by to see if we ever arrived? I hoped but it wasn’t likely! I quietly slipped out of bed so as not to wake Peg. I couldn’t see anyone from the windows where I was, but I went downstairs and into the kitchen where I found a huge carving knife when I saw a enormous silhouette go by the front door window!

I went to every downstairs window trying to catch a glimpse of who in the hell was stalking around the cabin, but I couldn’t see anyone or anything! I was not got going to open the door either! Besides, an unusual blue norther had moved into the area, a cold air mass from Canada in June? We were at 6500 hundred foot elevation so, another thing I hadn’t anticipated making a reservation on such short notice! Not hearing anything else, I headed back upstairs to try and fall back asleep again. It was chilly and that was good snuggling weather.

In the morning Peg asked me what was wrong, and why I got up in the middle of the night. I didn’t think she’d noticed. I was hesitant to tell her because I didn’t want her to be worried. Instead I urged her to get ready to go so we could find a place to eat in the next town. I was starved! She agreed momentarily distracted from her question! It would only be a ten mile drive according to our map. Cell phone service was not too good. The town was just about the minimum of what you could consider a town. As we drove in we saw a convenience store with gas, a hardware store, a town hall building, and finally, a diner!

The waitress handed us our menus. We were the only people in the place. Apparently the holiday weekend had sent the locals packing for some vacation time as well. We were lucky they were even open. They had nothing but comfort food and that was fine by me. Chicken fried chicken and mashed potatoes for me. Peg ordered a fish sandwich so we made short work of the food.

“Where are you folks from?” The waitress asked.

I told her where we were staying and she replied,” Oh, you’re in the old Reardon place.”

“What do you know about it?”

She paused and got a weird expression on her face. “Well, it used to be owned by a family that ran a small farm there, but something spooked them and ran them off. Not sure about who or what. You know kind of a small town rumor.”

“There was someone or an animal walking around our place in the wee hours,” I said as Peg looked at me with shock.

“Was that what woke you up?” She uttered.

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t tell you about it. Didn’t want to wake you.” I explained.

“Well, we haven’t had any bears in these parts in twenty years at least,” the waitress replied.

“How could a family be spooked off their property?” I asked.

The red head put her hands on her big hips and sighed, “I don’t want to scare you all over hear say. I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth.”

Peggy gripped my arm and turned to me, “Maybe we should just head home, Honey.”

“To hell with that! I’m not getting run off from the first damn vacation we’ve had in two years! No way!” I muttered angrily.

The waitress got red faced like a child that had just done something wrong,

“Do you know if that hardware store selling hunting rifles or hand guns? “ I asked her.

“Mister Gray is the owner and manager over there. I think he has a small selection,” the waitress seemed to try and redeem herself by being helpful.

As it turned out, the hardware store was open and they did have a selection of hunting gear and fire arms. I got a 16 gauge semi-automatic shot gun with a magazine and iron buck shot. I got a 38 caliber revolver for Peggy and I was going to have to teach her a quick course in handgun use. She looked at me rather surprised. Whatever we might run into I wanted her to have personal protection!

“You never told me that you knew anything about firearms!”

“I used to shoot skeet with my grandfather when I was little. Don’t worry about it.”

Peggy just nodded as she looked at me as if to say, “I never know what to expect out of you!”

“So, Mister Gray,” I asked, “do you know much about the Old Reardon Place?”

“Whadaya want to know, Sir?”

“I hear there are some strange things going on over there.”

“All I know is all I’ve heard,” Gray replied cautiously. “Certain people claim that the family that ran a farm there left the property hastily for mysterious reasons. That’s all I know. I did business with the family for years.”

“And you don’t know any more than that? Come on. I just gave you a good deal of business!”

“I don’t like to spread rumor's,” the aging owner said. “But, yeah there was something strange going on and they couldn’t explain it. Sold the property real quick like and moved out.”

“I’m asking because I’m renting the damn place for this weekend!”

“Then you made a good choice for personal protection. That’s all I can tell you.”

“Just great!” I muttered. “Let’s get some stuff to fix dinner and breakfast with Honey,” I replied taking Peg by the hand as we walked out.

We went by the convenience store on the way out and bought some stuff to make sandwiches with and picked up some canned soup to go along with it. They even had some wine which I purchased as well. That might just keep our nerves settled I hoped.

Peggy grabbed me by the arm again and squeezed hard, “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. Maybe we should just head back home, dear.”

“No damn it!” I stubbornly said. “We’re going to enjoy this vacation time we have while we have it!“

Peg just kneaded her hands, anxious over what might lie ahead.

I wasn’t a superstitious person. I didn’t believe in wives tales and silly local legends. Now I had the firepower to do something about it! The first thing we did after unloading the groceries was my showing Peg how to operate a 38 caliber revolver, re-emphasizing the use of the safety to prevent any accidents. Then I embraced her putting both my arms around her from behind with my arms around her and I steadied the revolver in her hands showing her how to aim at the small tin can we’d found. Then I told her to squeeze off a round. Bam! She actually hit the can! Peg was always a fast learner. She smiled as if she’d gotten a thrill out of it. I loaded up the shot gun and aimed after loading the magazine. Pulling the trigger, I felt the kick to my shoulder and obliterated the can! I still had it! my aim was true! 

I paused after I saw Peggy looking at the ground studying something. “What are you looking at?”

“Who would be out walking on a chilly night without shoes on and feet this size? Take a look at the length of the stride. It’s a good six feet long, she gasped!
I think at that point we both realized what we were dealing with, but neither of us spoke which made our situation feel all that much more ominous. I tried to change the subject. It was best to stay positive and hope that nothing worse could happen but I had a feeling. I'd always tried to shield Peggy from the harsh realities if I could, but here we were on our damn vacation, and this?

It grew late in the afternoon. I scanned the wide green belt of trees behind the cabin. I didn't know what I was looking for, maybe the intruder who had been stomping around the cabin the previous morning hours. I got a chill that didn't come from the unseasonably cool weather. "Let's go in and have a glass of wine and see what's on the TV." We damn sure weren't going hiking out there!

While Peg was thumbing through the channels I checked all the windows and doors to make sure they were secured. I gazed out the same window I'd peered out from earlier in the wee hours before wondering who or what had invaded our three day weekend. I had a mind to call the owner and complain, but what good would it do now? We watched another Netflix movie together as I tried to relax and pray that we didn't get another visitation.
The cabin was pretty quiet save for the occasional gust of wind that rippled around the corners as the sunset began to fall and the shadowy world of nocturne won the battle against daylight. What would happen next, I wondered.

"Want to make dinner?"

"That sounds good," Peg replied. "We have turkey and cheese, for sandwiches. What kind of soup do you want?"

"I don't care. Whatever you want." That would keep her busy and perhaps keep her mind off of other probabilities.

We ate dinner and I told Peg," I'm sorry. I think I made a bad choice for our long weekend."
She just hugged me, "It's okay Honey. You couldn't have known."
We turned in not too long after dinner. I didn't say too much about the coming night. We made love and that helped to settle our nerves and get us sleepy enough to relax into a restful state.
Somehow I fell into dreamland as though I'd been swallowed into a dark sea! I could have felt like I'd died if I hadn't known better with all my worldly concerns dissolved in my exhausted slumber.

Then it happened! That same damn noise that wakened me the night before! There it was walking around the cabin again. I lay there unwilling to get up, but it continued. I slowly rose from the bed only to hear Peg gasp, "Don't leave me!"

This time I was angry at whoever it was for interrupting our plans and terrorizing us! "Come on!" I growled.

The shotgun was near the downstairs front door and the revolver was sitting on the kitchen countertop! Picked up the shotgun and pointed to Peg to get the handgun. "Grab the revolver!" I told Peg.

" I don't want to do this! I don't want to do this!" She stammered. Just then a loud pounding on the cabin sent our hearts racing! I grabbed the shot gun and told Peggy to grab hold of the revolver again, and finally she did. "Take off the safety. I showed you where it is. If anything happens to me you empty every shot into the son of a bitch!" I ordered.
She tearfully nodded, "Okay!"

"I'm going out there! Stay put! Wait for me to let you know if everything is alright!" I grabbed her and kissed her forehead before lunging for the door handle.

I was met with the chill of the night once I stepped out into what could lead to a deadly confrontation! Standing on the porch I lifted the shotgun upward ready to fire! The pale moonlight illuminated the landscape in a ghostly manner. It seemed the perfect atmosphere for a paranormal event. Time stood still. Each second dragged on like an hour as I slowly walked to the corner of the cabin to make a right turn as carefully as I could. I heard heavy breathing, the kind that came for a huge pair of powerful lungs! My heart sank as I edged forward.

My throat was dry and I trembled as I turned the corner to face the side of the cabin and there was a hulking figure even more terrifying than I could have imagined! The face wasn't that of an ape or a monster! It looked half human, but the eyes blazed as it stared deep into mine! The hair on it's body was grayish and black in places but the hair revealed fair skin around the cheeks, forehead, and eyes! It was around 7 foot tall, maybe more! It must have weighed 500 pounds if I could have judged with any accuracy! I gritted my teeth and raised the barrel toward its face!

"I'm going to blow you away!" I thought in my mind as I stared back.
Then something very strange happened. It didn't lunge at me. It didn't grab my rifle. It dropped its menacing arms by its side and just looked into my eyes for what seemed to be several minutes but I couldn't tell how much time had passed. This thing wasn't a beast. It wasn't a man either, but it was intelligent. It wasn't just an animal! I got the impression it could read my thoughts in some instinctive way. I lowered the shotgun barrel against my better judgment, and this menacing entity seemed to understand and it took a couple of steps slowly backward.

"We just want to be left alone," I thought.

It seemed to understand. The imposing figure turned away from me and took off with the speed and agility of a deer, and I watched in stunned silence as it vanished into the tree line. I almost passed out! I staggered toward the doorway and called out to Peg, "I'm coming in. You can put down the revolver now!"

When I entered the cabin Peggy ran to me and held me tightly quivering as tears streaked her face. "Is it gone?" She stammered.

"Yes! I don't think it's coming back. Let's go to bed Baby." For the first time in a long time I felt like she really needed me. It felt like our first years together before responsibility and pressures had forced us into our separate roles. I held her there for sometime before we climbed the stairs. When we got to the top I fell into bed with her and we made love passionately again. It felt new and exciting again! Is this what it takes to re ignite passionate love, getting the shit scared out of you I wondered?

In the morning we got ready to go, left what we'd bought at the convenience store behind. No need in tempting fate. When we loaded up the car I still held the shotgun even though I didn't think I'd be needing it. When we were loaded and ready to drive off I took one last look over the huge stretch of meadowland that bordered on the tree line. At first, I didn't see anything unusual until I spotted a solitary figure standing just outside of the band of pines and cedars. It was the Sasquatch, there I said it! It remained motionless but I was sure it was looking straight at us! Looking back I don't regret the terror we experienced because it brought Peg and I closer. We found out just how much we still meant to each other. The drive home was uneventful and I was looking forward to seeing the kids. What a Memorial day weekend! I looked forward to teaching my kids skeet shooting!