GHOST LION

                            

 

I HEARD THIS LOUD SCREAM AND THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF MY NECK STOOD UP.  I WAS ON A SMALL PLATFORM 15 FEET IN THE AIR BUILT IN THE BRANCHES OF A GIANT OAK TREE ON THE BANK OF THE BRAZOS RIVER.  THE TIME WAS 9:00 PM AND THE FULL MOON HAD JUST COME UP.  I HAD A SMALL GOAT TIED TO A TREE 50 YARDS FROM WHERE I SAT WAITING FOR THE MOUNTAIN LION TO COME.  THE GOAT HAD BEEN BLEATING OFF AND ON FOR AN HOUR.  AFTER THE LION SCREAMED HE WAS VERY STILL.  I PICKED UP MY SAKO 30-06 RIFLE AND STARTED LOOKING AROUND FOR THE LION.  I THOUGH I HEARD SOMETHING BEHIND ME AND TURNED AROUND TO LOOK.  THE MOON WAS SO BRIGHT YOU COULD SEE EVERYTHING.  I WATCHED FOR A MINUTE AND DIDN’T SEE ANY THING SO I TURNED BACK TO WATCH THE GOAT.  HE WAS GONE!

 

LOYD AND JANICE, MY VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, HAD BOUGHT 175 ACRES OF LAND ON THE BRAZOS RIVER CLOSE TO GLEN ROSE, TEXAS.  THE LAND WAS UNDEVELOPED AND HAD A LOT OF THICK CEDAR BREAKS ALONG THE RIVER.   SOME OF THE LAND HAD LIVE OAKS AND OTHER TREES AND WAS A LITTLE MORE OPEN.  BUT ALL OF IT WAS GROWN UP WITH BRUSH AND UNDER GROWTH.  THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD THEIR HOME ON A BLUFF OVER LOOKING THE RIVER.  WHEN THEY STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON THEIR HOUSE THEY BOUGHT AND TURNED LOOSE 50 SPANISH GOATS ON THEIR LAND TO HELP CONTROL THE BRUSH.  AS THE HOUSE NEARED COMPLETION THEY NOTICED THEIR GOAT HERD WAS GETTING SMALLER EACH DAY.  LOYD WALKED UP A DRY SANDY CREEK BED THAT RAN FROM THE RIVER BACK INTO THE CEDAR BREAKS ONE DAY AND FOUND THE TRACKS OF A MOUNTAIN LION.  THEN THEY REALIZED WHY THEIR GOAT HERD WAS GETTING SMALLER.

 

THEY HIRED A GOVERNMENT TRAPPER TO COME TRAP THE MOUNTAIN LION SO THEY WOULD STOP LOOSING THEIR GOATS.  THE TRAPPER CAME OUT TO THEIR PLACE AND SET SOME STEEL LEG TRAPS WHERE THE TRACKS HAD BEEN FOUND.  ON THE SECOND DAY HE FOUND ONE OF HIS TRAPS HAD DONE IT’S JOB.  IT WAS TRIPPED AND IN IT WAS A MOUNTAIN LION FOOT!  NO LION, JUST HIS FOOT.  THE LION HAD CHEWED HIS LEG OFF JUST ABOVE THE TRAPS JAWS AND HAD ESCAPED.  THE TRAPPER TOLD LOYD AND JANICE THAT HE PROBABLY WOULD BLEED TO DEATH AND THEIR LION TROUBLES WERE OVER.  FOR TWO WEEKS THEY WATCHED AND WAITED.  NO MORE LOST GOATS AND NO MORE TRACKS, SO THEY BOUGHT 50 MORE GOATS.

 

AS TIME WENT BY THEIR HOUSE WAS FINISHED AND THEY MOVED IN.  THEN ONE DAY, LATE IN THE EVENING, AS LOYD AND JANICE WERE WALKING ALONG THE RIVER THEY HEARD THE LOUD SCREAM OF A MOUNTAIN LION.   IT WAS NOT FAR AHEAD OF THEM, SO THEY TURNED BACK AND BEAT A HASTY RETREAT TO THEIR HOUSE.   THEY TALKED ABOUT THE LION THAT NIGHT, WONDERING IF IT WAS POSSIBLE IT COULD BE THE SAME LION.  THEY DECIDED IT COULDN’T BE, BECAUSE THE TRAPPER TOLD THEM THE OTHER LION WOULD BLEED TO DEATH AFTER CHEWING HIS FOOT OFF LIKE THAT.  BUT KNOWING HOW LIONS LIKED GOATS FOR DINNER THEY CALLED THE TRAPPER AND ASKED HIM TO COME BACK, THEY HAD ANOTHER LION ON THEIR PROPERTY. 

 

THE TRAPPER COULD NOT COME THAT WEEK, BUT SAID HE WOULD BE THERE THE NEXT MONDAY.  THEY NOTICED THAT THEIR GOAT HERD WAS GETTING SMALLER AGAIN, AND HOPED IT WOULDN’T TAKE THE TRAPPER LONG TO CATCH THIS LION.  SURE ENOUGH THE TRAPPER SHOWED UP ON MONDAY.  HE WENT DOWN TO THE DRY CREAK BED WHERE HE HAD TRAPPED THE OTHER LION AND SET HIS TRAPS.  FIVE DAYS WENT BY AND NONE OF THE TRAPS HAD BEEN VISITED BY THE LION.  NONE OF THE BAIT HAD BEEN BOTHERED, BUT GOATS CONTINUED TO DISAPPEAR.  HE FINALLY KILLED ONE OF THE GOATS AND USED IT FOR BAIT IN HIS TRAPS.  THE LION STILL DIDN’T COME NEAR HIS TRAPS.  ON THE 6TH DAY ABOUT 6:00 O’CLOCK IN THE EVENING, AS HE WAS GOING DOWN TO CHECK HIS TRAPS HE HEARD SOMETHING BEHIND HIM IN THE BRUSH.  AT FIRST HE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST SOME OF THE GOATS.  THEN HE REALIZED IT WAS FOLLOWING ALONG BEHIND HIM.  HE COULD HEAR IT’S FOOT STEPS ON THE HARD CALICHE, SLAP SLAP, PLOP,-SLAP, SLAP, PLOP. 

 

HE HAD NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE AND IT SHOOK HIM UP.  HE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING THROUGH THE DENSE CEDAR, BUT HE COULD HEAR THIS SLAP, SLAP, PLOP.  HE DECIDED IT WAS TO LATE IN THE EVENING TO CHECK HIS TRAPS AND GET BACK TO THE HOUSE WHERE HIS PICKUP WAS WAITING.  SO HE TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE.  WHEN HE GOT THERE JANICE WAS SITTING OUT ON THE PATIO OVER LOOKING THE RIVER.  SHE ASKED HIM IF ANY OF HIS TRAPS HAD BEEN TRIPPED.  “NO,” HE SAID BUT HE WOULD CHECK THEM AGAIN IN THE MORNING.  HE GOT IN HIS PICKUP AND LEFT.  JUST AS HE WAS DRIVING OFF JANICE HEARD THE SCREAM OF A MOUNTAIN LION DOWN ON THE RIVER JUST BELOW THE HOUSE.  SHE WENT IN THE HOUSE AND LOCKED THE DOOR BEHIND HER.

 

THE NEXT MORNING ABOUT 10:00 O’CLOCK THE TRAPPER SHOWED UP TO CHECK HIS TRAPS.  THIS TIME HE CARRIED A RIFLE WITH HIM.  JANICE THOUGHT THIS WAS STRANGE, BECAUSE BEFORE ALL HE EVER CARRIED WAS HIS PISTOL ON HIS BELT.  SHE SAW HIM GO DOWN THE BLUFF TO THE TRAIL ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RIVER AND WATCHED AS LONG AS SHE COULD SEE HIM.  ABOUT AN HOUR LATER SHE HEARD A SHOT AND THOUGHT TO HERSELF, THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT LION.  NOW OUR GOATS WILL BE SAFE.  SHE WENT ABOUT HER DAILY ROUTINE OF CLEANING, MAKING TELEPHONE CALLS AND PLANNING MEALS. 

 

ABOUT 5:30 LOYD GOT HOME FROM WORK AND WHEN HE CAME IN THE HOUSE HE SAID, “I SEE THE TRAPPER IS HERE.”  JANINE LOOKED OUT THE BACK WINDOW AND SAW THE TRAPPER’S PICKUP WAS STILL THERE.  SHE WAS SURPRISED THAT IT WAS STILL THERE.  SHE TOLD LOYD THAT THE TRAPPER HAD COME AT 10:00 THAT MORNING.  SHE HAD WATCHED HIM WALK DOWN THE BLUFF CARRYING A RIFLE.  A WHILE LATER SHE HAD HEARD A SHOT AND HAD SUPPOSED HE HAD SHOT THE LION.  SHE FIGURED IT WAS IN ONE OF HIS TRAPS AND HE HAD SHOT IT.  SHE HAD BEEN BUSY AND HADN’T THOUGHT ABOUT IT SINCE.

 

LOYD THOUGHT THEY BETTER GO DOWN AND CHECK ON THE TRAPPER.  SO LOYD AND JANICE WALKED DOWN THE BLUFF TO THE TRAIL ALONG THE RIVER AND STARTED FOLLOWING IT TO WHERE THE TRAPPER HAD SET HIS TRAPS.  WHEN THEY CAME TO THE DRY CREEK BED THEY SAW THE TRAPPERS FOOT PRINTS IN THE SAND.  AS THEY WALKED UP THE CREEK BED THEY FOUND SOME DIFFERENT TRACKS.  THEY WERE THE TRACKS OF A MOUNTAIN LION.  BUT THEY WERE DIFFERENT.  THEY ONLY SHOWED THREE FEET INSTEAD OF FOUR.  LOYD SAID “MY GOD JANICE, DO YOU THINK THAT THESE COULD BE THE TRACKS OF THAT LION THAT WAS IN THE TRAP AND CHEWED HIS FOOT OFF TO ESCAPE?”  “BUT THE GAME WARDEN SAID THAT THE LION WOULD BLEED TO DEATH.”  JANICE SAID.

 

NOW THEY WERE BOTH SPOOKED.  THEY FOLLOWED THE TRACKS OF THE TRAPPER AND THE LION FOR A FEW MORE YARDS AND SAW THE TRAPPERS RIFLE LAYING ON THE GROUND.  LOYD PICKED IT UP AND OPENED THE BOLT.  AN EMPTY SHELL JUMPED OUT AND FELL TO THE GROUND.  “THAT WAS THE SHOT YOU HEARD” LOYD SAID.  “BUT WHERE IS THE TRAPPER? JANICE ASKED.  “I DON’T KNOW BUT I DON’T LIKE THIS, WE’RE GOING BACK.” LOYD SAID AS HE GRABBED JANICE BY THE ARM AND STARTED BACK TO THE RIVER.  WHEN THEY GOT TO THE RIVER THEY ALL BUT RAN BACK TO THE HOUSE.  LOYD CALLED THE SHERIFF AND TOLD HIM WHAT THEY HAD FOUND, THE TRACKS AND THE RIFLE.  THE SHERIFF SAID HE WOULD CALL THE GAME WARDEN AND THEY WOULD BE RIGHT OUT.

 

THEY GOT THERE JUST AT DARK AND LOYD TOOK THEM DOWN TO WHERE HE AND JANICE HAD FOUND THE RIFLE.  HE SHOWED THEM THE TRACKS OF THE THREE FOOTED LION AND THE TRAPPERS TRACKS.  JUST PAST WHERE THE RIFLE HAD BEEN LYING THE SAND WAS ALL TORN UP AND TRACKS WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO READ.  THERE WAS NO SIGN OF THE TRAPPER OR THE LION AFTER THIS POINT.  THE  SHERIFF SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD FIND ANYTHING IN THIS THICK CEDAR BRUSH IN THE DARK.  THEY WOULD COME BACK IN THE MORNING WITH A SEARCH PARTY AND COMB THE AREA.  AS THEY STARTED BACK TO THE HOUSE, THEY WERE STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS BY THE SCREAM OF A MOUNTAIN LION.  IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS VERY CLOSE.  THE SHERIFF AND THE GAME WARDEN DREW THEIR PISTOLS AND THEY HURRIED ALONG THE TRAIL TO THE HOUSE.

 

WHEN THEY GOT TO THE HOUSE, ALL THREE OF THEM WERE AS PALE AS GHOST.  JANICE HAD A POT OF COFFEE ON AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD LIKE SOME.  ALL THREE SAID, “YES!”  JANICE HAD HEARD THE LION SCREAM AND ASKED IF THEY HAD SEEN IT.  SHE ALSO ASKED IF THEY HAD FOUND THE TRAPPER.  THE SHERIFF SAID THEY HADN’T FOUND THE TRAPPER OR SEEN THE LION, BUT WHEN THE LION SCREAMED, HE HAD BEEN VERY CLOSE BEHIND THEM.  JANICE NOTICED THAT THE SHERIFF’S HANDS WERE SHAKING AS HE DRANK HIS COFFEE.  AS THEY LEFT THEY TOLD LOYD AND JANICE THEY WOULD BE AT HERE FIRST LIGHT WITH A LARGE SEARCH PARTY.

 

AT DAY LIGHT THE NEXT MORNING THE CARS AND PICKUPS STARTED ARRIVING.  ALL TOGETHER THERE WERE ABOUT 30 GUYS AND SOME OF THEM HAD THEIR HUNTING DOGS WITH THEM.  ALL OF THEM CARRIED RIFLES.  THE SHERIFF LED THE WAY DOWN TO THE DRY CREEK BED WHERE THE TRACKS WERE AND HE TOLD ONE OF THE MEN WITH DOGS TO PUT HIS DOGS ON THE TRAIL.  THE DOGS STARTED SNIFFING THE GROUND AND GOT THE SCENT OF THE LION RIGHT AWAY.  HE TURNED HIS DOGS LOOSE AND THEY STRUCK OUT THROUGH THE CEDAR TREES.  THE SHERIFF TOLD FIVE OF THE MEN TO GO ALONG THE RIVER IN CASE THE LION TRIED TO CROSS THE RIVER.  HE SENT TEN OF THE MEN BACK UP THE BLUFF SO THEY COULD WATCH THE ROAD COMING INTO THE HOUSE, IN CASE THE LION WENT THAT WAY.  THE REST OF THE MEN AND DOGS SCATTERED OUT AND STARTED FOLLOWING THE HOUNDS THAT WERE ON THE LION’S SCENT.  AFTER TRAVELING SOME DISTANCE THROUGH THE CEDARS THE DOGS CAME OUT ON A HIGH BLUFF ABOVE THE RIVER.  THEN THE DOGS STOPPED AND STARTED MILLING AROUND IN CONFUSION.  THEY HAD LOST THE SCENT AND THE GROUND WAS HARD CALICHE SO THERE WERE NO TRACKS TO BE SEEN.   THE SHERIFF WANDERED IF THE LION HAD JUMPED OFF THE CLIFF INTO THE WATER.  HE COULDN’T SEE ANY OTHER WAY FOR HIM TO HAVE GONE.

 

HE SENT THE MEN BACK TO THE HOUSE AND CALLED OFF THE HUNT FOR THE LION.  BUT THEY STILL HAD NOT FOUND THE TRAPPER.  THE DOGS HAD NOT FOUND ANYTHING THAT WOULD TELL HIM WHERE THE TRAPPER MIGHT BE.  THEY HAD PRETTY WELL COVERED ALL THE CEDAR BREAKS AND ALL ALONG THE RIVER.  HE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO LOOK.  BY THIS TIME IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO NOON, SO HE SENT THE MEN BACK TO TOWN.  HE ASKED THE GAME WARDEN IF HE HAD ANY IDEAS.  THE GAME WARDEN SAID HE WOULD CALL AND GET THEIR SMALL PLANE TO FLY OVER THE AREA AND SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE SEEN FROM THE AIR.

 

LATE THAT AFTER NOON THE SHERIFF AND THE GAME WARDEN MET IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO DISCUSS WHAT TO DO NEXT.  THE PILOT OF THE PLANE HAD SAID HE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT GIVE THEM A CLUE AS TO WHERE THE TRAPPER WAS.  “THE ONLY WAY THAT LION COULD HAVE GOT OFF THAT CLIFF WAS TO JUMP INTO THE RIVER.”  THE SHERIFF SAID.  “BUT THAT’S AGAINST EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER HEARD ABOUT LIONS.” THE GAME WARDEN ANSWERED.  “HE SHOULD HAVE TURNED AND FOUGHT THE DOGS.”  THEY BOTH SAT THERE, LOST IN THEIR OWN THOUGHTS, UNTIL THE SHERIFF FINALLY SAID THEY MIGHT AS WELL GO HOME.  THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO TODAY.

 

 

AS THE DAYS WENT BY LOYD AND JANICE STARTED MISSING GOATS AGAIN.  JANICE KNEW THAT I DID SOME VARMINT HUNTING BY CALLING THEM WITH A CALL.  WE HAD BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND I HAD TOLD THEM OF MY HOBBY.  SHE DIDN’T KNOW IF I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TRYING TO CALL A MOUNTAIN LION OR NOT BUT SHE TELEPHONED ME AND TOLD ME WHAT WAS GOING ON.  SHE SAID, “LOREN WOULD YOU COME DOWN AND SEE IF YOU CAN HELP US?”  I SAID SURE I WOULD COME DOWN AND GIVE IT A TRY.  I HAD NEVER CALLED A MOUNTAIN LION BUT IT COULDN’T BE MUCH DIFFERENT THEN CALLING BOB CATS OR OTHER VARMINTS.  THE NEXT DAY I DROVE DOWN TO GLEN ROSE, WHICH WAS ABOUT 90 MILES FROM MY HOME AND WENT OUT TO LOYD AND JANICE’S HOUSE.  WHEN I GOT THERE LOYD WAS AT WORK AND JANICE TOOK ME DOWN THE BLUFF AND ALONG THE RIVER TO WHERE THE DRY CREEK BED CAME OUT OF THE CEDARS.  IT HAD RAINED IN THE NIGHT AND HAD WASHED OUT ANY TRACKS THAT WERE IN THE SAND.  WE WALKED UP THE CREEK BED A LITTLE WAYS LOOKING FOR A GOOD PLACE FOR ME TO SIT WHILE I CALLED.  FINALLY WE DECIDED THAT IF I CLIMBED UP A LARGE OAK TREE ON THE BANK OF THE CREEK BED I COULD SEE DOWN INTO THE BED AND FOR A SHORT DISTANCE ALONG THE BANK.  I DIDN’T WANT TO BE ON THE GROUND WITH A MOUNTAIN LION IN SUCH TIGHT QUARTERS.  NOT THAT I WAS SCARED, YOU UNDERSTAND, I JUST DON’T LIKE NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE VERY FAR WHEN I’M CALLING VARMINTS. 

 

WE WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE AND HAD LUNCH.  AFTER LUNCH, I LAID DOWN AND TOOK A NAP.  I DIDN’T KNOW HOW LONG I MIGHT BE IN THAT TREE THAT NIGHT.  WHEN LOYD GOT HOME WE ATE A SANDWICH AND I WENT DOWN TO THE OAK TREE AND CLIMBED UP TO  A BIG LIMB ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  I HAD MY 30-06 AND MY CALL AND A THREE CELL FLASHLIGHT.  I SAT THERE FOR 30 MINUTES LETTING EVERYTHING GET QUITE.  JUST AT SUN DOWN I STARTED CALLING.  I WAS BLOWING AN INJURED RABBIT CALL.  IT IS SUPPOSE TO SOUND LIKE A RABBIT THAT IS INJURED OR TRAPPED.  IT IS A SQUEALING SOUND.  I BLEW A SHORT SERIES OF SQUEALS AND LISTENED FOR A WHILE.  THEN I BLEW ANOTHER SERIES OF SQUEALS AND WATCHED FOR ANY MOVEMENT AND LISTENED FOR ANY SOUND.  I DIDN’T SEE OR HEAR ANYTHING.  THEN JUST AS IT WAS GETTING DARK, I HEARD A LOUD SCREAM THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM RIGHT UNDER ME.   IT SCARED ME SO BAD THAT I ALMOST FELL OUT OF THE TREE.  I GRABBED MY RIFLE AND STARTED LOOKING ALL AROUND THE TRUNK OF THE TREE.  BUT I COULDN’T SEE ANY THING.

 

I SAT THERE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND DIDN’T SEE OR HEAR ANYTHING ELSE.  THAT SCREAM HAD SO UNNERVED ME, I DECIDED I WOULD GIVE UP THE CALLING FOR TONIGHT.  I CLIMBED DOWN OUT OF THE TREE AND WITH VERY NERVOUS STEPS STARTED BACK TO THE HOUSE.  WHEN I GOT TO THE PATH ALONG THE RIVER I COULD HEAR FOOT STEPS IN THE SAND FOLLOWING ME.  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP,  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP.  I KEPT SHINING THE LIGHT BACK ALONG THE PATH BUT I COULDN’T SEE ANYTHING.  BY THIS TIME I WAS BACKING UP ALONG THE PATH KEEPING MY RIFLE POINTED BACK TOWARD THE SOUND OF THE FOOT STEPS.  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP,  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP.  THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF MY NECK WAS STANDING UP AND MY HANDS WERE SHAKING SO BAD I COULDN’T HOLD THE LIGHT STILL.  ALL OF A SUDDEN I TRIPPED OVER SOME THING AND THE LIGHT FELL OUT OF MY HAND.  THE LIGHT WENT OUT AS IT HIT THE GROUND AND LEFT ME IN THE DARK.  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP,  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP.   I POINTED MY RIFLE AT THE SOUND AND PULLED THE TRIGGER.  THE NOISE OF THE 30-06 WAS DEAFENING.  AS THE ECHO OF THE SHOT FADED AWAY I LAY THERE ON THE GROUND LISTENING.  EVERYTHING WAS QUITE.  I FELT AROUND ON THE GROUND AND FOUND MY FLASHLIGHT, BUT IT WOULD NOT COME ON.  I GOT UP AND MADE IT BACK TO THE HOUSE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

 

   

 

WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE HOUSE, LOYD ASKED ME IF I HAD SHOT THE LION.  “NO,” I SAID, “I MISSED.”  THAT’S ALL I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE.  I SAT DOWN AT THE KITCHEN TABLE AND JANICE PUT A CUP OF COFFEE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I DIDN’T DARE PICK IT UP AS BAD AS MY HANDS WERE SHAKING.  WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.  I SAID THAT IF I BUILT A SMALL PLATFORM IN THE BIG OAK TREE, I COULD SIT ON IT TO CALL AND IF I HAD TO, I COULD SPEND THE NIGHT ON IT.  LOYD SAID “YOU LOOK A LITTLE PALE AROUND THE GILLS.  ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?”  I FINALLY HAD TO TELL THEM ABOUT MY RUN-IN WITH THE LION.  WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT HEARING THE LION’S FOOT STEPS AND HOW THEY SOUNDED (SLAP-SLAP-PLOP), THEY SAID THEY HAD HEARD THEM.  THEY HAD DECIDED THAT THE LION’S FOOT STEPS SOUNDED LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE ONLY HAD THREE FEET.  THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS THE MORE I’M INCLINED TO AGREE WITH THEM.

 

THE NEXT MORNING WAS A SATURDAY SO LOYD DIDN’T HAVE TO GO TO WORK.  HE AND I TOOK SOME BOARDS AND BUILT A PLATFORM IN THE OAK TREE I HAD SAT IN LAST NIGHT.  ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE SUNDOWN I TOOK MY RIFLE, CALLS, A FLASH LIGHT AND A JUG OF WATER AND WENT TO THE PLATFORM.  I SETTLED IN FOR A LONG STAY.  THE MOON WAS ALMOST FULL AND I THOUGHT IF I WAITED UNTIL IT GOT DARK AND THE MOON CAME UP THE LION MIGHT COME TO THE CALL BETTER.  I SAT THERE LISTENING TO ALL THE EVENING SOUNDS.  THE BIRDS WERE SINGING THEIR LAST SONGS BEFORE GOING TO BED.  SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE RIVER I COULD HEAR A DOG BARKING.  I SAW TWO DUCKS COME WINGING IN OVER THE RIVER AND SETTLE DOWN ON THE WATER.  THEN A SQUIRREL BARKED AT ME.  I FIGURED I WAS PROBABLY IN HIS TREE AND HE WAS UNHAPPY ABOUT THAT, BUT HE WOULD JUST HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO SPEND THE NIGHT.  OFF IN THE DISTANCE UP TOWARD THE HOUSE I COULD HEAR A GOAT ONCE IN A WHILE.  I THOUGHT, IT SURE IS PEACEFUL OUT HERE. LOYD AND JANICE HAVE REALLY FOUND THEM A NICE PLACE.

 

WELL IT WAS TIME TO SHATTER THAT PEACE, SO I BLEW ON MY CALL.  IF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD A VARMINT CALL, IT IS WEIRD.  LOTS OF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE THE SOUND.  BUT IT CALLS IN ALL KINDS OF VARMINTS THAT WOULD EAT A RABBIT.  I WOULD CALL FOR A FEW TIMES AND THEN STOP AND LISTEN AND WATCH.  AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF THIS I QUIT CALLING AND JUST SAT THERE ON THE PLATFORM.  I THOUGHT I WOULD WAIT FOR AN HOUR AND THEN TRY CALLING AGAIN.  ABOUT TEN MINUTES HAD GONE BY WHEN I HEARD IT.  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP,  SLAP-SLAP-PLOP.  THE SOUND WAS RIGHT UNDER THE TREE.  I GRABBED MY RIFLE AND LOOKED OVER THE EDGE OF THE PLATFORM.  I COULDN’T SEE ANYTHING BUT I COULD STILL HEAR THOSE FOOT STEPS.  I SHINED THE FLASHLIGHT DOWN ON THE GROUND WHERE THE SOUND HAD COME FROM BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. THE SOUND HAD STOPPED.  I TURNED AND SHINED THE LIGHT ALL AROUND THE TREE TRUNK.  NOTHING.  AT LEAST HE WASN’T CLIMBING THE TREE TO GET TO ME.  I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND HOW THE SOUND OF THOSE FOOT STEPS COULD HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE AND STILL I COULDN’T SEE HIM.  I LEANED BACK AGAINST THE TREE TRUNK AND NOTICED HOW HARD I WAS BREATHING.  THIS WASN’T GOING TO BE AS EASY AS I HAD FIRST THOUGHT.  I’M TALKING ABOUT SPENDING THE NIGHT ON THIS PLATFORM, NOT CALLING THE LION.  IT WAS GOING TO BE A LONG NIGHT, BUT I’M SURE NOT GOING TO CLIMB DOWN OUT OF THIS TREE UNTIL DAYLIGHT.

 

ALONG ABOUT MID-NIGHT I HEARD THE LION SCREAM UP BY THE HOUSE.  THEN THE GOATS STARTED BLEATING IN PANIC.  WELL THERE GOES ANOTHER GOAT, I THOUGHT.  NOW THAT HE HAS HIS GOAT TO EAT, I WONDERED IF I COULD CLIMB DOWN OUT OF THE TREE AND MAKE IT BACK TO THE HOUSE.  NO, BETTER TO BE SAFE THEN SORRY, I THOUGHT.  I’LL JUST SPEND THE NIGHT UP HERE.  I WAS TO KEYED UP TO SLEEP ANY SO I JUST SAT THERE UNTIL MORNING.  IT WAS A LONG NIGHT, AND THOSE BOARDS SURE GOT HARD.  BUT I STAYED THERE UNTIL THE SUN HAD BEEN UP FOR AN HOUR BEFORE I CLIMBED DOWN.

 

AS I STARTED WALKING BACK DOWN THE CREEK BED I COULD SEE THE TRACKS OF THE LION WHERE HE HAD COME UP FROM THE RIVER THE NIGHT BEFORE.  AS I WALKED BACK TO THE HOUSE, I WONDERED IF HE COULD BE SPENDING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.  AFTER ALL, THERE WAS A LOT OF CEDAR BRAKES OVER THERE ALSO.   BY THE TIME I GOT BACK TO THE HOUSE, I HAD COME UP WITH AN IDEA THAT MIGHT GIVE ME A CHANCE TO SHOOT THE LION.   I TOLD LOYD AND JANICE MY IDEA AND THEY AGREED TO IT.

 

THE NEXT EVENING AN HOUR BEFORE SUNDOWN I WENT BACK DOWN TO THE BIG OAK TREE WITH THE PLATFORM.  THIS TIME I WAS LEADING A YOUNG GOAT ON A ROPE.  I PLANNED TO STAKE HIM OUT CLOSE TO THE TREE AND TRY TO CALL THE LION IN TO HIM.  AS WE GOT TO THE DRY CREEK BED WHERE THE LION TRACKS WERE THE GOAT STARTED BLEATING AND PULLING ON THE ROPE.  I GUESS HE COULD SMELL THE LION AND HE DIDN’T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE NEAR THAT SMELL.  I TIED THE GOAT TO A SMALL TREE ABOUT 50 YARDS FROM THE OAK TREE, THEN CLIMBED UP TO THE PLATFORM.  THE GOAT KEPT BLEATING AND FIGHTING THE ROPE.  I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST AS GOOD AS ME BLOWING ON THE CALL, SO I JUST SAT THERE AND WATCHED FOR THE LION.

NOTHING WAS STIRRING AND FINALLY THE GOAT SETTLED DOWN.  HE WOULD BLEAT EVERY SO OFTEN BUT NOT LIKE HE HAD BEEN AT FIRST.  IT GOT DARK AND THE MOON CAME UP.   IT WAS FULL TONIGHT AND YOU COULD SEE ALMOST AS WELL AS DAYLIGHT.  I SAT THERE WATCHING AND WAITING.  I WAS STRUNG AS TIGHT AS A BOW STRING.  MY NERVES WERE A WRECK AFTER THE LAST TWO DAYS.  WITH EVERY LITTLE SOUND, I JUMPED.  THEN ABOUT 9:00, I HEARD THE LION SCREAM.  I  ALL MOST JUMPED OUT OF MY SKIN.  IT MOST HAVE SCARED THE GOAT ALSO BECAUSE HE BECAME VERY QUITE.  I PICKED UP MY RIFLE AND WAS READY FOR A SHOT.  I KEPT LOOKING DOWN THE CREAK BED WHERE THE SCREAM HAD COME FROM.  I GLANCED AT THE GOAT AND HE WAS LOOKING DOWN THE CREAK BED ALSO. THEN I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING BEHIND ME, AND TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED BEHIND THE TREE.  I COULDN’T SEE ANYTHING AND I TURNED BACK TO LOOK AT THE GOAT.  HE WAS GONE!  HE HADN’T MADE A SOUND AND I HADN’T HEARD ANYTHING, BUT HE WAS GONE!

 

NOW I’M NOT SUPERSTITIOUS BUT A THREE LEGGED LION THAT SCREAMS, LEAVES TRACKS, STEALS GOATS AND NOBODY CAN SEE HIM HAS GOT THE BEST OF ME.  COME SUN UP I WENT BACK UP THE BLUFF AND INSTEAD OF GOING IN THE HOUSE I GOT IN MY PICKUP AND WENT HOME.  I CALLED LOYD THAT EVENING AND TOLD HIM I WASN’T COMING BACK.  HE WAS JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO KILL HIS LION.

 

WELL THAT WAS THREE MONTHS AGO AND ALL OF THE GOATS ARE GONE.  THE LION STILL COMES EACH NIGHT AND SCREAMS LOUD ENOUGH FOR LOYD AND JANICE TO HEAR HIM.  BUT THEY DON’T GO OUTSIDE AFTER DARK ANYMORE.  NOTHING WAS EVER FOUND OF THE TRAPPER AND HE WAS LISTED AS MISSING AND PRESUMED DEAD.  LOYD AND JANICE’S DREAM HOUSE HAS TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE HOUSE.

 

THE END

 

  BY LOREN MOORE

COPYRIGHT 2000

 

LOREN

 SEE YA

 

 
 

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