Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-40022501-20190712212238

I have been a woodsman my whole life. Growing up in the state of Alaska, I've spent a great amount of time in the wilderness. Countless days tracking down massive bears,Moose,and caribou, Weeks at a time Mushing sled dogs across frozen rivers, and being a guide on the most difficult hunts taught me survival skills that most of my colleagues will only dream of. Which is why I have made my living off the land on a remote homestead in the Mat-Su valley south of Denali national park. Being considered on of the best hunter-trackers in a land full of them is what brought me to the attention of the F.B.I when they needed a very dangerous... animal, found and killed.

It was a cold winter day when i first met Special Agent Jones, I was just done Feeding my huskies there usual mix of hot water,salmon, and the best commercial dog food You can get. Trudging along towards my modest little log cabin to warm my cold body i heard the whining of a snowmobile engine coming up the trail. it was unusual to hear a snowmobile on a Tuesday with the weekenders gone home for the time being. So patiently waiting for it to continue west toward town it suddenly turned North, towards me, ten minutes later a smaller man wearing a fish and game winter jacket on a newer trail model pulling into my yard. The dogs, hearing a strange machine pull into the yard began barking and howling with glee. The man was clearly quite cold as he quickly killed the two-stroke engine and walked up to me. He pulled of his glove a stuck out his hand, I quickly took his hand and greeted the man.

"Special Agent Jones" he said. I looked at the man and seen instantly he was out of his element cold Hands, red nose and the constant shivers told me everything, So I said to this ill-prepared man.

"Come on inside, agent Jones, it's mighty cold out here. Once inside and seated with a cup of coffee, I finally asked "what would a F.B.I agent want with a Bush rat like myself." the man straightened himself and said,

"The F.B.I would like to employ your services as a tracker, sir." Huh, well I guess I was good at what I do but I wasn't expecting this.

" I see, and what exactly do you want me to track" I asked.

"Well, uh..." he stuttered, "Were not exactly sure".

"Not sure huh" I said, puzzeled. He explained what happened, A couple of teenagers were found on the Old Pearl River, one with there skull smashed open and one with his chest crushed."no scratches, bites anything on them" I asked, in bewilderment.

"Not One" he said. "And where the hell is the Old Pearl river at."

He looked at me goofy and said "Louisiana."

"I've never been before," I said "and I don't think I would do much good to you down there."

"But you will" He assured "we have been searching for the best woodsman in the country and we found you" He said confidently. "I'll be damned if I flew my happy ass up here, and froze my balls off on that snowmobile to go all the way back down south and settle for second best." He quipped'

"Well then, You got yourself a hunter then." I answered.

That is how I found myself alongside the old pearl river waist deep in the swamp water sitting next to a swamp man named Shelby. Shelby was a alligator hunter that was hired for the use of his knowledge of the area and, more importantly his air boat.

"You boys got any thing yet" said Jake. Jake was a marine scout sniper until he was very recently recruited to be on this 'task force'.

"Sorry Jake, not shit." I told the sniper.

"Well let's pull out for the night, I'm freezing out here and my feet are wet" Jones whined.

"Fine" was all I said in return. Jones was Clearly more of a desk jockey than a field guy, but this was his team and he was determined to be with us every step of the way."

"Let's get going then" Shelby whispered. We quietly crept back to the air boat.

"You're back" said Sarah. Sarah is a cryptozoologist and agent Jones said she could be of some help.

"Yeah we are back, only been gone 6 hours" I retorted. Ignoring my sarcasm, she said

"I've been doing some research,and I think I know what were dealing with."

Doubling down on my sarcasm. "What, you don't believe what Jones told the public, ya know a bear that crushes people instead of chewing em' up." She grinned and proudly stated

"Nope, not even a little." Shelby fired up the boat, went and picked up Jones and Jake and we all decided to regroup in the morning.

"Swamp Ape huh." Jake sneered. Sarah glared at him through her sunglasses and I spook

"Sure as shit wasn't a bear Jake, You seen the bodies."

"Yea, that wasn't no black bear." was the short, athletic man's only reply.

"How do we kill it?" Shelby asked.

"We don't" answered Sarah while staring at me, "We Trap it." she stated. Right then Jones got a call and went outside.

"How in the hell you gonna trap a 800 pound pissed off swamp monster?" Jake intelligently asked.

"Too Trap a animal you must know the animal what it eats, how it walks, how intelligent it is, the way it thinks, among other things." I informed. Shelby then stated the obvious

"So back to square one, find the damn thing." Just then Jones came back to the table."We gotta go,right now," he ordered "I'll explain on the way."

"Fucking aye" Jake cursed as we pulled up to the scene. 8 pigs dead, 5 smashed skulls, and 3 ripped throats. We got outta Shelby's old Ford truck and quickly investigated the scene. They all was killed maybe three hours ago and large, 3 toed tracks with webbed feet were heading towards the swamp. I told Jones that i should start tracking now and the others should go get Shelby's boat.

"I can't send someone out there alone, I'll go with you." he said.

"No you can't, someone has to stay and deal with the farmer and the press when they hear about this." I explained.

"Jake, what about you?" Jones questioned.

"I left my m40 at my room" Jake confessed.

"What about me?" Sarah asked.

"You ain't got no gun though" said Shelby.

"I'll borrow your pistol" Sarah replied.

"Fine with me, I guess" I approved. Jones simply nodded, and Shelby handed her his old 1911. I already had my .45 colt on my hip, so I pulled my Marlin 45-70 out of Shelby's truck and off into the swamp we went.

For 7 hours we tracked the beast through the swamp. It was clearly quiet intelligent, as it made almost know tracks as it moved through the forest. Thus making my task very difficult. Finally, as we crept through the swamp, we heard a noise just ahead. I quickly motioned for Sarah to stay still. Then I saw the monster, It stood approximately 8' tall and roughly 400 lbs, it's arms had to be at least 5' long and the thing was covered in a reddish-brown fur. Almost the instant I saw the creature I smelled it. I had the horrible stench of rotten milk and wet dog. But thing that seemed the strangest to me, was it's eyes, red, and menacing, with a slight glow to them.

I put the lever gun against my shoulder and took aim. Sarah squeezed my right arm slightly. "Please don't?" she asked. I locked eyes with her and lowered my weapon with a slight sigh. The monster a out a deep, loud howl and continued into the swamp.

That night I laid in my shitty motel bed, and thought about why I didn't shoot the monster, I mean, I had a clear shot, even if I told Jones that I didn't, and a 45-70, I could've dropped it before it knew what hit him. I arrived at the conclusion that I didn't take that shot because, Sarah had asked me not too. Sarah, she was a that kind of person. This whole time she had been trying to capture it, not kill. Needless to say after that night, I was much more interested in my new found profession, and my new partner.

"Perfect" said Jones.

"Hell yeah" Jake agreed.

"So he walks in, hits the tripwire and the gate falls and he can't get out?" Sarah confirmed,

"yep" was my reply. Earlier that morning i had designed a cage trap for our prey.

"Okay, Shelby take Jake into the swamp and find a good spot for this thing. Me and you will go into town and get someone to start building this thing." Jones stated.

"What about me?" asked Sarah, "Find out as much as you can about our little friend and we'll meet up when me and Jones are done." Jones simply nodded in agreement to my statement.

"I couldn't find much out on our buddy, but from what I did find, it seems he's a swamp bigfoot, but meaner, and with some serious b.o" Sarah said as she sat down next to me. She had decided to get a nicer hotel suite, so she wanted to meet here.

"In my experience, 'meaner' is really 'more territorial'. I softly corrected.

"Either way, at least I'll have you there." She said with a smirk. "I'll protect you" I said in with a laugh.

"I don't need your protection, I just know I can run faster then you" she confessed with a laugh. I grinned and looked at the clock.

"I better get going" I told her.

"I'll show you the door" she offered. After stepping to the other side of the door way, I turned to say goodnight, She softly grabbed my hand and said.

"Thank you, for the other night...you know...not shooting."

"Not a problem, Your welcome." I replied.

"Goodnight" she said.

"Goodnight Sarah"

"You really think it's gonna work?" Sarah asked quietly.

"It will" was all I said in return. The plan was simple, we had figured out he is like a bear, in that he likes his food rotten. It was seen digging up those pig carcasses and carrying one back into the swamp. So, we dug up the rest and are using them as bait. After about 5 hours of waiting, the beast finally showed itself slowly sulking out of the swamp, about 25 yards directly in front of Sarah and me. "Eyes on" I whispered into the radio to Jake and Jones on the opposite side of the trap. The beast rose up and sniffed the air, looking for danger. A slight snap came from my right side. I looked to see Sarah had tripped, and she was now scared shitless. Turning my eyes back to the best I found those big, red eyes were locked on me, as soon as we locked eyes, it charged. I had a idea that I prayed would work.

I motioned Sarah to stay down and started running towards the trap, 25' away. I heard heard chasing after me, but it was gaining fast. I got directly in front of the trap's door. I whirled around to see it had caught up, he leapt towards me, but I dodged him. He spun around to face me and, with his back now to the door, his face was met with the butt of my rifle. He fell backwards into the trap, triggering it, The iron gate dropped, locking him inside. The beast let out a roar, a hell of a angry roar that sent shivers down my back.

"Holy shit" Jake exclaimed, now at my side.

"Yea" I said back "Holy shit"

The F.B.I was finishing loading the beast into a truck when Jones approached me. "What did you think of the team?" he asked. My gaze shifted towards Sarah as she was talking to some agent about the beast.

"I liked everybody" I answered.

Jones, catching my gaze, said with a smirk. "Some more then others?" My grin was my only reply. "Would you be interested in doing hunts like this one again? Everyone else already agreed." he asked in a more serious tone.

I thought for a moment and then said, "Yeah, I'll hunt with you folks anytime."

and that's how I ended up hunting monsters for a living, if you got any questions or would like to hear more of my stories let me know in the comments. 